Philosophy
My aspiration is to inspire with my modern, three-dimensional aromatic cuisine. The first dimension constitutes each individual product’s natural flavour.
The second dimension describes how dishes are prepared. The third dimension represents the extensive range of the cuisine.
1. Natural Flavour
The first dimension – the basis for all my dishes – constitutes each individual product’s natural flavour. I believe there is no more authentic and intense flavour than the original, pure flavour of a product. I therefore always place the natural flavour in the foreground. We often work for weeks with various techniques to create my purist ‘taste bombs,’ going beyond taste boundaries. For example, my ‘pure venison’ dish is refined from year to year:
rather than creating a gravy in the traditional way of lightly roasting meat and vegetables together, a jus was developed using the unadulterated juices of the venison meat. To create this jus, the meat is first coarsely minced and then heated, vacuum-packed, in a bain-marie. The pure juice released from the meat is then boiled down in a vacuum evaporator. The resulting essence is served as a sauce with the venison – without adding any spices, roasted aromas or tannins.
2. Preparation
The second dimension of my cuisine describes how I prepare dishes: characterised by a penchant for low-temperature cooking, the motto is ‘take the foot off the gas.’ By this, I mean not only the time taken to prepare a dish but, above all, the temperature at which it is cooked.
Rather than pan-searing a fillet of fish, for instance, I braise it for a few minutes in homemade infused oil at just 55°C. In addition, meat and vegetables are cooked ‘sous vide,’ i.e. in a bain-marie, bringing out the different aromas and automatically creating a more relaxed atmosphere in the kitchen.
3. Extensive Range
The third dimension represents the extensive range of my cuisine: a set menu is more than a series of disparate courses, it is composed like a symphony. Sometimes the violin can be heard, at other times the oboe –
but strong emotions are only ever aroused when the whole orchestra comes together. Supposed opposites are skilfully staged when composing a set menu: purist dishes are juxtaposed with playfully arranged plates, creating a sensuous dramaturgy.
Awards
First Michelin star
Second Michelin star
Newcomer of the Year, Gault Millau
Chef of the Year, Aral Schlemmer Atlas
Chef of the Year, Bertelsmann Restaurant & Hotel Guide
Chef of the Year, Gault Millau
Member of Relais & Chateaux, le Grand Chef Les Grandes Tables du Monde
Third Michelin star 19 points in Gault Millau 5 of 5 Fs in Feinschmecker 10 of 10 pans in Gusto 5 of 5 stars at Varta Aral Schlemmeratlas – 5 Kochlöffel
Taittinger Chefs Trophy
The Best Chefs Award (rank 69 from 300 worldwide)
OAD Top 100+ European Restaurants 2018 (Rank 24)
