October 2002 - Nr. 10
Black Forest Chef Named German Master
TWIG - Serious dessert lovers know the glories of Black Forest cherry cake (Schwarzwälderkirschtorte), a blissful concoction combining sweet and sour flavors and layers of whipped cream. Now the wooded hills of southwestern Germany have reached even higher culinary heights. A 29-year-old chef from the Black Forest town of Wildberg was named Germany’s best cook on Sunday (October 6). Claus Weitbrecht of Restaurant Talblick will represent Germany at the 2003 Bocuse d’Or World Cuisine Contest in Lyon, France. The German Master celebrated at a gala event attended by 400 guests, including prominent figures from business, media and the arts, at a newly opened restaurant in Blankenese, near Hamburg. Fifty of Germany’s top chefs were on hand at the celebration, serving up regional specialties from around the country.
Weitbrecht was crowned German Master 2002 after a three-round competition between the five finalists of "Team Germany," nominated to match culinary wits with chefs from across Europe January 28-29 next year. The other team members are Thomas Balensiefer of Restaurant Jörg Müller (Westerland, on the island Sylt), Thomas Fischer of Restaurant Gogärtchen (Kampen, also on Sylt), Ulrich Heimann of Restaurant Prinz Frederik (Hamburg), and Andreas Mayer of Hotel Kempinski/Vier Jahreszeiten (Munich).
The Bocuse d’Or competition, named for French master chef Paul Bocuse, is sponsored by the Eurotoques Foundation, established in 1987 by Belgian chef Pierre Romeyer and former European Union president Jacques Delors. More than 2,000 European chefs belong to the Eurotoques organization, which seeks to protect and promote Europe’s culinary traditions.
