Seek operations required to perform backup and/or restore processes at an HFS server are reduced by localizing storage of data referenced by hash values included in a recipe near the recipe. In a typical embodiment, an HFS server receives a recipe and new underlying data for entry into a hash file system. The HFS server identifies a first storage node for the recipe, contiguously stores the new data in the first storage node, and indexes hash values and storage addresses of the new data in storage nodes selected based on the hash values of the new data. Storage addresses for the new data (and other data referenced by the recipe) are appended to the recipe. Later during a restore process, retrieval of the recipe also retrieves the storage addresses. Data pieces stored contiguously can then be collectively retrieved in one seek rather than in separate individual seeks.