Star chefs unpack at “Kitchen Impossible” about Corona time – “I was scared, she was scared!” – people


That was how difficult the pandemic was for them.

On Saturday evening, several top gourmet chefs provided an intimate and detailed insight into their grueling and existence-threatening time during the Corona crisis.

TV chef Tim Mälzer (50) asked the well-known chefs Max Strohe (39), The Duc Ngo (47), Haya Molcho (66), Viktoria Fuchs (28), Max Stiegl (41) and Alexander Wulf (40) to using private video material to report up close and personal about how they deal with the corona pandemic.

For Mälzer, “Kitchen Impossible 2020 – The Chef’s Diaries” was a ray of hope after an existentially difficult time: “We said we would make a video diary and we would document it. What you see right away cannot be surpassed in terms of intimacy. “

In typical “Kitchen Impossible” fashion, the star chefs sat together over a glass of wine and discussed their colleagues’ videos. Above all, a video sequence by star chef Alexander Wulf from Heinsberg visibly worried the colleagues.

After the closure of his “Troyka” restaurant, he lost hope: “I haven’t slept really well since the corona virus. Very little. I think you can see it on the rims of the eyes. And also the beer consumption … “

Mälzer was shocked: “What that did to us humans too! You hinted that slightly with your alcohol consumption. I know people who really took this as a distraction. This is the crisis of our generation – no ifs or buts! “

He himself didn’t take his experiences lightly either: “I thought I couldn’t help it. Those emotions that you carried within yourself … For me … It had slightly depressive features. “

Max Strohe’s videos also showed sadness and anger: “The situation pisses me off. I want everything to be the way it used to be. “

But with the first creative ideas during the lockdown, the first laughs followed in the studio. In his desperation, Max Stiegl had even considered producing animal feed to save his “Gut Purbach” – of course in star quality: “Then I had the idea that we would simply offer food for your loved ones, for your dog or cat. I was kind of intoxicated … Then I slept on it once and thought – no …! “

He then preferred to concentrate on producing, preserving and shipping his dishes – but had to deal with the authorities. The wrong labeling, no correct nutritional table – Stiegl suffered penalties: “I paid half a house there, but I would do it again and again. I’ll just perfect that. “

Mälzer was impressed and promised help: “Very brave to share that here. We also need a bit of stubbornness and rebellion. And should something come again: We’ll merge! “

Tim Mälzer himself made headlines in 2020 when he was unable to hold back tears in a talk with Markus Lanz (52). He remembered: “There was that one moment when I still don’t know if I’m embarrassed or if I’m proud of it. Where I sat at the Lanz. “

Tim Mälzer got emotional with Markus LanzPhoto: ZDF

At the time, he was concerned about his employees: “I was afraid, she was afraid that everything would go down the drain for no reason. I stood in front of my staff and said: I won’t leave you alone. At that moment I knew that I would not be able to do it. That was when I felt like a failure for the first time. You open your face and don’t follow words with deeds. “

But the deeds followed – and with the opening of the catering establishments, hope came back. Alexander Wulf drew a clear comparison: “The feeling is back. It’s as cool as … I don’t want to compare it to sex, but it really comes close. “

Mälzer’s gastronomic heart also beat faster again: “We saw what became of it, the appreciation of the guests. You could feel the lust for life in every corner. “

And it will hopefully last a very long time.

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