NEWS & PRESS

DER INTERNATIONALE ECKART WITZIGMANN PREIS

Aktueller Beitrag 19. Dezember 2011

Wenn der Chef ruft, kommt man natürlich gern nach München, vor allem, wenn der Anlaß die Verleihung des Internationalen Eckart Witzigmann Preises ist, den ja immerhin auch schon Prinz Charles, Dieter Müller und Anne-Sophie Pic erhalten haben. Interessant ist das auch deshalb, weil es mir Gelegenheit gab, mir mal die ganz spezifisch Münchener Szene anzusehen, zu der man als Hamburger kaum Berührungspunkte hat.

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The international ECKART WITZIGMANN PRIZE 2011

 
Eckart Witzigmann honours outstanding culinary and gastronomic achievements
Awards ceremony on 21st November 2011 in Munich

Munich − The International Eckart Witzigmann Prize, with which Eckart Witzigmann honours outstanding culinary achievement and exceptional commitment in the diverse field of gastronomy, was awarded on Monday 21st November 2011. This year’s winners are: Nadia and Antonio Santini from Italy, Daniel Boulud from the USA, Claus Peter Lumpp from Baiersbronn, Tohru Nakamura from the Netherlands, Johann Willsberger from Switzerland, Heinz Winkler from Aschau as well as Manfred Friedel, Fritz Eichbauer and Hans Haas from Munich. The International Eckart Witzigmann Prize is awarded in cooperation with the German Academy of Gastronomy (GAD).

The winners of 2011 continue a series of exceptional talents of the past eight years, including Ferran Adria, Marc Haeberlin, Thomas Keller, Frédy Girardet, Harald Wohlfahrt, Dieter Müller, Anne-Sophie Pic, Hiroyuki Hiramatsu, Alice Waters, Juan Mari and Elena Arzak, Vincent Klink, as well as HRH Prince Charles of Wales, Carlo Petrini, Günter Grass, Dieter Kosslick and the artists Daniel Spoerri, Tomi Ungerer and Dieter Krieg.

Eckart Witzigmann highlighted that all the winners of the Eckart Witzigmann Prize have one thing in common: their achievements far exceed craftsmanship alone but they have been able to set unique trends, based on their craft, which they master perfectly. In doing so, they have made a significant contribution to gastronomy in its different forms. “Each of the winners has, in his area of work, made the basic need for food into a form of culture, communication and hospitality,” said Eckart Witzigmann. The work of the prize winners was praised by laudators Dr. Peter Peter with Carlo Petrini, Marc Haeberlin, Ephorus Tobias Küenzlen, Anselm Bilgri, Hans Stefan Steinheuer and Heiner Finkbeiner.

Eckart Witzigmann also highlighted that all the winners carry an important message: “Enjoyment of food and dining is an important basis for an enjoyment of life. That children and young people in particular learn this life art from their parents and realise how important good and healthy nutrition is, is something which is very close to all our hearts.”

Eckart Witzigmann continued: “I am so happy that many of my colleagues do all they can to help the cities and communities in their efforts to ensure that each child is able to have one good, healthy and also affordable meal a day.” Hereby he highlighted the book “Gartenland in Kinderhand” (The children’s garden cookbook) which he has recently published and which aims to inspire children to have their own garden “so that our children are again able to experience the wonder of nature.” The children’s garden cookbook gives tips on planting and looking after a herb/vegetable garden in the kindergarten. The top chefs together with Eckart Witzigmann hope that parents will encourage a good food culture with their children. In their recipes they show how to make good, healthy food, using products from the own garden, which can be enjoyed together in families, kindergartens and schools.

The International Eckart Witzigmann Prize 2011 was awarded during a festive ceremony in the Goblin Hall of Lenbach House in Munich on Monday 21st November 2011, after which Eckart Witzigmann asked guests to take their seats for dinner. The festive dinner in the restaurant of the Hotel Königshof in honour of the prize winners was prepared by Harald Wohlfahrt and Jörg Sackmann from Baiersbronn, Alfred Klink, Freiburg (Colombi) and Günter Seeger from New York and was coordinated by chef de cuisine Martin Fauster.

In July Eckart Witzigmann, the name-giver of the International Eckart Witzigmann Prize, celebrated his 70th birthday. He was a pupil of Paul Bocuse and Paul Haeberlin and, with his work in the Tantris in 1974, he started to revolutionise German cuisine. In 1978 he opened his own restaurant, the legendry “Aubergine" in Munich, which became a hotbed for the German cooking wonder and which was in that same year awarded three Michelin stars. Countless honours and prizes followed. Since 2007 Eckart Witzigmann is a Dr.h.c. and Professor h.c. of the Gastronomy University in Örebro in Sweden

The winners:

Nadia und Antonio Santini and their family have made “Dal Pescatore” in Lombardy an institution in Europe. The gourmet country house is regarded as a down to earth stronghold of tradition of the highest level. Nadia’s generous cuisine and Antonio’s grandezza as host are legendary.

Daniel Boulud, born in Lyon, has, for more than 30 years, been celebrating the art of grande cuisine with seasonal accents in the melting pot that is New York. As one of the best chefs in the world he is highly respected and has won many awards. In the many years of his work his cuisine has never lost any of its curiosity or creativity.

Claus Peter Lumpp developed, as chef de cuisine in the Hotel Bareiss in Baiersbronn, a grande cuisine which combines local identity and international class in an exemplary way. By appreciating and using regional products and seasonal produce out of conviction, his immense success is also based on an ecological and sustainable cooking style. In this way, Claus Peter Lumpp has become an important ambassador for the fine culinary art.

Tohru Nakamura started his chef’s apprenticeship in Munich after his A-levels and completed this as Germany’s best young chef. Today, the 27-year-old works with Sergio Herman in the 3 star restaurant “Oud Sluis” in the Netherlands. Eckart Wtzigmann awards him the prize for new talent.

Johann Willsberger has defined whole culinary epochs and documented these with his “Gourmet” magazine. With his distinctive aesthetic, he has set the highest standards and, in doing so, given dining culture its befitting position in art.

Manfred Friedel – a man of the world and who the world has visited in the Hotel Königshof in Munich. Manfred Friedel has devoted his life to the service of hospitality and, in doing so, upholds great host culture!

Fritz Eichbauer established the “Tantris” exactly 40 years ago – Munich and the world have him to thank for this institution of the great culinary art.

Heinz Winkler not only enjoyed an international training himself but has also tirelessly taught at many well known culinary schools in Spain, Italy, the USA, Japan and Thailand. He has made a decisive contribution to the worldwide excellent reputation of the great German culinary art.

Hans Haas – as the successor of Eckart Witzigmann and Heinz Winkler, he has been the chef de cuisine of the Tantris – a hotbed of top culinary talent – for more than 20 years. An artist not only in the kitchen but also a painter and sculptor, he visibly combines cuisine, art and culture.