Food is a way to ask questions – about culture, creativity, and what it means to belong. For Hiro Takeda, those questions have shaped a journey that moves between countries, kitchens, and ideas. His cooking blends precision with emotion, guided by curiosity. At Sadu, Hiro steps into a space already rich with identity, not to replace it, but to weave his own story through it.
What is the vision behind your takeover at Sadu – what kind of experience are you trying to create for the guests?
Kristjan (Head Chef at Sadu) and I have been friends for quite some time, and I was really impressed when Sadu opened – to see his journey of discovering his Korean roots while growing up in Estonia, and how that translated into his food. As we talked about me taking over for him while he visited Korea, it became apparent that a collaborative menu was the best way to go.
That way, I could leave my mark on the menu while still keeping the concept true to what he had created.
My food tends to be more on the nuanced side, and I’ve always loved sharing interesting ingredients and flavors with people, so the menu holds true to that. I want our guests to experience two chefs with different Asian backgrounds bringing their flavors to the plate – and to find a sense of adventure in that experience. The dishes are all deeply personal, which is always nice to share.
Sadu has its own identity as a restaurant. How do you balance respecting that with bringing in your own style and philosophy?
The great thing about Sadu is that, at its core, it’s a restaurant that strives to bring something new to the dining scene. That philosophy resonates with my ideas on food, so it’s relatively easy to put my dishes on the menu there as well. That being said, since this is a month-long collaboration, we’re also showcasing it as a “guest chef” concept, which gives me a bit more freedom to express myself. The menu balances what Sadu truly is, while also seamlessly connecting to what Kristjan will bring back when he returns.
Have there been any challenges or surprises while working with Sadu’s team and concept?
I’m truly happy to be working with a team that deeply cares about what they do. That’s not necessarily a surprise or a challenge, but it gives me the openness to share who I am with them, along with my standards and expectations. It’s wonderful to see how two restaurants (Raba and Sadu) can work so seamlessly in one space. If anything, the biggest challenge is probably aligning my style of food and the way I like things to run in a restaurant. Whenever there’s change like that, there are always challenges for the core team – but they’ve been extremely receptive, open, and adaptable.
Who would be your dream guest at your Sadu takeover – alive or dead – and what dish from the menu you would cook for them?
To be honest, my dream guest would be my family. I’ve always wanted to cook for them here in Estonia. Since my mom has a very nuanced and sensitive palate, the shrimp mousseline and chawanmushi would be high on the list. But my family is also deeply connected to Korean flavors, so really, anything on the menu would work.
Imagine you could only cook with five ingredients for the rest of your life – which ones would you choose?
This is a tough one, but off the top of my head:
rice, chicken, ginger, eggs, and soy sauce.
Estonia is going towards its famous long, dark winters. If you could design the perfect “comfort dish” for a winter night here, what would it be?
I’m a huge fan of hot pot – especially Chinese, and in particular Sichuan-style hot pot. A simmering spicy broth in the middle of the table, surrounded by dishes of raw cabbage, thinly sliced meat, dumplings, and a big pot of rice. I used to host hot pot nights in Canada during the winters, where my place would fill with steam from the bubbling broth. The key is the dipping sauce – egg, MSG, sesame oil, raw garlic, and lots of green onion. Sitting around the table, drinking cold beer, and eating freshly simmered ingredients with rice is a perfect way to spend winter evenings.
You’ve lived in quite a few countries. Which one has the quirkiest food habit or tradition you’ve experienced?
Those who know me know that one of my favourite dishes is poutine – the classic Canadian dish of fries with gravy and cheese curds. I’ve had versions with smoked pork or beef, but I remember going east to Quebec and trying shrimp and seafood poutines, where the gravy is made with a fish stock base. For some reason, shrimp and cheese together sound odd, but it just worked so well. It’s extremely important, though, that the fries are slightly overcooked to maintain crunch, the sauce is the right consistency so it doesn’t pool at the bottom, and the cheese is in larger chunks, only half covered by the sauce, so you get both melted and unmelted bites as you eat. Very specific.
If you weren’t a chef, what do you think you’d be doing right now?
To be honest, lately I’ve really fallen in love with different art forms – writing, kintsugi, t-shirt design, and other visual arts. I’d probably be working within those fields.
With that in mind, I also like the idea of producing food outside of a restaurant setting – bringing new flavors to people in a different way.
Or, if I were skilled enough, being a professional ice hockey player would be pretty nice too.
What role does innovation play in your cooking today, and where do you want to take it in the next few years?
Innovation plays a significant role in my cooking these days – especially with my work at Äio, a food tech company that focuses on a specific strain of yeast that produces a high amount of fat. Working in the food tech sector has helped me dive deeper into how ingredients function – not only in terms of flavor, but also their technical roles in different cooking methods. At a fundamental level, I’ve realized that as chefs, we’re privileged to be in a position where we can alter and expand people’s perceptions of food. That’s a tremendous opportunity to introduce new flavors and ideas. I’ve never been satisfied with just cooking what people already know – I want to challenge preconceived notions and broaden perspectives through my food. Innovation is a big part of that.
After so many international moves and experiences, how do you personally define “home” at this point in your journey?
This is an interesting question. Home, for me, will always be where I grew up in Canada, but that sense has slowly changed. The childhood home I grew up in is no longer ours, and with so many changes in my family, it feels more and more unfamiliar when I visit.
That said, there’s comfort in the things that don’t change.
Going back home to Canada is a good way to reflect on how I’ve grown and evolved while living abroad. Through my travels, I’ve made a strong effort to build communities and support networks around me, and Estonia is no different. I think home is wherever you choose to invest your energy in the present moment. For now, Tallinn is that place. But I don’t see myself staying in one place forever – so we’ll see what the future holds.