​Hiro Takeda was born in British Columbia, Canada in 1985 to Japanese parents. Growing up in a Japanese household taught him a love of efficiency, discipline, and high expectations. From a young age, he knew he wanted to be a chef and to open a restaurant. Working in a number of kitchens in the Fraser Valley and Vancouver, Hiro ended up in Hope, where at 27, he achieved his goal, opening 293 Wallace Street Restaurant. 

An internship at restaurant noma in Copenhagen, Denmark in 2015 opened his eyes to a global perspective as well as provided future opportunities. Two years later, he returned to Denmark to help start Empirical Spirits, an innovative distillery led by Lars Williams, former Head of Research and Development at noma. That experience taught Hiro the power of curiosity and that there is always a solution. 

Moving back to Canada in 2019, Hiro has since taken the time to reflect on the past few decades in the hopes of pursuing some of his true passions, which include travelling, leadership philosophy, culture development, entrepreneurship, food and storytelling. 

Hiro currenly resides in Tallinn, Estonia.