Why did you become a chef?

At that time, I was looking for a way to express my creativity. Studying art was not an option and since my wife was, let's say, a modest cook at the time, I considered training as a chef. I already had a passion for good food as a child and somehow the supposed rock star life of chefs appealed to me.

What is the most beautiful thing about your job?

For me, there are very different aspects of cooking or grilling that are wonderful. For example, you can always learn new things and there is inspiration everywhere. The joy of delighted guests is wonderful and then of course the ingredients. Year after year, I look forward to this time when very specific foods are in season.

How important is sustainability in upscale cuisine?

In my eyes, sustainability is one of the most inflationary terms of recent years. One should be very careful and responsible with this term. In my opinion, it takes a great deal of innovative spirit to be able to call oneself sustainable in this day and age. A high degree of openness to new things helps in the development of new, sustainable concepts...for the chef and also for the guest, this is a necessary process.

What does respect for food mean to you?

The most obvious answer, of course, is not to throw anything away, to process everything and so on. But I think that should go without saying. For me, respect for food has a lot to do with the way I handle it in the kitchen, the cooking process and the way I present the dish. I think it's important to recognize the products, to taste them and also to know and convey the respective history.

Which Nesmuk knife is your favorite and why?

It's not so easy, they are all beautiful. Depending on the occasion and purpose, I decide on the perfect blade. However, I particularly like the idea of the Nesmuk Folder, a special folding knife in every respect. We live in a very volatile world, you're on the move a lot and often have to deal with compromises. The knives of the Folder series give you special and also familiar moments in everyday situations. Wan always, wherever. I like that.

Why are good tools so important in your profession?

Craft means creativity for me, if I am distracted by bad knives at work, then no creative process can emerge. The "tool" slows me down instead of inspiring me. Of course, craftsmanship also means precision, and that is only possible in the kitchen with the best knives.

How do you bring sustainability into your
kitchen?

For example, I'm trying to change the way we handle and consume meat and fish. The focus for me is on the supposed side dishes, innovative vegetable dishes, new presentations. I don't want to re-educate anyone, but I am always pleased when guests ask me about the vegetable dishes and side dishes after one of my meat seminars. GOAL!

What makes Nesmuk knives different from others you've worked with before?

The precision in the processing is certainly in the first place to mention. the attention to the selection of raw materials, however, I feel almost more important, while I write these lines is my Nesmuk knife bag next to me. Just the scent that this bag gives off is wonderful - and that's just the bag!