Estonia: A hidden delight for a gastronomic adventure
What do you know about Estonian food? For most people, the answer is not a lot.
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00:00 (upbeat music)
00:03 What do you know about Estonian food?
00:05 For most people, the answer is not a lot,
00:07 but the Baltic nation's food scene
00:09 is seeing something of a renaissance.
00:11 Led by innovative young chefs and restaurateurs,
00:13 we're finding exciting new ways
00:15 to put Estonian cuisine on the map.
00:17 In this episode of Discover Estonia,
00:19 we're going on a culinary journey.
00:20 Let's go.
00:21 (upbeat music)
00:24 Estonian cuisine is hard to define,
00:29 even for many Estonians.
00:31 Historically, it's been based on fresh local products,
00:34 like fish, meat, garden vegetables,
00:37 but the country's food culture has been deeply impacted
00:40 by its complicated history.
00:41 What is actually Estonian food?
00:43 We are very much German in our food culture,
00:47 but at the same time, we have a lot of Soviet heritage.
00:50 There is a lot of influence
00:52 by all kinds of different intruders who came here
00:55 in order to get a better position at the scene.
00:57 But at the same time, I feel like at the moment,
01:00 we are establishing something new,
01:03 something which is totally unique for Estonia.
01:06 Estonia's new wave of restaurateurs are experimenting
01:10 and elevating native specialties.
01:12 The country joined the Michelin Guide in 2022.
01:15 Come with me to visit one of the restaurants
01:17 that's pushing boundaries in Tallinn.
01:19 Le Restaurant in Tallinn's Old Town
01:21 has found a unique formula.
01:22 They're reimagining an age-old Estonian
01:24 communal dining experience.
01:26 Le itself is actually one of the oldest words in Estonian.
01:31 It describes the old fireplace,
01:32 where in the old times, people were gathering
01:35 to have their meals together, to have their laughs together.
01:38 We want to bring this old joy of sharing the food
01:41 around our tables.
01:42 Christian Peaske is the co-owner of Le
01:45 and a trained sommelier.
01:47 He's giving hyper-local Estonian products
01:49 an international twist
01:51 with the help of Canadian head chef, Hiro Tekeda.
01:54 Hiro is our head chef
01:54 and he's the mastermind behind actually combining
01:57 Estonian ingredients together
01:58 with his well-traveled experience.
02:02 Yeah, I think the menu here is primarily based on
02:07 more than anything, like my discovery of Estonia,
02:09 of coming here a few years ago
02:11 and being able to discover some of the history
02:13 and the culture of this place.
02:15 And then through that, be able to navigate
02:17 sort of my own personal travels
02:18 and my own upbringing as well
02:20 into creating a menu that hopefully brings
02:23 some surprises to our guests.
02:25 Hiro showed us three of his latest dishes,
02:27 a seasonal asparagus tart,
02:29 sashimi made from local trout,
02:32 and his own creative take on a classic Estonian curd snack
02:38 called kohuke.
02:39 The combinations are surprising,
02:41 both familiar and brand new.
02:44 I really cherish that we as people
02:46 have to develop throughout times.
02:48 And in our restaurants, we'll constantly actually think
02:50 about what brought us here might not be something
02:54 that carries us forward.
02:55 So I would say change really for us
02:57 is the key word within this business.
02:59 And where did your passion come from?
03:01 That actually really comes from my home.
03:03 So if you feel like it, I'm actually happy to show you.
03:06 Christian grew up in the countryside,
03:08 around a hundred kilometers from Tallinn.
03:11 His parents run a little B&B
03:12 in the picturesque village of Veikkielatru,
03:14 surrounded by forest and nature.
03:16 So welcome.
03:19 Here's my mother, Helle, and my father, Endel.
03:21 Hi, so nice to meet you all.
03:24 So nice to meet you.
03:25 Tere, Anka.
03:26 Helle, nice to meet you.
03:28 Tere, Anka, thank you so much for having me in your home.
03:31 Is there anything I can do to help with this meal?
03:34 (speaking in foreign language)
03:38 Okay, all right, let's do it.
03:44 Back when Estonia was under Soviet occupation,
03:47 many families, like Christians, grew their own food.
03:50 Today, they still grow tomatoes
03:52 and fresh herbs in their greenhouse.
03:54 Helle is making us some traditional Estonian comfort food.
03:57 Helle, can you tell me about what dish we're making today?
04:02 (speaking in foreign language)
04:06, thank you. (laughs)
04:11 (upbeat music)
04:33 Estonia has been filled with the most amazing discoveries,
04:36 incredible nature, unique culture, delicious food,
04:39 but what really makes this country worth visiting
04:42 is its people and the warm welcome
04:43 that everyone has given me since I've been here.
04:46 I hope you enjoyed meeting them as much as I have,
04:48 and until next time,
04:49 thanks for watching Discover Estonia.
04:51 (upbeat music)
04:53 (upbeat music)
04:56 (upbeat music)