THE CULINARY POET

JOACHIM WISSLER

On Goethe’s visit to Schloss Bensberg in 1774, loosely translated his attendant wrote: “The castle and the village lie on a high mountain from which one can see a stretch of the Rhine and the famous seven mountains in the distance. I believe that on some occasion the gods will drink their nectar in a setting like this, on a cloud with a silver lining, and have a view from above, of half the earth.”

A prophecy that would come to pass! Precisely 20 years ago, 226 years later in the year 2000, someone actually began cooking heavenly food here as though he were cooking for the gods. First with one star, then with two in 2002 and since 2004 on the highest level with three Michelin stars to his name; awarded Germany’s and Europe’s top chef on numerous occasions and also listed among the top ten worldwide. Goethe had verily taken a look into a crystal ball – how delighted he would have been had he known!

Enter Joachim Wissler, the chef whose reputation precedes him wherever he goes. It is said that he shaped and developed the New German Cuisine. Deeply rooted in the Swabian Alb, his homeland, he always remained true to his roots. With this as his foundation, he could live out his irrepressible urge for new creations, combinations of fragrances and aromas, always remaining down-to-earth. Thanks to him, forgotten regional products achieved a Renaissance of sorts and with this “new German culinary school”, he was able to emancipate himself from the classical Haute Cuisine. It was in their family inn that his mother instilled in him the passion and fundamentals of cooking. His occupation took him from Baiersbronn via Baden-Baden to Châteauform‘ Schloss Reinhartshausen, a hotel on the River Rhine where he cooked his way to his first star. On the advent of the new millennium, his path would take him to Restaurant Vendome in the newlylaunched Althoff Grandhotel Schloss Bensberg, a baroque castle near Cologne.

Saint Pierre mit falschen Kutteln in Champagnersauce.

Foto Erik Chmil.

With its prestigious ambience, the castle designed by Venetian architect Matteo d’Alberti provides the perfect background ‘music’ for the creative Wissler cuisine. Attempting to describe his cuisine in words, would almost be an outrage. Even so, thousands of words have been delivered by gastronomy critics and now that we’re speaking the language of music “culinary symphony” is one such word. Others that come up are: imaginative, refined, daring, purist, reduced to the basics.

An article on Joachim Wissler would of course not be complete if one did not mention at least one of the dishes which define him. And it has to be one of the classics, because Joachim Wissler belongs to the passionate pioneers who were instrumental in bringing about the entry of pork into 3-star cuisine: Free-range pork suprême braised with lovage (an ediblewhite flowered plant of the parsley family). True testimony to his fondness of experimenting which he defines as: “The courage and the freedom to try things, the meaning of which only unfolds itself with the end result.” It’s up to the diners to let the latter to melt on their tongues, allowing personal taste sensations to come into play. Bon appétit!

WWW.ALTHOFFCOLLECTION.COM

Althoff Grandhotel Schloss Bensberg

Restaurant Vendôme

51429 Bergisch Gladbach | Germany

„Stillleben“ – Waldspaziergang.