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Go JRE-Inside+Interview with Benjamin Maerz
Benjamin Maerz is chef at Hotel Rose & Maerz. This talented chef is constantly inspired by foreign flavours and always aims to further develop himself and his cuisine. His exquisite cuisine is a refined mix of local and global influences. He studied food management while working at his parents' hotel kitchen. After years of hard work, Benjamin received his first Michelin star in 2013 for his restaurant Maerz, which was then called restaurant Rose. We asked the chef some questions to get to know him better about his culinary inspiration, favourite ingredients, and much more.
Benjamin, how would you describe your cooking style?
Because our local roots are firm, the regional products diverse and the longing for the taste of the distance is great, the cuisine of Maerz is the perfect culinary combination of homesickness and wanderlust. We're tied to our homeland but open to the world - that's how we are and that's how we cook.
What's your favourite dish to make?
Our classic signature dish is still our "Sauren Rädle". This traditional potato dish can be used to explain and describe our kitchen style very well.
What is your favourite ingredient to work with?
My favourite spice is vanilla. But another favourite ingredient is the Black Forest Miso from my friend Peter Koch.
We're tied to our homeland but open to the world
Rose & Maerz
Who is one of your top suppliers or producers?
We have a large number of different producers and suppliers here with whom we have been working for many years. Particularly noteworthy here are, for example, Keltenhof Filderstadt, Büffel Bill and Peter Koch’s Black Forest Miso.
What is the biggest challenge you’ve faced in your culinary career?
Restaurateurs had to face the biggest and longest challenge during the coronavirus pandemic. But from a culinary point of view we will have many more challenges on the horizon. Take, for example, the avoidance of factory farming, staff shortages and much more, which will impact our industry.
Which gastronomic trend are you excited about the most?
Currently, we are working very hard in our country to ensure that we make it very clear to our consumers that we should focus more on quality and regionality. As many negative influences as the coronavirus pandemic had, it has certainly stimulated consumers to rethink their food choices.
If you could only eat one dish for the rest of your life, what would that be?
I would pick my wife's pasta salad.
What’s one thing in the area that your guests absolutely need to see or do?
We live in a region that has a lot to offer visitors. Here you have the chance to see one of the most beautiful wine-growing regions in the country: the rock gardens on the Neckar. We also have the Blooming Baroque Palace in Ludwigsburg and of course one of the most popular amusement parks for family fun, Tripsdrill.
Thank you, Benjamin.
Book your table at Hotel Rose & Maerz
Enjoy the incredible cosmopolitan cuisine by Michelin star chef Benjamin Maerz. You can book your lunch or dinner at Hotel Rose & Maerz (Bietigheim-Bissingen, Germany) through our website.