Culinary highlights

Christoph, you come from the Ruhr region, but you fell in love with Freiburg and opened a fine dining restaurant here, Jacobi, which has two Michelin stars - one for cookery and one for sustainability. Why Freiburg in particular?
A lot of things come together here. The most important thing is that there is an incredible range of good produce here. This is also due to the fact that the region has different climatic conditions and soils. The Kaiserstuhl tends to have volcanic soil, while the Markgräflerland tends to have chalk. When it comes to wine, everyone knows that this influences the flavour, but when it comes to vegetables, this is still new to many people.

What does this mean for the kitchen?
It opens up so many possibilities - without having to go far. There is now even an olive oil from here. This regionality is good for the cuisine. At the Jacobi, we limit ourselves entirely to ingredients from the region, go to the farms, get the venison from the hunter ourselves and only prepare freshwater fish. This really encourages creativity.

What would you recommend to guests in Freiburg, what should they try in the city?
I wouldn't pin it down to one dish. For me, it's the ingredients from the region. And the wine, of course. But also the asparagus or the mushrooms in autumn. I don't walk 50 metres to the Schlossberg (castle hill) where our mushrooms grow. We often get inspiration for our menus from the Münstermarkt (cathedral market).

And then a long red one at the market?
Sure, that's part of it. But for me, it's the overall experience that gives you that Freiburg feeling. The aroma of the Lange Rote, the smell of fresh coffee, the people at the stalls. Walking across the Münstermarkt (cathedral market) at ten in the morning with the sun on your face - that's something.