JAN HARTWIG
« interior does not distract people from the dishes we serve. I love Atelier a lot. It’s timeless, sophisticated and warm but also very elegant, right down to the last detail. It approaches every generation. I wouldn’t change a thing.” The food at Atelier is based on classic haute cuisine, while also staying contemporary. “I aim to cook very good in a classic manner, but with a wink.” The resulting creations are modish but without any unnecessary distractions or extras; the product always remains a priority in his kitchen. “I don’t just focus on local products, which means that if I can get my hands on a good pigeon from France, I take it. I prefer to choose good quality over provenance, but there are also samples where I did create dishes with a relation to our region – one with a Radler [German shandy], for example.” Naturally, having honed his skills with masters in the business, you can notice hints of what he has learned from each of his mentors. Jan’s independent style of cuisine is a nod to Sven Elverfeld’s characteristic cooking style that creates a harmony of aroma, flavour and texture. Asked whether there is a signature dish at Atelier, he says, “I would say the Carabiniero ‘Thai Style’ evolved to be my signature
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dish. It’s a very aesthetic dish, focused on the exact definition of taste. The perfect product is the key to it,” says Jan. In true artistic style, Jan’s dishes often connect to a personal memory of his and are reminiscent of stages in his career. From this base, he then takes traditional cuisine as an inspiration to tell his own contemporary story through an exciting gastronomic journey. “Everyone has to find their own ways to reflect the principles of fine dining, but I think in general the trend goes back to ‘reasonable’ portions rather than small dishes everyone is secretly joking about. The product has top priority, but taste is the second-most important factor.” Having a solid background in the culinary arts, Hartwig is also not afraid of evolution. “Cooking is becoming more and more technical, like football, and everything goes at a faster pace that you can see all over social media.” Jan is a chef who is aware of changing approaches to gastronomy and understands that progression is part of the creative process – something that helps him remain almost unrivalled on the gastronomic scene, the full extent of which can be enjoyed at his ‘artist’s studio’ at the Hotel Bayerischer Hof.