Bareiss

The tiny village of Baiersbronn is what you could call Germany’s culinary capital. It’s the only place in the Federal Republic in which not only one, but two three-star restaurants are located.

In contrast to the style of most other German 3* chefs the cooking in the Black Forest is more traditional. The classical French kitchen of the Bareiss in Baiersbronn is the product of chef Claus-Peter Lumpp who spent some time as an apprentice in this very restaurant (then still called Kurhotel Mitteltal). After his apprenticeship he embarked on a tour of Europe to perfect his skills, working with great chefs such as Heinz Winkler and Alain Ducasse to name but a few. In 1992 he returned to the Bareiss, and eventually became the head chef, bringing the restaurant Bareiss its third Michelin star in 2007.

Lumpp’s cooking is not only classical, but also very generous. His dishes tend to serve a product in more than one form, giving the diner a highly interesting perspective of what can be done with any given ingredient. A foie gras starter is one of his signature dishes, and indeed impressive. The main ingredients are beetroot and caramel, which both work really well with the liver. The quality of the foie gras is excellent, which can also be said of the cooking.  However, to make this clear, Lumpp really is a generous man, who’s food reflects this. Don’t come here to count calories, but to enjoy lovely classical cooking.

The same goes for a lamb dish, which consists of a braised lamb with a crispy crust and a strong stew with a hearty and concentrated jus. This is another beautiful example of the intensely-flavoured cooking of Lumpp. The meat comes from the Black Forest and is accompanied by a concentrated jus and chanterelles (or Pfifferlinge as they say in Germany). It is a dish that is both strong and earthy, and pretty rich.

The restaurant Bareiss is a solid three star restaurant with strong flavoured classic kitchen were you will certainly not leave with an empty stomach. The chef’s generosity both in terms of the portions and style of cooking are most welcome in days where the trend calls for ever more minuscule arrangements on massive plates.