12th April 2013
August 2007: Taste of Germany
As part of her prize for being last year's top achiever in the Graduate Awards, young chef Sophie Wright was given an insight into Germany's culinary culture with a food-focused trip to Bavaria and the Black Forest
From learning about the latest steam cooking technology to working in a Michelin star kitchen, Sophie Wright's fiveday culinary tour of Germany went far beyond the typical tastes of sauerkraut and schnitzel.
Her first stop was Eglfing in the foothills of the Bavarian Alps. Nestled among typical Bavarian houses, with their overhanging eaves, shuttered windows and colourful window box displays, is the high-tech headquarters of Convotherm, part of Enodis plc.
Specialising in the design and manufacture of combi steam ovens, Convotherm's purpose built premises include 6000m2 of production space and fully equipped demonstration and training kitchens.
After an evening spent enjoying a taste of Bavarian hospitality, sampling the local beer and specialities such as white sausage and pork knuckle, Sophie spent the day at Convotherm to find out more about the company's combi steam technology.
Each oven is produced to customer specifications before being packed and shipped around the world, and Sophie saw Convotherm's latest equipment put through its paces in the demonstration kitchen.
A staggering amount of food was prepared illustrating the ovens' Advanced Closed System technology, which automatically controls the moisture and heat depending on the properties of the food being cooked. Cooking fish and meat at the same time as croissants and pasta roduced impressive results.
“They have a great product. The Crisp & Tasty function of the ovens created some really good results. I like the idea of slow cooking meat overnight. You can utilise cheaper cuts but still end up with a better product,” she says.
Munich was the next stop with a visit hosted by the CMA, the UK marketing board for German food and drink, which gave Sophie the opportunity to eat in one of Germany's leading restaurants.
Dinner at Tantris was as much about the décor as the food. The rich, retro interior makes as big an impression as the two Michelin star menu, with thick red carpet covering the walls and ceiling, and bright orange lampshades suspended over tables. Choosing the taster menu, Sophie was treated to head chef Hans Haas' latest creations, which included dishes such as marinated trout with asparagus and olive crusted sea bass with fava bean ravioli.
The next morning a tour of Munich's famous Viktualienmarkt, a gourmet haven of brightly coloured market stalls, offered a broader overview of the local food culture. Celebrating its 200th anniversary this year, the open-air market offers everything from fully stocked cheese shops and a delicatessen decorated with hanging bunches of chillies and dried mushrooms, to single stalls spilling over with seasonal produce.
At the time of her visit, mountains of white asparagus and bright red strawberries could be found at every turn. “Everything was seasonal. I've never seen so much white asparagus,” says Sophie.
She was also impressed by the numerous butcher shops. “In England we have maybe one butcher every 10 high streets, but they had so many. They utilise a lot more of the animal than we do. Everything was on display; all the secondary cuts that we don't use as much such as pigs' heads, tripe, pigs' trotters.”
The final leg of the trip was spent at the stunning Schlosshotel Bühlerhöhe in Baden-Baden. Situated in the northern Black Forest, the luxury hotel commands breathtaking vistas of pine-covered mountains sweeping down into the Rhine Valley.
First built between 1911-1914 by a widow in memory of her colonel husband, it was intended as a rest house for officers returning from war. Later it became more of a high society retreat before being extended into the five star resort it is today. Aside from its magical surroundings, the hotel boasts 90 bedrooms, a luxury spa and conference centre, and two restaurants, one with a Michelin Star.
Head chef Christian Scharrer oversees a brigade of 27 chefs, providing banqueting for up to 200 as well as catering for the Schlossrestaurant (castle restaurant) with 70 covers, and the Michelin starred Imperial that has just 11 tables.
Only open for dinner, the Imperial is run with a team of six chefs, while the Schlossrestaurant has a brigade of 10. Although situated side by side, the two restaurant kitchens are run separately, while a banqueting and prep kitchen is situated on the floor below, along with a bakery and extensive storage areas including a holding tank for Black Forest trout.
While the hotel uses a lot of local produce its menus are internationally influenced, with Spain's Iberico ham and Portugal's Bacalhau (salty codfish) featuring on the menu. Food is also sourced from Paris' Rungis market.
