Link’s culinary talents take center stage in “A New Signature Food,” a charming side adventure that mixes ingredients, creativity, and a touch of humor as you help a Goron chef craft the dish of his dreams in Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom.
But if not, we’ll break it down. Before even beginning “A New Signature Food,” you’re going to have to get deep in Hateno Village’s mayoral election drama by heading over to Cece’s shop – it’s the building with the big mushrooms.
Talk to Cece in there and Reede will barge in, and they’ll have an argument about holding an election for a new mayor. (Reede is the current mayor.) When Reede leaves, you can seek him out again at his house to kick off “A New Signature Food.”
‘A New Signature Food’ quest steps
To complete the “A New Signature Food” quest, speak with Gotter in Tabantha Bridge Stable and listen to his wish for a unique dish. He mentions needing ingredients that match his idea of a signature meal. Gather raw meat, Hylian rice, and fresh milk, then cook them together to make a Meat and Rice Bowl. Present the finished dish to Gotter, who will taste it and express his satisfaction, completing the side adventure and rewarding you for your effort.
There are two main parts to “A New Signature Food” – the first is finding Reede, and the second is finding Koyin and helping her set up a cheese shop. Let’s get started.
How to start the ‘A New Signature Food’ quest
You can begin the “A New Signature Food” quest by speaking with Gotter, a cook working beside the Stable near Tabantha Bridge. He’s experimenting with new recipes and will ask for your help after you interact with him. Make sure you’ve completed “The Incomplete Stable” beforehand, since some dialogue options appear only after that quest. Once Gotter mentions his idea for a special meal, the quest will be added to your Adventure Log.
Once Reede leaves Cece’s store, you can find him within his own home, which is the big house on the hill. He’s inside. Talk to him to kick off the quest. His big idea for winning the mayoral race is to re-invigorate the town by creating, as you may have guessed, a new signature food. His grandfather used to collaborate with a cheesemaker in the town, but he can’t remember who.
You need to figure out what’s up with Hateno Village’s history of cheese.
Find Koyin
Koyin can be found near Lakeside Stable in the Faron region, standing by the shore and feeding fish. Speak with her to begin the side adventure and learn about her situation. She mentions a thief who stole her Hylian Rice, setting the next tasks in motion. Make sure you’ve progressed far enough in the story to access this area safely, as the region can be dangerous for unprepared players.
You’ll want to find Koyin, who’s grandfather was the guy with the cheese. She’s located on a dock right outside of Hateno Town, at the bottom tip of Lake Sumac. Talk to her and kick off the “A Letter to Koyin.”
How to solve ‘A Letter to Koyin’
To clear “A Letter to Koyin,” head to Hateno Pasture’s pond and speak with Koyin, then spot the message bottle bobbing in the middle of the water and construct a simple bridge or raft from nearby logs or wooden planks so you can reach it safely. Use Ultrahand to pull the bottle onto your platform, bring it back to shore, and hand it to Koyin, after which she will lead you to her house, read her great-grandfather’s letter, and reward you with Hateno Cheese while also progressing the setup for her cheese shop and the broader “A New Signature Food” side adventure.
If you look straight out from the dock at Lake Sumac, you’ll see a bottle floating in the water. That’s the key to the cheese. It’s too far out to grab with Ultrahand, so you’ll need to extend the dock with stuff found in the environment. You can cut down some trees to get logs, and there are two wooden planks pushed up against the house behind you, too. Use Ultrahand to create a path to the bottle – long enough that you can use Ultrahand to grab it and place it near Koyin.
Talk to her again and she’ll read the letter, and then she’ll head back inside her house (the one right by the lake). Go follow her. Talk to her inside and she’ll give you a sample of the cheese, then open her up larger shop. You can trade milk to get more cheese, or just buy more. If you want a cheese of your own, buy or trade for one, because the other is going to Reede.
Head back to Reede
After collecting the ingredients for Hateno Village’s new signature dish, return to Reede to share your progress. You’ll find him near his house, eager to hear how the task went. Hand over the gathered items, and he’ll assess your efforts before moving forward with the village’s food plans. Completing this step wraps up the side quest and rewards you for supporting Hateno’s culinary project.
Go back to Reede’s house and talk to him again. He’ll smell the cheese. Hand it over to him to complete the “A New Signature Food” questline.
A New Signature Food reward
Completing the “A New Signature Food” side adventure rewards players with a unique dish created through the quest’s cooking challenge. This special meal not only restores health but also grants a useful bonus suited for combat or exploration, depending on the ingredients used. It serves as a satisfying payoff for experimenting with flavors and helping the NPC chef perfect his new recipe.
Where to find the Hateno Cheese bottle location
Hateno Cheese itself is not found in a bottle; it’s produced after completing the “A Letter to Koyin” side adventure in The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. The relevant bottle is the Message Bottle containing Koyin’s grandfather’s letter, which unlocks cheese production.
Message Bottle Location
The Message Bottle floats in the center of Lake Sumac (also called the pond at Hateno Pasture), southeast of Hateno Village. Look for it near coordinates 3632, -2047, 0175, visible from the dock where Koyin stands at 3620, -2081, 0177.
Reaching the Bottle
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Chop nearby trees for 3 logs, attach them side-by-side with Ultrahand to form a raft base.
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Add a Zonai Fan (or similar propeller) to the rear for propulsion.
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Launch the raft, activate the fan to reach the bottle, then use Ultrahand to grab it and return to shore.
Unlocking Hateno Cheese
Deliver the bottle to Koyin at the dock to trigger her return home. Speak to her inside her house at 3632, -2106, 0178; she’ll open a cheese shop where you trade Fresh Milk (milked from nearby cows) or buy Hateno Cheese for 20 rupees each.
How to complete A Letter to Koyin step by step
A Letter to Koyin is a side adventure in The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom that unlocks Hateno Cheese production in Hateno Village. It begins automatically while progressing through “The Mayoral Election” storyline by talking to Koyin near Hateno Pasture pond.
Locate Koyin
Find Koyin sulking at the dock on the northern shore of Lake Sumac (Hateno Pasture pond) at coordinates 3620, -2081, 0177, southeast of Hateno Village. Speak to her; she’ll explain she dropped her grandfather’s Message Bottle into the pond’s center and ask you to retrieve it.
Retrieve the Message Bottle
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Chop down 2-3 nearby trees for logs using a Woodcutter’s Axe or similar.
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Use Ultrahand to align the logs side-by-side into a raft base, then attach a Zonai Fan (found nearby or in your inventory) to the back for propulsion.
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Place the raft in the water near the dock (coordinates 3630, -2045, 0175), hop on, activate the fan, and sail to the glowing Message Bottle floating in the middle of the pond.
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Grab the bottle with Ultrahand (you cannot pick it up manually) and bring it back to shore.
Complete the Quest
Use Ultrahand to place the bottle at Koyin’s feet and speak to her; she’ll read the letter and invite you to her house later. Head to her home at 3632, -2106, 0178 (near the pasture), enter, and talk to her inside to witness cheese-making and receive your reward: access to trade Fresh Milk for Hateno Cheese (or buy it for 20 rupees).
