Saxony: Smaller menu, higher prices: star chefs in crisis

They take care of the physical well-being of those who do not have to pay too much attention to the money left in their wallets, even in times of crisis.

Saxony: Smaller menu, higher prices: star chefs in crisis

They take care of the physical well-being of those who do not have to pay too much attention to the money left in their wallets, even in times of crisis. But Saxony's star chefs are also looking at the coming months with uncertainty.

Schirgiswalde/Dresden/Leipzig (dpa/sn) - In view of the high costs of energy and the uncertain prospects for the winter, Saxony's star chefs are facing financial challenges. "The industry as a whole is very angry," said Rüdiger Schumann from the Juwel restaurant in Schirgiswalde in an interview with the German Press Agency. This Michelin-star restaurant in the district of Bautzen is part of the family-run Hotel Bei Schumann. In order to cover the current additional costs, the hotel manager has now decided to demand an energy surcharge per guest.

Schumann decided to raise prices after observing the competition in southern Germany, Switzerland and Tyrol, among other places. A special feature of his house is that it is not in a big city and has a wellness area. "We have seen that people still spend money on their health, their well-being and thus also on food," said Schumann. For this reason, and also because he took care of an alternative gas supply, his house is not too badly affected by the crisis.

People who can afford star cuisine also come to Marcus Blonkowski in the Dresden gourmet studio. Nevertheless, the chef from Dresden was forced to downsize his menu due to the energy crisis. "It's the only way I can ensure that the quality of our food continues to be high," he said. Blonkowski definitely doesn't want to jeopardize a gradation of the pleasure studio, which is located in the north-east of Dresden.

That is why, for example, there is no Christmas goose on the menu in the weeks leading up to Christmas. "But our guests don't even notice this reduction," said Blonkowski, who runs the restaurant together with his sister Nicole. In an affluent society, less might not be a bad thing, he said.

In Leipzig's Stadtpfeiffer, star chef Detlef Schlegel is rather relaxed about the prevailing crises: "In times like this, our craft is honed". It is important to preserve the magic of hospitality. Despite the restrictions along the production chain, he and his team in the kitchen and service tried to continue to ensure the well-being of the guests. If the goods are not usable, other ways would have to be found to put the award-winning cuisine on the plate.