ABOUT GASTRONOMIST

Gastronomist was founded in 2020 by then head chef of Polpo restaurant, Karl Pajussaar, initially with the goal of creating a food-focused blog. Under the same brand, several collaborations were carried out with food producers, and engaging culinary content was created.

Karl Pajussaar is a chef born in Viljandi, who has lived and grown up in Tartu. He began his culinary studies in 2009 at Kuressaare Vocational School, which is known as one of the best institutions for culinary education in Estonia. Many of today’s top chefs come from Kuressaare.

In 2016, Karl began his journey in fine dining restaurants at Hõlm in Tartu, where over the course of three years as a senior chef, the restaurant was developed to a very high level. At the beginning of 2019, Karl took on his first head chef role at Polpo Restaurant, and since then has been deeply involved in restaurant management in various roles.

In spring 2022, the first full-time employee was officially hired — head chef Andrus Saartok, who remains one of the key figures. Although Andrus is no longer involved in the daily management of Gastronomist, he remains an important symbolic part of the company due to his contribution in helping shape it into what it is today.

In summer 2022, Gastronomist founded and operated Botten Resto on Muhu Island, connected to the popular guesthouse Bottengarn. This provided the team with invaluable restaurant management experience, and together they ran one of the stronger restaurants in Saaremaa. As recognition, White Guide (Falstaff) awarded the restaurant high ratings for both food and service quality. Today, the restaurant is led by team members who originated from that summer and continue to maintain a very high standard.

In autumn 2022, Gastronomist Catering was established in Tartu to continue project-based work, with the long-term vision of opening a permanent restaurant in Tartu. Under this brand, various wine dinners were organized, and catering was provided for groups, birthdays, and weddings.

In December 2022, the first Gastronomist-branded takeaway restaurant, Gastronomist Takeaway, was opened at the new Food Court in Lõunakeskus. It offered dishes inspired by restaurant menus — primarily fresh salads and sourdough sandwiches. The takeaway closed in December 2024. Running the concept added valuable experience in fast-casual operations. The concept itself was successful and may return in a new form or location in the future.

In June 2023, a major step forward was taken by merging Gastronomist Catering with the top local restaurant Fii, also located in Lõunakeskus. Gastronomist’s head chef at the time, Andrus Saartok, became head chef of Fii, while Karl Pajussaar led catering projects. This collaboration proved highly successful, organizing events ranging from 300-guest functions to small private gatherings across Estonia. Together, a strong and reputable catering product was developed, which has secured its place in the Tartu event market.

Since September 2024, Gastronomist operated its flagship signature restaurant at Era Villa, Era 2, Tartu: Gastronomist Restaurant & Terrass, offering dishes inspired by world cuisine. As an everyday restaurant with thoughtfully crafted dishes and a carefully curated beverage program, it stands out as one of the most exciting new concepts in Tartu. On selected evenings, a refined 6-course tasting menu was developed served in the Chef’s Hall in a private dining format.

In May of 2026 Gastronomist Restaurant & Terrass has been rebranded as Terra Restaurant and is building on the success of Gastronomist but now in the hands of new owners & operators. 

Gastronomist now has over 10 years of experience in the food and hospitality sector, with the past 4 years representing broad-based development in food entrepreneurship — including menu development, event organization, training, hospitality management, and team building.

Gastronomist is a story about the ambition to create a food project that does not begin and end with a restaurant, but extends far beyond. We are inspired by all forms of food-related events, emotions, and ideas. Our goal is to deliver diverse culinary experiences regardless of concept or location, always striving to offer the best possible product.

Thank you for being with us — by visiting or supporting us and our food projects, you are part of our journey in developing local food and beverage culture.