Why This Baker Left Tokyo to Bring Milk Bread to Melbourne

Video Description

At 3:30 a.m. in Brunswick, ovens are already hot at Little Cardigan. Behind the stainless-steel bench is Satoshi, a French-trained baker who once supplied bread to Michelin-starred restaurants in Tokyo, Japan. Today, alongside his wife Asako, he’s quietly shaping Melbourne’s love for shokupan — the pillowy Japanese milk bread that’s as versatile as it is comforting. Satoshi’s path to Melbourne wasn’t simple. After more than a decade in Tokyo’s relentless and sometimes thankless bakery scene, he left behind burnout and long hours to find balance and time for family. What he brought with him were values of baking with honesty, a dedication to consistency, and an obsession with making bread that feels both familiar and new. At Little Cardigan, you’ll find croissants, shio pan, chocolatines, melon pan, and their signature shokupan — each shaped by Satoshi’s years in French pastry kitchens and his Japanese roots. The bakery has quickly become a favorite for locals and cafés across the city, proof that great bread can carry a story across cultures. This film is as much about bread as it is about people: a small team working in close quarters, a family adapting to a slower pace of life, and the joy that comes when food becomes a bridge between places. It’s about the intentionality behind each loaf, and the choice to create something meaningful, local, and sustainable. We’re grateful to Satoshi and Asako for welcoming us into their bakery, sharing their story, and letting us capture a typical morning at Little Cardigan. This film is the first episode in our Heritage Series, made possible in partnership with Honda Australia. As Honda celebrates 55 years in Australia, we’re especially grateful for their support in lifting up stories from local hospitality — stories like that of Little Cardigan. We’d like to thank Honda for providing the 2025 HR-V, whose ample boot space made it possible for Harvard, Little Cardigan’s driver, to load up trays of pastries with ease. That thoughtful design meant deliveries could be made on time — and in style. Thank you to Honda, and especially to Honda Australia, for believing in craftsmanship, community, and the quieter moments behind every bake. Follow StoryBites: https://www.instagram.com/storybites._/ Follow Little Cardigan: https://www.instagram.com/lt.cardigan/ Follow Honda Australia: https://www.instagram.com/hondaaustralia/