Hans Richard – always looking towards France
(Translation from German)
When Restaurant Richard opened its doors in 2012, the surrounding area was yet to be known for its fine dining establishments. Situated in a historic building dating back to 1902, the restaurant was located far away from Berlin’s Gourmet institutions. Under coffered ceilings and surrounded by modern art, diners can enjoy the culinary arts of Hans Richard and his team. Recently, the self-taught Swiss chef was rewarded for his efforts with a coveted Michelin star.
LW: Congratulations on your first Michelin star. It’s impossible to imagine Kreuzberg without Restaurant Richard. What led you to become a chef?
HR: I’m an autodidact, I’m actually an artist. It all started after studying painting in Basel. I needed money, so I started to work in a restaurant. The chef wasn’t so bad, but he handled the products very uneconomically. To a certain extent, I benefited from that by taking all the waste home with me to use for stocks, sauces and jus. Night after night I’d end up making variations of stocks and sauces. French cuisine starts with the economical handling of waste.
And at some point you decided to stop painting and started cooking professionally?
Even when I was just cooking for myself, I always thought I’d do it professionally one day. Maybe that’s connected to my childhood – I grew up in a hotel. At some point, my relationship with painting changed. Perhaps it receded into the background due to my steadily growing interest in the kitchen.
Where do you see the differences between art and the kitchen?
The decisive difference is that you’re without a team in a studio. I never worked with assistants but painted alone. In the kitchen, there was suddenly this social moment, both with the staff and with the guests.
Do you still paint?
No, not at all. I don’t have the time for it anymore. I do miss it, it’s been over five years when I last painted.
What philosophy do you follow in your kitchen?
There’s creativity in the kitchen without the need to invent something new. There are really only a few people who have invented a completely new style. I’d describe our kitchen as approachable, easy to understand and hearty. It's a classic French cuisine with occasional small digressions into other countries.
Is there still a fascination with French cuisine in Switzerland?
In my opinion, France is the cradle of European cuisine. When it comes to culinary matters, the Swiss are very francophile. The top gastronomy in Switzerland is very focussed on French cuisine. One could reproach the Swiss for not having culinary ideas on a certain level, there is no original Swiss cuisine. They’re always looking towards France.
Where do you draw inspiration for new dishes?
I always look at what’s currently in season. And I always have a pool of dishes and ingredients in my head. Sometimes, I eat something with interesting components and then put it in a different context. And for the rest, I get inspired by literature.
What brought you to Berlin?
I came to Berlin in 2000, at that time still for artistic reasons. Berlin is a cool city, it’s very affordable and there’s so much space.
Which restaurants do you enjoy eating at in Berlin?
I like going to Sale e Tabacchi, now and then I also go to Borchard. And then there's EDD's, which is a great Thai restaurant on Lützowstraße. Back in the day, you never got a table there, even if you wanted to book in advance.
Your restaurant has a very historical location. How did you find this place?
I knew the previous restaurant and also the one before that and the one before that. At some point, it was advertised quite unspectacularly on an online real estate website. I then realised my vision for the restaurant with a friend of mine, the architect Lisa Kadel.
And what vision did you have?
Utilitarian forms. For example, I didn't want to have a classic bar. The food should come out from the back, the kitchen noise should be screened off. There should be benches all around the walls, and the walls should be white. Some of the works of art are on loan and we tend to change them from time to time.
How do you spend your free time when you’re not in your restaurant?
In bed (laughs). I like to read.
Thanks for the conversation, Hans.