Three new German three-star restaurants

[ameiden]

Michelin announced today that

Claus-Peter Lumpp of the restaurant "Bareiss" in Baiersbronn,

Juan Amador of restaurant "Amador" in Langen near Frankfurt and

Klaus Erfort of "Gästehaus Klaus Erfort" in Saarbrücken

will all receive their third Michelin star in the new 2008 guide.

This means that Germany now is in second place with 9 three star restaurants after France (26 three stars) and in front of Spain/Portugal (6 three stars).

As a reminder, the other German three star chefs are

Heinz Winkler, Residenz Heinz Winkler, Aschau

Harald Wohlfahrt, Schwarzwaldstube, Baiersbronn

Dieter Müller, Restaurant Dieter Müller, Bergisch Gladbach

Joachim Wissler, Vendôme, Bergisch Gladbach

Helmut Thieltges, Waldhotel Sonnora, Dreis

Christian Bau, Schloss Berg, Perl-Nennig

[julot-les-pinceaux]

Thanks for the info. It is funny to see how Germany is so underestimated and actually ignored in terms of fine dining. I definitely will keep going with my series on those now nine German 3*, with two little towns that have two 3* each. But which one will be next, this is a really difficult question.

[ludja]

It's interesting that the restaurants appear to *not* be located in large ciites. I guess with Germany's smaller geographical size (with respect to the U.S.) fine dining need not be in large ciites as it typically is in the U.S.

Are many of these restaurants part of a hotel or inn or are the restaurants close enough to large ciites to drive there and back for an evening dinner?

Any comments on why none of the restaurants are located in large cities? (I guess there is one establishment mentioned on the outskirts of Frankfurt but the others are not located in whar are recognizalbly larger towns to me.)

Does France have a larger proportion of its three star restaurants in larger ciites or is it similar to Germany in that respect?

Thanks!

[julot-les-pinceaux]

Germany has no real large city -- save Berlin, which does not even have a two-stars. But most of those restaurants are close to a city -- Baiersbronn is by Baden Baden, Bergisch-Gladbach is by Köln, Langen near Frankfurt, Saarbrücken is not small. All in all, this is an illustration of how non centralised Germany is.

This is the opposite in France, very centralised -- 8 3* in Paris only. The others are outside of big cities, some very far from any big city (e.g. Bras).

[markk]

Any comments on why none of the restaurants are located in large cities? 

Three star restaurants in Europe tend not to be in major cities (except some are by coincidence) but the majority are in the "middle of nowhere" , and unless they changed the description in the newer guides, the explanation of 2 stars has always been "worth a detour", and the description of 3 stars has always been "worth a special trip".

Don't know if that has been changed but it's read that way for years and years.

[ludja]

Thanks for the clarification re: the location of the restaurants, julot-les-pinceaux... I missed seeing Saarbrucken in the original listing and certainly recognize Baden-Baden, Koeln, Frankfurt, etc.

How interesting that Berlin has no two or three stars.

edited to add: Thanks, ameiden, for posting the Michelin updates for Germany.

Edited November 14, 2007 by ludja (log)

[adey73]

julot-les-pinceaux, Have any of these three Star German Restaurants/chefs got any cookbooks available bilingual in English?

[kai-m]

Berlin has one new 2* restaurant: Fischer's Fritz (located in some big hotel).

Julot: not that I care much about such things, but what do you mean by "Germany has no real large city -- save Berlin"?? Hamburg for example is the 7th big city in all of europe. München with 1.3 million people is no. 12. Köln still has 1 million. And so on...

best

kai

[ameiden]

It is also worth mentioning that Cologne has a new 2-star restaurant: "Le Moissonnier", a casual French bistro with experimental cuisine.

[kpzachary]

Thanks for the info. It is funny to see how Germany is so underestimated and actually ignored in terms of fine dining. I definitely will keep going with my series on those now nine German 3*, with two little towns that have two 3* each. But which one will be next, this is a really difficult question.

←

My money is on Aqua in the Ritz Carlton Wolfsburg as the next 3*, but we'll have to wait until next November for that.

[kpzachary]

Berlin has its first two star restaurant "Fishers Fritz", located in the Regent hotel. It is funny to me that the largest and richest city in the country with the second most three star restaurants has only had one star restaurants until now.

Edited November 14, 2007 by kpzachary (log)

[kai-m]

With "new" I meant that it has been a while since there was a 2* place in berlin ("Rockendorff's", as far as I remember).

Actually Berlin ain't the "richest" city in germany - there are (by %tage at least) more millionaires in hamburg and münchen, and the city itself is as broke as can be...

best

kai

[julot-les-pinceaux]

Berlin has one new 2* restaurant: Fischer's Fritz (located in some big hotel).

Julot: not that I care much about such things, but what do you mean by "Germany has no real large city -- save Berlin"?? Hamburg for example is the 7th big city in all of europe. München with 1.3 million people is no. 12. Köln still has 1 million. And so on...

best

kai

←

Munich, where I live, is more a big village than a big city. You feel it for instance from the sociological point of view, as you literaly know your neighbours here (the sociological definition of a big city could be that you don't know the people who live next door). Also, German cities have virtually no suburb, which makes number misleading. Paris has less than 2 millions inhabitants, but over 10 million people live in the Paris region. There is a provincial feel to the whole of Germany and there is definitely no city that feels like Rome, Paris, London, NY, etc. in terms of cosmopolitism. I am not saying it is a bad thing, but it definitely is a major difference of lifestyle.

[kai-m]

I see what you mean, julot.

