Küchenwerkstatt Haute Cuisine at Ease

Just opposite the Mühlenkamp ferry dock, a luxury white villa takes us to cloud nine. A sparkling Michelin star above us and a menu that’ll make angels sing. We’re at Küchenwerkstatt, in the beautiful Uhlenhorst neighborhood. Hostess Angela Gnade and the well-known starred chef Gerald Zogbaum have been catering to their guests’ needs since 2004. There are six- and eight-course menus. No alternatives. And that’s just the way it should be! The overall atmosphere is very casual, the staff is young, dynamic and very attentive. The interior is a well-matched dialogue between old and new.

Two amuse-bouche come along with our rosé champagne. First up, a dreamy piece of winter cod on a rice cracker, and then comes a composition of carrot sushi, octopus and pickled radish. And one thing is for sure: this place does not lack creativity or the will to experiment. And so, our six courses begin, opening up with a salad of poached scallop on tangerine and fennel, a beautifully refreshing combination of flavors.

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Apart from the stunning food arrangements on the plates, it’s also the tableware itself that impressed. Each course is staged differently, with most of them served on hand-made Japanese ceramics. A souvenir that the two hosts bring from their travels to the world’s fourth biggest island. And that East Asian twist is present also in their food, such as the Eiderstedter Salzwiesenlamm, a regional favorite in the coastal North of Germany, that is prepared with miso and grilled over charcoal. Before dessert, we were given little warmed up fragrant towels. I’m usually not that much of a sweets person, but this plate got cleaned up: coconut meringue with a sorbet of mango, passion fruit and basil, pure pleasure!

At Küchenwerkstatt, one thing is impossible to miss: Gerald Zogbaum, who has worked with Dieter Müller at ‘Schlosshotel Lerbach’, at ‘Zur Traube’ with Dieter Kaufmann, and at Hamburger Tafelhaus, enjoys combining and creating new dishes, just as much as he does arranging and presenting them. He accentuates the distinct flavor of each seasonally picked ingredient and knows how to thrill his guests - a true kitchen work of art!

Restaurant Küchenwerkstatt has closed on 27.8.2014!