Olde Hansa head chef sells gourmet food in an old London bus in Ruu village

Emmanuel Wille, head chef of Olde Hansa, leads one of Estonia's best-known restaurants in Tallinn's Old Town during the day, but in the evenings he serves gourmet hot dogs from a 1978 two-storey London bus parked next to his home. The retro bus, purchased from the Netherlands, has become a local landmark and the family's summer dining spot in Ruu village.

Olde Hansa head chef Emmanuel Wille, called Manu by his friends, lives a double life. By day, the 54-year-old Dutchman leads a team of some 20 cooks in the kitchen of the medieval-themed restaurant Olde Hansa in Tallinn's Old Town, but at sunset he trades the elegant restaurant kitchen for something far more unusual, an old two-storey London bus parked next to his home.

Bus from the Netherlands, heart in Estonia

The red double-decker bus, built in 1978, travelled through the Netherlands before arriving in Estonia. Wille purchased the vehicle and brought it to Ruu village, where it now stands beside his home and has become a true landmark in the local community. "I bought the bus and thought about what to do with it," Wille said.

The answer came naturally, do what he does best: cook. In the bus, Wille serves gourmet hot dogs, prepared with the same care as the dishes created in the Olde Hansa kitchen.

Family's summer dining spot

Retro buses around the world have been used for various purposes, as cafés, bookshops, and even accommodation, but Wille's approach is more personal. For him, the bus is above all a summer retreat for the family and a sort of side venture that brings pleasure to both owner and visitors.

The residents of Ruu village and passersby have welcomed the unexpected gourmet spot warmly. The two-storey red bus has become a local attraction worth visiting.