“I never compromise on quality. Ever.”
Tõnis Siigur and his business partner Martti Siimann were in no rush to move into the city centre.
They had received plenty of invitations and had explored numerous potential locations, just in case. But something was missing: the right feeling. And without that, you simply can’t create a restaurant.
“There are two important things when creating a restaurant: the concept and the location. The latter is the most important. A place has to feel right to us. When we visited Golden Gate while it was still under construction, we immediately knew this was it,” says Tõnis Siigur.
The new restaurant was named FUME, a word that evokes smoke and open flames, and for good reason. At the heart of the restaurant is a handcrafted Vulcano Gress grill from Spain.
But in Siigur’s eyes, that’s not what makes FUME special. What makes it special is how everything comes together.
“Simply knowing how to cook well isn’t enough in our industry. Beyond the kitchen, the design, service, drinks selection, temperature, aromas… everything has to be just right.
When all these details work together, you have a complete restaurant experience. And that’s exactly what we’ve achieved at FUME,” he says.
Siigur acknowledges that maintaining a high standard of quality day after day is challenging, but he knows exactly what it takes.
“Many chefs want a Michelin star, but very few want the discipline and consistency required to earn one,” he observes.
“My strength is consistency. I’m an absolute perfectionist when it comes to restaurants, and I don’t say that lightly. I never compromise on quality. Ever. I simply can’t.”
Siigur’s philosophy is carried forward by the head chefs of his restaurants, many of whom have risen through the ranks of his own teams. They are expected to step into the shoes of the Siigur Restaurant Collection’s executive chef and keep pace with him.
They need to be creative leaders who know how to manage people and understand the financial side of the business.
“We’ve recruited very few head chefs through open competitions. We prefer to develop our own talent. There are more than 30 head chefs in Estonia who have come through our restaurants,” he explains.
FUME’s head chef and partner Heinrich Liis is one of them. Before joining FUME, he led the kitchen team at NOA.
After a 30-year career, Siigur still loves cooking.
He can occasionally be found preparing food in the kitchens of all his restaurants, and he also enjoys cooking at home.
“Most recently, I cooked lamb at home, and we pickled some cucumbers,” he says with a smile.
We wish FUME continued success and many wonderful guests!
FUME at Golden Gate is open every day.
