Telliskivi Creative City, or Tellar, as people call it these days, has always had this colorful, magnetic energy. A crossroads for creative ideas, shall we say.
As I stepped out of the taxi, I wasn’t surprised to see every bench and restaurant table packed – people, chatter, and glasses full of Aperol. Never mind that - I headed straight for the heart of Tellar, where Johannes Veski’s cozy bakery nook lives: Aarde Pagar & Leivabaar.
Once an actor and director, Veski now bakes bread. A wild switch? Maybe. But also, somehow, it makes perfect sense. He’s one of those people who’s done a bit of everything, been here, done that, built things along the way. He’s curious about all sorts of stuff – from one end of the spectrum to the other. These days, Veski is the mind behind Aarde Pagar and it’s infamous Aarde Must.
I sat down with the ever-curious breadsmith to trace the roots of his creativity and wide-open worldview. After the interview, Silver and I walked away with half a loaf of Aarde Must – which made for some very good sandwiches the next few mornings.
Johannes the director.
Johannes the actor.
Johannes the sailor.
Johannes the guy with a fishing rod.
Johannes the business brain.
Johannes the man with the dough – literally.
First memory of you eating bread?
I was in the driver’s seat of my dad’s old Moskvich, pretending to drive. I produced car noises as I was simultaneously chewing on some dark bread. The whole car ended up full of crumbs. Dad wasn’t happy. I must’ve been five or six.
Favourite thing about owning a bakery?
My first product, Aarde Must, has been really well received. People say good things, and they say them daily. It’s direct. Constant. In volume.
Best way to avoid toxic people?
I usually don’t avoid them. If someone appears to have a toxic effect on my affairs, I’ll rather try and connect with them to figure things out.
Job title – how do you label yourself?
Among friends, they just call me direktor. That’s been the case all my life – whether it was upstairs at ETK (Erinevate Tubade Klubi) or now here at Aarde Pagar. Professionally though, yeah – I’m a director.
Recipe for a top day…or even life?
Think of every day as a top day – that’s the recipe. Also known as “no bad days”.
You’ve been an actor and a director, which POV did you enjoy most?
Definitely director. I liked working with the bigger picture. As an actor, I never felt like the lens or scope fit me.
If you were bread, what kind would you be?
It’s got to be mine, Aarde Must.
What’s overrated right now?
Growth and speed, too often at the expense of quality and essence.
What do you do when you don’t know what to do – stuck in a dead end?
I wait.
Would you rather be a fish or a fisherman?
Fisherman. Being a fish doesn’t sound all that interesting.
What were you like as a kid? Who did you want to become?
At one point I thought I wanted to be an athlete — play football. In later teenage years I got more into cultural stuff. Specifically theatre. Definitely had the performance bug as a kid.
If you could be anywhere right now, where would you be?
On a golf course. Or at home. I like being here (Aarde Pagar). In my indoor golf club just across the courtyard from here. Any one of those will do.