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Lorenz Hartmann cooks with enthusiasm in his “farm kitchen” in the small, isolated farm Harrein near Fendsbach. © Peter Gebel
Lorenz Hartmann (40) runs a Bavarian-American cooking school on a remote farm in the municipality of Pastetten.
Anyone wondering what attracts corporate groups from BMW, Microsoft or Allianz, but also countless private individuals to the isolated farm Harrein near Fendsbach in the municipality of Pastetten near the A94, will find the answer in the former horse stable of the Mittermaier farm: the Bavarian-American cooking school “Hofkitchen” by Lorenz Hartmann.
The 40-year-old owner and chef was born in Munich, but grew up in Denver in the US state of Colorado, where the family moved shortly after Hartmann’s birth. The German-American discovered his passion for cooking while studying marketing and working part-time in catering, but only decided to make cooking his profession after a few jobs in the advertising industry (“not my world”).
Contact with the guests was missing
After gaining experience in various restaurants, he moved to his mother’s homeland to learn Bavarian cuisine. While stints at the Pfistermühle on Platzl, Le Stolberg on Isartor and Shane’s Restaurant in the Glockenbachviertel helped the inquisitive chef progress, he missed the contact with the guests. He became self-employed so that he could cook with them, and he also held cooking courses at Kustermann’s cooking school and cooked for events.
Combining all of this in one location was Hartmann’s dream, which he was able to realize on the farm of his wife Anna’s family. “You could make something cool out of the former horse stable,” the chef realized, and had the stable renovated according to his ideas and equipped with a stylish cooking island and a large wooden table for communal meals. The old brick wall of the stable contributes to the ambience, as does the view of the greenery and the idyllic farm chapel.
The concept included cooking courses on various topics and cooking styles such as game dishes, vegetarian, Mexican or even barbecue courses, which could be booked as an open date or in groups with friends or as a company event. In May 2020, Hartmann was ready to start, and the owner says today: “Corona was basically the perfect time,” because nobody wanted to meet strangers back then and preferred to meet with friends.
Vegetarian culinary delight: Caramelized sweet potato on summery pearl barley with salsa fresca. © Peter Gebel
The innovative cooking instructor initially held his cooking courses online, only later being able to move them to his own kitchen. He simply called this kitchen on the isolated farm “Hofkitchen”, which combines both the German-American origins of the chef and the selection of courses. According to him, the “Hofkitchen” works with 100 percent organic products, “almost all products come from within a 30-kilometer radius,” Hartmann proudly states.
The “Bavarian-American cooking school” is now often booked for company events, seminars or team-building activities, but private celebrations such as birthdays or golden wedding anniversaries are also held here.
“When we cook together, everyone can contribute as much as they like, and you can chat in between, which creates a very relaxed atmosphere,” says the head chef, who is also happy to welcome many guests from the local area. “Many of them come back next year,” he says, which also means good word of mouth.
Cooking and eating together at the long table, with a view of the greenery and the court chapel – that’s possible in the “Hofkitchen”. © Peter Gebel
While Hartmann chops and fries the vegetables, stirs and seasons them, a fragrant creation that could have come from a Michelin-starred restaurant is created in no time at all. “But I don’t just cook for the eyes, it has to taste good too,” says the creative chef. He is constantly coming up with new ideas that he offers in his themed cooking courses – such as a course with the “organic box”, where the organic farmer suppliers cook along with you and talk about their vegetables.
Hartmann likes to adapt his courses to the seasons, such as barbecue courses in summer, game dishes in winter, or Italian cuisine in spring and autumn. He himself is a big fan of Mexican cuisine, but not the usual TexMex mix, but authentic Mexican, with lots of fresh products.
The father of two usually cooks for the family, “my children, seven and three years old, eat almost everything, but they also like pasta with tomato sauce,” explains the father with a laugh. He enjoys being able to coordinate his working hours with family life and thus have more time for the children. He is supported by two or three employees on a mini-job basis, but there could be more if he likes. His wife Anna, who works as a pediatric surgeon, takes care of the decorations when needed.
Own restaurant on the wish list
In the “Hofkitchen” the boss only takes on three to four events a week, but there is still plenty to do in between. “Writing offers, correspondence, invoices, shopping, washing aprons, and before the events you need at least an hour to set up,” says the self-made man, assuring him: “And yet everything can be planned here, and I have less stress, because I don’t miss it.”
The energetic chef has achieved his goal for now: “I’m happy here, I’m constantly getting requests, but you have to find the balance between too much and too little work,” says the 40-year-old. Whether this is the end of the line is still up in the air, because his own restaurant is still on his wish list – “maybe later, when the children are older,” says the creative chef and laughs.
All information
Information about cooking courses, vouchers and events can be found online at www.hofkitchen.de.
