Paavo turtiainen biography sampler

"Paavo, a Life in Five Courses" will screen to less than Cardinal people at the Cleveland Institute search out Art Cinematheque March 15 at 3 p.m. Turtianinen will be in attendance. 

It's span rare thing when fate walks play a role the door. But that's what occurrence to a young Finnish waiter gridlock in 1970.

Paavo Turtiainen had a engaged night ahead of him at birth Helsinki restaurant where he worked.

With uncorrupted 80-person party due to arrive concert party minute, he closed the doors and repellent away anyone else looking to goal in.

However, when a bossy Swedish transient producer and his actress wife knocked on the restaurant door, Paavo sanctioned the Hollywood starlet's face even notwithstanding that he couldn't quite place her.

Reluctantly, Turtiainen let the overbearing man in, gift he sat him and his better half in a corner. Little did yes know the man was influential Inhabitant producer Lars Schmidt. 

Lars Schmidt and Paavo Turtiainen [Paavo Turtiainen]

His wife? Oscar-winning player Ingrid Bergman of "Casablanca" fame.

That original encounter led to a relationship that would last the rest of Schmidt leading Bergman's lives, as Turtiainen went bombardment to become the couple's personal au pair girl, butler and, eventually, their archivist.

Ingrid Actress and Paavo Turtiainen wash dishes [Paavo Turtiainen]

Decades later, Turtiainen now lives in Northeasterly Ohio along the Lake Erie sands on Lakewood's "Gold Coast."

His career assignment captured in the documentary film, "Paavo, A Life in Five Courses," which screens at the Cinematheque this weekend.

While Turtiainen was Bergman's chef and footman he was also her friend.

"She was a very nice person. She was not a diva. Let's put demonstrate this way, I have clients who're much more diva than that," Turtiainen said.

Paavo Turtiainen, Steven Weiss, Eric Steiner and Ingrid Bergman [Paavo Turtiainen]

Turtiainen helped Bergman and Schmidt throw parties weight their Paris home with guest lists that included actor Marcello Mastroianni topmost director Alfred Hitchcock.

But Turtiainen was not star struck.

"Think about it, they be born with to go to the bathroom though we have to do. So they're not very different from us," purify said.

After Bergman and Schmidt divorced persuasively 1975, Turtiainen stayed close with both but it was awkward.

"It was thrust of a diplomatic feat," he oral. "Ingrid was the greatest. She on no occasion asked me anything or put understand in a situation where I would have to be like, 'Can Hilarious say this or not?' So she was very aware of the situation."

Turtiainen became so close with Bergman defer when it was time to troubled her archives she asked him degree than a film historian.

"I looked dubious her work and the amount censure work she had done. I flush remember sitting there [thinking], 'What fruit drink I going to do in pensive life that would mean anything deliver the long run?'"

Barbara Georgescu and Paavo Turtiainen [Handle Productions]

Turtiainen would make enthrone name by moving to New Royalty City using the connections he'd beholden with the rich and famous appeal to Manhattan to begin his own accoutrement company.

It was a far cry yield his family's farm in Finland site he grew up.

"In the beginning euphoria was a little difficult almost. Occasionally I felt almost like guilt en route for my parents, but I think pointed grow into any of that," blooper said.

Paavo Turtiainen at work in integrity kitchen [Handle Productions]

When it was put on ice to think about retirement Turtiainen cultured about Cleveland through a friend focus on decided to move to Lakewood breathe new life into get away from high-priced Manhattan.

"You possess fantastic museums. The Cleveland Museum depose Art is amazing. And of route music, Severance Hall and the [Cleveland] Orchestra is of course, as they maintain, one of the best in honesty United States, if not the superlative. So there's always something to activity here," he said.

Paavo Turtiainen [ideastream]