Adrian Hădean

Adrian Hădean’s passion for cooking took root in Baia Mare in northwestern Romania, where he first stepped into the culinary world. With a career spanning over two decades, Hădean has not only become a household name in Romania through his television appearances, including as a judge on MasterChef Romania, but also through his influential culinary blog, one of the most popular in the country. Beyond his media presence, Hădean is deeply involved in social initiatives, using his platform to advocate for healthy eating and support disadvantaged communities. His contributions have significantly shaped Romania's culinary landscape.

‍

Please introduce yourself to our members.

Hello, I’m Adrian Hădean. I’ve been a cook for almost 30 years and a writer for nearly as long. I’m based in Bucharest, Romania’s capital city. I love food, I love the Romanian cuisine and culture I was born into. I also love to travel and discover people and minds through food.

‍

Tell us about your current project.

The only hospitality business I run now is Attic Lab, in Bucharest, an exclusive and private venue where I host tasting menus and Romanian terroir experiences, mainly for foreign and corporate groups. Our most important project is an NGO called Social Food, which helps us provide over 1,000 hot meals a day to people in vulnerable situations. Since April 1, 2020, we have served and delivered around 1.15 million hot meals. Also, thousands of tons of food were distributed by us during the pandemic and in the first months of the Ukraine war. Our main fundraising event is called Kitchen Battle and is a concept given to us by Cuisine sans Frontières, a partner NGO from Switzerland.

‍

‍

Tell us about the restaurant scene in Bucharest.

For over 20 years after the communist era ended in Romania, the culinary scene was quite grey and uninspiring. However, things have become much brighter in recent years. The past decade has brought a lot of knowledge, a lot of investment, and a new generation of young and passionate chefs. Also, experienced chefs who have worked abroad have returned to Romania, bringing back the experience they gained in the West. Today, visitors to Bucharest can choose from a variety of options, including both traditional and new Romanian cuisine, numerous ethnic restaurants like Italian, Chinese, Korean, Japanese, Thai, Turkish, Lebanese, Vietnamese, Indian and a vibrant street food scene.

‍

"Experienced chefs who have worked abroad have returned to Romania, bringing back the experience they gained in the West. Today, visitors to Bucharest can choose from a variety of options, including both traditional and new Romanian cuisine, numerous ethnic restaurants like Italian, Chinese, Korean, Japanese, Thai, Turkish, Lebanese, Vietnamese, Indian and a vibrant street food scene."

‍

‍

What are your three favorite restaurants in Bucharest and why?

This is not easy for me to say, because there are many and for different reasons.

Noua Bucătărie Românească - Probably the first Romanian chef to promote the new Romanian cuisine, Alex Petricean, opened Noua, a small restaurant with a great team and a beautiful, modern take on the Romanian classic food concepts. It is the best place to take a trip around Romania in a tasting menu. I love it!
Soro Lume and Kane are for sure the best restaurants offering new Romanian cuisine experiences to the guest, and I would recommend to try everyone of these restaurants.
Kaiamo - Young and powerful chef Radu Ionescu is bringing forward his take on the Romanian cuisine and together with his daring team can take you closer to what our heritage is, with a modern approach. The wine list is nice to explore and the place itself is packed with history. You should check for it and give it a go.
Mahala is offering a more conservative approach to the Romanian cuisine and a lovely technique in crafting the dishes.
Maimuca is the most punk restaurant in the city, I just love to be and eat there.

‍

What’s a new restaurant or hidden gem in Bucharest that you think is doing great things?

This place I’m telling you about is not a restaurant, it is a streetfood vendor located in the biggest fresh market in Bucharest (Obor market), called Terasa Obor. They are selling a single dish and they make it so, so good. The dish speaks loudly about the Romanian spirit, the atmosphere of the place itself is really Romanian, bringing together people in black suits, hipsters, poor and rich, young and retired people. The dish is the Romanian “mici”, and if you don’t know what that is, think meat “kofte” and raise to the 10th.

‍

What’s your favorite kind of restaurant and why?

The kind of restaurant that gives you good, hearty food, cooked with more love than ego.

‍

What are your three favorite food cities and your favorite restaurants in those cities?

‍Istanbul – Besides Bucharest, I love to go to Istanbul, where the great food falls on your head literally. The latest discovery there is Aheste, with a chic take on the traditional cuisine, but I really loved to dine in Turk by Fatih Tutak. Really strong, really connected to the traditional, but with such a gracious display of imagination and modernism.
Budapest – Budapest is another favourite food destination. As a born and raised Transilvanian, I’m quite familiar with the Hungarian cuisine, and I was always admiring the Budapest take on the subject. If in Budapest, go to Babel, you will thank me later.
San Sebastian – My Mecca in terms of food. Mugaritz, hate is or love it, I don’t care, to me is the greatest eye opener in terms of what you can do with the food. Arzak, the same awe, for different reasons. And then there are hundreds of bars than can suck you in and shake you like an oyster until there is nothing left from what you think you know about food and taste and flavour.