Test before you invest: How Ted’s Kitchen discovered the potential of the Metos cooking kettle

What started as a search for the right cooking kettle to bring mashed potato production back in-house turned into a much broader story. Because when investing in a professional cooking kettle, you don’t just want to know what a machine can do, you especially want to know how it performs in real-life.

That is why Linsey Dorff, co-owner and Commercial Director of Ted’s Kitchen, traveled to Finland together with Metos culinary advisor Danny Hovestad and account manager Misha van Gool. There, they visited Metos Cooking Solutions (MCS), part of the Metos Group. For decades, MCS has been developing and manufacturing professional cooking kettles.

At the Metos factory in Finland, they not only got a behind-the-scenes look at the production process of the cooking kettles, but above all experienced firsthand what these kettles mean in a production kitchen. The goal of the visit: to explore how the Metos cooking kettle fits Ted’s Kitchen’s way of working, how it can safeguard their desired quality level, and how it can support their ambition to continue producing artisan products on a larger scale.
In this blog, Linsey openly shares their search for the right cooking kettle, the insights gained during the visit to Finland, and why this investment feels like the start of a long-term partnership.

Ted’s Kitchen: A family business with a passion for food

Ted’s Kitchen is a true family business. Founded by Uncle Ted and now run by Linsey together with her two cousins. That family dynamic is visible in everything they do, not only in their mutual involvement but especially in their love for good food and shared enjoyment.

The company works closely with several supermarket partners and strongly believes in long-term partnerships. Short communication lines, knowing each other well, and building together. This flexibility and innovative strength make Ted’s Kitchen agile in a market that is constantly evolving.

As Commercial Director, Linsey looks beyond revenue alone. Healthy growth, quality, and sustainable collaborations are central. And that is exactly where the question arose: how do we produce our mashed potatoes on a large scale in our own kitchen?

The reason: producing mashed potatoes in-house at scale

In the past, Ted’s Kitchen made its mashed potatoes in-house, based on a recipe by Paul Fagel. This worked well for years, until the existing machine no longer met their needs. This created the need to reconsider how the mashed potatoes could be prepared in their own kitchen.

“We love craftsmanship and making things ourselves,” Linsey explains. “That way, you have control over taste, texture, and quality. That control is essential for the product we want to deliver.”

During the search for a new solution, she came into contact with Metos. Not through a brochure, but through a YouTube video showing mashed potatoes being prepared on a large scale in a Metos cooking kettle. That marked the beginning of the process, and of the journey to Finland.

The challenge in the production kitchen

Producing mashed potatoes at the desired volume and quality level is virtually impossible without the right machine. Doing it manually is too physically demanding, too labor-intensive, and not consistent enough.

Therefore, a new solution had to meet several clear requirements:

• Suitable for large volumes
• Consistent quality, regardless of who operates it
• Reduced physical strain
• Multi-functional for various products
• Room for growth, experimentation, and innovation

The cooking kettle had to be more than a machine for one single product. It needed to be an investment that could grow alongside Ted’s Kitchen.

Why the Metos cooking kettle?

What appealed to Ted’s Kitchen was not only the cooking kettle itself, but especially the way Metos approached the process.
From the very first contact with Danny, the thinking was broad and collaborative:

“From how the kettle would fit into our kitchen, to where it would be placed and how it would integrate into our processes. Metos even think along about sourcing raw materials for the mashed potatoes and about potential new customers we could serve with this product. That’s truly unique,” says Linsey.

The visit to Metos in Finland played a key role. Instead of a theoretical explanation, they received a live demonstration, cooked with the machine themselves, and toured the Metos factory where the kettles are produced.

The added value of culinary advice

Having culinary advisor Danny actively involved in reviewing the cooking process proved highly valuable for Ted’s Kitchen. While the initial goal was to produce mashed potatoes, he demonstrated how versatile the cooking kettle actually is — from mashed potatoes to salads, risotto, and pasta sauces.
“Danny doesn’t speak in theory, but he shows and lets you experience it,” Linsey says. “You can tell he understands how a production kitchen operates.”
This practical knowledge led to more conscious decision-making.

Linsey: “Without this guidance, we would probably have focused only on the basics: just making mashed potatoes. We also have machines in our factory now that, in hindsight, I’m not entirely sure were the right choice. That’s exactly why this process feels different. Because we’re taken through the entire story — from possibilities to real-life application — this choice feels much more deliberate and well-founded.”

Together, Metos and Ted’s Kitchen are now exploring additional options, such as tilting the machine for mixing products and other expansions that make the equipment even more versatile. “These are decisions we likely would have made less thoughtfully — or not at all — without this guidance,” Linsey explains.

What the visit to Finland truly delivered

The visit to Metos Finland provided tremendous insight, not only into the cooking kettle itself, but also into other solutions within the Metos portfolio, such as cooking in a mix pan.

Linsey: “What stayed with me most was Metos’ involvement in the overall design of production kitchens. Not just supplying equipment, but thinking along about layout, routing, and processes. Metos operates on a level you would normally only discuss with architects and consultants.”

A visit to a Finnish primary school also made a strong impression. Children serve themselves and clean up afterward.
“What I found beautiful there is that when children throw away food, they literally see how much they are wasting. It makes them aware of food and responsibility. I found that very special to witness,” Linsey says.

Looking ahead: investing in today and tomorrow

The cooking kettle will soon be used daily. First for mashed potatoes, later also for other components such as risotto and soups. This versatility makes the investment interesting.

More importantly, this process feels like the start of a partnership for Ted’s Kitchen. Not a one-time purchase, but a collaboration focused on the future.
Linsey: “We didn’t experience Metos as just a machine manufacturer, but as a partner that truly thinks along with us — both now and toward the future.”
With plans for new construction in a few years, Linsey sees clear opportunities. “We saw kitchens here that were fully designed from scratch. That really makes you think. I expect we can make good use of Metos’ knowledge and experience when that time comes.”

Conclusion: more than just a cooking kettle

What began as a search for a suitable cooking kettle to prepare mashed potatoes in-house once again grew into a broader story about craftsmanship, scalability, and collaboration.

The journey to Finland demonstrated that a cooking kettle is not just a machine, but a strategic choice for quality, efficiency, and growth. For Ted’s Kitchen, this feels like a logical step forward, with a partner who thinks along, both now and in the future.