Funny thing is: especially paris, where I've been living for a while, feels like a conglomerate of numerous little villages to me - where each little quarter has its neighbourhood stores/bakerys/butchers etc and and everybody knows everybody...so by your definition paris is no big city? I had the same impression of Madrid, by the way. And of "small" Lyon (which I adore) and "small" Marseille, too.

But we are getting off topic here...

I have been to Amador last week (2nd time) and it was marvellous - one can argue about the cuisine (it was downgraded by the german Gault Millau), but especially when it comes to service, all **/***-restaurants should learn a lesson from them: We have never ever felt as heartfelt welcome as with Amadors staff. The atmosphere is totally relaxed, there is no "awed" silence, but a joyful/playful, communicative atmosphere (sometimes a waiter will even crack a little joke to lighten things up) - but it is not "informal". The get the "mix" right. Perfect!!

And the food is worth every cent!

best

kai

[cmling]

Many years ago (the last time I ate there was in 1980), back in the days when Germany had zero 3-star restaurants, Berlin had the 2-star "Maître", which was very fine indeed.

[Behemoth]

Interesting interview in the SZ from Nov. 12, with Manfred Kohnke, Chief Editor of the German "Gault Millau": link

He talks about the differing approaches of G-M and Michelin (and their pros and cons,) as well as the current state of German "spitzengastronomie"...not all great.

I'd be happy to try and translate some of it if people want but it seems most people posting here have some German background.

eta: the reader commentary is kind of painful though...

Edited November 16, 2007 by Behemoth (log)

[BigboyDan]

Germany is full of villages and hamlets - the Germans are darn proud of them too. But there are areas, urban places, like the Ruhr Valley that have large populations. My childhood home is in Wiesbaden, a "big village" of 300,000 persons (thirty miles from Frankfurt.) The Frankfurt urban area had an estimated population of 2,260,000 in 2000.

Thankfully, the rise in number of German multi-starred restaurants mirrors Germans' interest in quality foods, and their better eating habits in general.

[glauer]

@ behemoth

the reader commentaries are more than painful. Unfortunately pretty typical mixture of ignorance and envy. Why don't they continue to enjoy their currywurst and let us eat the foie gras?

[Behemoth]

Hey now...currywurst has its place too!

Edited November 16, 2007 by Behemoth (log)

[rooftop1000]

Interesting interview in the SZ from Nov. 12, with Manfred Kohnke, Chief Editor of the German "Gault Millau": link

He talks about the differing approaches of G-M and Michelin (and their pros and cons,) as well as the current state of German "spitzengastronomie"...not all great. 

I'd be happy to try and translate some of it if people want but it seems most people posting here have some German background.

eta: the reader commentary is kind of painful though...

←

My German has a long way to go by spring...but I hope the nice people commenting really do send their money to doctors without borders...

Altavista Babelfish is scarey...go ahead try it

tracey

[paulbrussel]

It is also worth mentioning that Cologne has a new 2-star restaurant: "Le Moissonnier", a casual French bistro with experimental cuisine.

←

Well, that is really a great honour for le Moisonnier! I don't think it deserves that, but well: it has only a few couverts, I think, so not comparable with a two star in a 4 or 5 couverts restaurant.

[paulbrussel]

the reader commentary is kind of painful though...

Very painful indeed! It explains why there are so few top restaurants in the biggest country of Europe, I suppose.

[Behemoth]

the reader commentary is kind of painful though...

Very painful indeed! It explains why there are so few top restaurants in the biggest country of Europe, I suppose.

←

I think it more reflects the type of SZ reader who is likely to write comments on the internet

Was happy to see Terrine in Munich regained its star. We had a very nice meal there last December and it did seem to be on top of its game.

[legourmet]

Interesting interview in the SZ from Nov. 12, with Manfred Kohnke, Chief Editor of the German "Gault Millau": link

He talks about the differing approaches of G-M and Michelin (and their pros and cons,) as well as the current state of German "spitzengastronomie"...not all great. 

I'd be happy to try and translate some of it if people want but it seems most people posting here have some German background.

eta: the reader commentary is kind of painful though...

←

The interview is kind of rubbish. M.Kohnke compares apples with pears. No one of the star rated restaurants will offer third food quality, if they do so, they'll disappeaer quicklier than they came up. We have had a first quality deliverer for food producst from all over the world the "Rungis express". It started when Witzigman became chef of Tantris in Munich and the new German kitchen was created. Witzigmann and some of the "wild youngsters" at that time, got together and organized food transports from Paris to Munich. Now what happened, the so called restaurant critics claimed a strong demand for regional products and producers. At the end Rungis failed. M. Kuhnke want's now to go again the other way round, and recommends higher prices what a turn around. I know Mr. Kohnke's pros and cons and what he likes and dislikes and who makes the tests and who writes about. He mentioned that's necessary to spent a whole house in food to be a good tester even that's a quotation from Mr. Siebeck-and not his own.

[Stephen W]

It explains why there are so few top restaurants in the biggest country of Europe, I suppose.

←

Confused by this - Germany is second only to France in the number of 3 star restaurants (and as a quick aside, I think most of us would acknowledge that Michelin in France are a bit slow to remove the third star when it is no longer deserved), has twice as many starred establishments as Spain, (almost) twice as many 3 star restaurants as Italy and three times as many as the UK. How many top restaurants would you expect there to be?

From a personal point of view, Germany is now my destination of choice for "haute cuisine" eating. I live in London and yet this year I've eaten at Vendome, Tantris and Schubecks (and found them all excellent, with Tantris providing the best meal so far) and have another booking next week at Vendome to try their new lunch menu. In contrast, I've only been to two "starred restaurants" in London this year.