Getting the chance to work alongside Scharrer and his brigade for two days, Sophie was impressed by the relaxed atmosphere. “They were talented chefs working in a beautiful kitchen. It was very well organised and extremely relaxed. They cook on induction, so it was much cooler and more relaxed than the kitchens I'm used to.”
Her first stop was Eglfing in the foothills of the Bavarian Alps. Nestled among typical Bavarian houses, with their overhanging eaves, shuttered windows and colourful window box displays, is the high-tech headquarters of Convotherm, part of Enodis plc.
Specialising in the design and manufacture of combi steam ovens, Convotherm's purpose built premises include 6000m2 of production space and fully equipped demonstration and training kitchens.
After an evening spent enjoying a taste of Bavarian hospitality, sampling the local beer and specialities such as white sausage and pork knuckle, Sophie spent the day at Convotherm to find out more about the company's combi steam technology.
Each oven is produced to customer specifications before being packed and shipped around the world, and Sophie saw Convotherm's latest equipment put through its paces in the demonstration kitchen.
A staggering amount of food was prepared illustrating the ovens' Advanced Closed System technology, which automatically controls the moisture and heat depending on the properties of the food being cooked. Cooking fish and meat at the same time as croissants and pasta roduced impressive results.
“They have a great product. The Crisp & Tasty function of the ovens created some really good results. I like the idea of slow cooking meat overnight. You can utilise cheaper cuts but still end up with a better product,” she says.
Munich was the next stop with a visit hosted by the CMA, the UK marketing board for German food and drink, which gave Sophie the opportunity to eat in one of Germany's leading restaurants.
Dinner at Tantris was as much about the décor as the food. The rich, retro interior makes as big an impression as the two Michelin star menu, with thick red carpet covering the walls and ceiling, and bright orange lampshades suspended over tables. Choosing the taster menu, Sophie was treated to head chef Hans Haas' latest creations, which included dishes such as marinated trout with asparagus and olive crusted sea bass with fava bean ravioli.
The next morning a tour of Munich's famous Viktualienmarkt, a gourmet haven of brightly coloured market stalls, offered a broader overview of the local food culture. Celebrating its 200th anniversary this year, the open-air market offers everything from fully stocked cheese shops and a delicatessen decorated with hanging bunches of chillies and dried mushrooms, to single stalls spilling over with seasonal produce.
At the time of her visit, mountains of white asparagus and bright red strawberries could be found at every turn. “Everything was seasonal. I've never seen so much white asparagus,” says Sophie.
She was also impressed by the numerous butcher shops. “In England we have maybe one butcher every 10 high streets, but they had so many. They utilise a lot more of the animal than we do. Everything was on display; all the secondary cuts that we don't use as much such as pigs' heads, tripe, pigs' trotters.”
The final leg of the trip was spent at the stunning Schlosshotel Bühlerhöhe in Baden-Baden. Situated in the northern Black Forest, the luxury hotel commands breathtaking vistas of pine-covered mountains sweeping down into the Rhine Valley.
First built between 1911-1914 by a widow in memory of her colonel husband, it was intended as a rest house for officers returning from war. Later it became more of a high society retreat before being extended into the five star resort it is today. Aside from its magical surroundings, the hotel boasts 90 bedrooms, a luxury spa and conference centre, and two restaurants, one with a Michelin Star.
Head chef Christian Scharrer oversees a brigade of 27 chefs, providing banqueting for up to 200 as well as catering for the Schlossrestaurant (castle restaurant) with 70 covers, and the Michelin starred Imperial that has just 11 tables.
Only open for dinner, the Imperial is run with a team of six chefs, while the Schlossrestaurant has a brigade of 10. Although situated side by side, the two restaurant kitchens are run separately, while a banqueting and prep kitchen is situated on the floor below, along with a bakery and extensive storage areas including a holding tank for Black Forest trout.
While the hotel uses a lot of local produce its menus are internationally influenced, with Spain's Iberico ham and Portugal's Bacalhau (salty codfish) featuring on the menu. Food is also sourced from Paris' Rungis market.
Getting the chance to work alongside Scharrer and his brigade for two days, Sophie was impressed by the relaxed atmosphere. “They were talented chefs working in a beautiful kitchen. It was very well organised and extremely relaxed. They cook on induction, so it was much cooler and more relaxed than the kitchens I'm used to.”