Introduction

My life began in Freiburg, Germany, where I started, at the age of 14, to lay the groundwork for my future culinary career.  After an apprenticeship in a small independent restaurant located in Denzlingen, I gained 9 years of experience in small restaurants, then joined as Chef de Partie my first 5 Star Hotel.  Already, I had a passion for the organizational aspect of the hotel kitchen, so I continued my way up the culinary ranks from Chef de Partie to Sous Chef.

Following my love of the kitchen, in 1991, I studied for my Masters Degree.  Soon after graduation, I became Sous Chef for Inter-Continental Hotels. In 1993, I decided to see the world to expand my horizons and learn about other cultures, cuisines and the people.  Through my travels across the culinary world I became an accomplished and conversant Chef. Although my passion for Asia is profound, the Middle East, the United States and the Caribbean have all had a great influence on my cooking.

When you become a Chef, your professional life and personal life become intertwined. As well as having my own family, my fellow Chefs become my professional family too. A couple of key important attributes in both aspects of my life are honesty, dedication and, of course, my family.

Many people ask me if I had the chance to begin again what would I do?

Without hesitation, I always answer,

“I would still become a Chef, what else can I do?

Over the years many people crossed my path.  I would like to acknowledge some of the people who are the corner stones in my professional and personal life. 
 I would not be who I am or where I am now without them.

My first teachers of cooking: Christel, Heinz and Karlheinz Arnold, owner of the Restaurant Gasthof Arnold in Denzlingen;

Herman Fritz; my Executive Chef of the Hotel Markgraefler Hof in Freiburg and my good friend

Klaus Bramkamp, one of the best Executive Chefs I have had the privilege of meeting. I am proud to call him a friend from my days at the Intercontinental Hotel in Frankfurt

Martin B Jones, our friendship began in Jakarta.
He is one of the most creative minds that I know

Jean Paul Naquin, former Director of Culinary at the Atlantis in the Bahamas,
 my great inspiration as a Chef and a person

I will close with a quote from one of my favorite books:

Cooking is a craft, I like to think, and a good cook is a craftsman not an artist. There is nothing wrong with that: The great cathedrals of Europe were built by craftsmen -though not designed by them. Practicing your craft in expert fashion is noble, honorable and satisfying.
Kitchen Confidential by Anthony Bourdain