Yes you can... Cook & Serve like a pro with Olaf Baumeister

The celebrity chef on regional ingredients, recipes to impress and on-trend drinks

“Even the easiest of dishes tastes good when made with love. Sounds soppy, but it's true – the best example is a simple but really good sandwich.”
From a high-end restaurant to a beach bar

Olaf Baumeister has been used to hotel life ever since he was born. After completing his apprenticeship at the two-star restaurant “Residence” in Essen, Germany, he took over his parents’ hotel and restaurant “Seegarten” and radically rebuilt it so that it now includes a beach bar. Villeroy & Boch asked him about his favourite ingredient, his funniest cooking mishaps and his role models.

My inspiration for cooking:

“Browsing for products at markets, a walk in the woods or great fresh ingredients from regional farmers.”

2 recipes for 4 courses

Two menus with culinary tales

Menu 1
EXPEDITION TO SOUTH AMERICA

This menu for four people will surprise your guests and your own taste buds!

Look forward to:
hot smoked BBQ salmon from a home-made smoker oven, ceviche with salmon, topsy-turvy roasted fillet of beef, chimichurri, Baileys gin cream on dry ice.

Menu 2
FROM OUR FORESTS

Register for our newsletter and receive the second menu to cook at home as a download.

“Charred” salmon trout with wild mushroom strudel, king prawns with cinnamon rind, saddle of venison with blackberries and Gin & Tonic and to round it off apple crumble with condensed milk cream and chestnuts.

10 questions on inspiration, comfort food and convenience products

1. Who are your role models for cooking and in life?
My father could whip up super delicious food with simple products. He was completely self-taught and also my inspiration as he significantly influenced my life and work.

2. What was your funniest mishap in the kitchen?
(Laughs) There are so many, but there is no way that I’m going to tell you here.

3. Who tries your new creations first?
My kitchen team. They are by far the most critical people I know. I value their opinion greatly.

4. You must have a special place where you would you like to cook?
Everywhere in the world.

5. Which country has the best food?
I can’t and won’t tie myself down – every country has its advantages and charms.

6. Which food do you not like at all?
Convenience products as they’re simply unnecessary and unhealthy. You can make anything that comes ready-made out of a bag just as quickly yourself with a little creativity and common sense.

7. As a chef and gourmet, you probably give home-made food as gifts. What’s your tip?
When I really like someone, I’ll give them home-made truffles. It’s obviously a lot of hard work, but the result is definitely a gift from the heart.

8. What is your comfort food?
I love sushi.

9. What is your favourite poptail and what should be in it?
Definitely the London Mule – with Woodland Gin, naturally.

10. What is the first and last thing you do in the kitchen?
You probably think it’s more exciting than it really is: light on in the morning and off again in the evening.

DRINKS made by Olaf Baumeister

Perfectly mixed drinks with unusual ingredients are a must for any “Cook and Serve like a pro” invitation. Olaf Baumeister has put together the recipes of his current favourite drinks.

Culinary terms as an amuse-gueule

Could you join in the conversation in a professional kitchen? We have compiled a short glossary of culinary terms that will surprise and impress – from entremetier to spider steak.
 


Boucher


 
 An expert in boning and jointing, as well as in preparing farces and clearmeat in high-end gastronomy. Specialised training as a Boucher (French for kitchen butcher) follows general training as a chef or butcher.
 
 


Amuse-gueule or mise en bouche?


 
 Both these terms refer to a “greeting from the kitchen”: a small appetiser served before the meal. A mise en bouche is served on a special spoon. The exquisite presentations means that both the perfect form and the flavour can be enjoyed.
 
 


Entremetier


 
 Entremetiers are one of the most important people in the brigade de cuisine. They are responsible for preparing sides such as potatoes, rice and pasta, vegetables and egg dishes. In addition, the Entremetier is frequently the expert in vegetarian and vegan dishes.
 
 


Ideal sous vide cooking temperature

 

Depending on the type of food and portion size, between 45 and 75 degrees Celsius. However, cooking temperature is only one of the factors affecting the cooking time. As a rule of thumb, the water temperature should correspond to the desired core temperature of the meat.


"Frosé"


 
 The on-trend drink from New York: a wine slushie made of frozen rosé with raspberry syrup and lemon juice. Prepared in a slushie machine, it is deliciously creamy and ice-cold. Invented in Bar Primi, New York, Frosés are served in cocktail glasses.
 
 


The Pacojet system

 

This method of preparation purées (“pacotises”) frozen ingredients without defrosting them. A particularly intense and natural flavour is created in this way. Perfect for many things, including basil ice-cream, champagne sorbet, chocolate mousse or farces.



Spider steak

 

A frequently forgotten cut and a real insider’s tip: this piece of beef is ideal for flash-frying. The fine marbling resembles a cobweb and the result is a particularly juicy steak. Also known as oyster steak, or popeseye steak in Scotland, spider steaks come from the pelvic and aitch bones on the inside of the cow’s hip.

Overview of all items
Cook & serve like a pro