Why did you become a chef?
"I just followed what I enjoyed 150% and that was cooking, even if it meant a lot of sweat, nerves and hard work. i.e. from the deepest passion and conviction."
What is the most beautiful thing about your job?
"The creative process from the initial product to the finished end result, as well as the sparkle in our guests' eyes that proves how happy people are with our end product
Also, seeing how a team made up of many different people become one big whole in restaurant operations and work in harmony."
What has been the biggest challenge so far?
"The step into self-employment, which in retrospect was quite daring and courageous.
In addition, the amount of energy it takes to consistently run a restaurant through the years should not be underestimated.
And, most importantly for us, to properly guide our little 6-year-old son on his journey through life so that he becomes a sensible person."
What does respect for food mean to you?
"In my opinion, respect for food is the absolute prerequisite for being a chef at all.
Getting the maximum out of food is one of the absolute duties in this responsible profession.
Of course, the ever-decreasing prices in the staple food industry make it even harder to develop respect for that.
Da gilt der alte Spruch > Wat nix kostet is auch nix < - stimmt leider und spiegelt den Grundgedanken der Wertigkeit.
When you value means to live, you handle them differently!"
How important is sustainability in upscale cuisine?
"In the often stressful daily routine, it is difficult for unskilled workers to focus on the issue of sustainability.
Certain behaviors creep in and become ingrained over years if you're not careful.
It is often the little things that help us to work and live healthier and more consciously.
In this respect, it is essential to deal with this topic again and again."
How exactly do you bring sustainability to your restaurant?
"Avoid plastic wrappers, as well as packaging, and process seasonal products without long transport routes.
The revival of the leftover kitchen is also a topic, which is actually learned during vocational training.
Thus, we try to be creative with alleged food scraps, such as stalks of broccoli or cauliflower or cuttings of root vegetables.
Collecting stale bread and making breadcrumbs for new dishes, like dumplings or delicious breadcrumbs for our Wiener Schnitzel.
In addition, the value of food has shifted extremely in contrast to the value of working time.
In the past, food was very valuable and hourly wages were low.
Today, wages are very expensive and food costs relatively nothing. There the food quickly falls by the wayside and that's exactly what we do differently.
Also very important, avoid waste, because at buffets it is better to add something fresh than to serve everything for every guest from the beginning and have to throw away a large part at the end.
We even celebrate "nose to tail", which means that we sometimes use parts of meat or fish other than the fillets. After all, the animal also consists of other interesting parts that need to be appreciated.
Even if it takes more time and know-how, it's worth looking into it. Perhaps eat less meat (both privately and professionally) and instead pay more attention to where my meat comes from and what has happened to it on the way to me.
Seasonality also plays a very important role here. You have to make people aware of that. Supermarkets and all markets in general don't make it any easier for us because everything always seems to be available. This makes it difficult for consumers to understand seasonal fluctuations. It sometimes takes a lot of talking, because it's nonsense for us as experts to buy strawberries at Christmas or asparagus in winter."
What made Nesmuk knives different from other knives you've worked with before?
"The design, the feel, the sharpness, the position in the hand, the quality."
What words would you use to describe Nesmuk knives?
"Awesome."
