What are your earliest memories of being interested in food?
Going to restaurants with my parents on our trips to the Alsace are the most memorable first conscious food experiences I have had. I was about 14 years old and I particularly remember the odours at the restaurants, the dishes that I had not known before and the special savoir vivre.
What would you say has inspired your cooking the most?
The visits to France have strongly influenced my culinary style. Also later on, I got a lot of inspiration on my trips in the South West of France. Generally, I am on a constant quest for new inspiration in my everyday life.
Describe how you see your own culinary style and how it has evolved over the years…
The culinary style at the beginning of my career was traditional French cuisine. Over the years, I have started to interpret this tradition more and more in a contemporary way. This involves using regional ingredients, a simpler preparation of the dishes as well as using new techniques such as the sous-vide method.
What are your most indispensable ingredients?
Fish, herbs, spices and butter.
What kind of experience didyou aim to give guests at the Grand Gourmet Award 2015at Castell Son Claret?
I aimed at providing my guests with a beautiful ambiente and an easy-going atmosphere for this special festival. They have the opportunity to experience the best chefs of Mallorca and I will represent Hamburg.
What would you say has been the most memorable moment in your culinary career so far?
A very special moment was the award of the first Michelin star.
If you could go back in time, what advice would you give your younger self, starting out a career in the world of food?
I recommend my young chefs to explore the world. Nowadays it is extremely important and also very exciting to head for international destinations and learn different things there.
What’s next for you?
I would like to proceed in the same manner. For me, it is important to remain self-critical and to always learn more.
Find out more about Grand Gourmet Awards 2015 here |www.castellsonclaret.com