LaVie

I got a crazy mad opportunity to work in a stunning 3-Michelin restaurant in Osnabruck, Germany called "LaVie".  I met Chef Thomas Buhner randomly while I was working at Daniel in NYC. Fortunately I was the only one who spoke German (jaaaa, Deutsch!) in the restaurant and we had a little chit chat.  

The brief meeting turned into a great friendship and an offered me to spend some time with his team. So of course that's something I would do in a heartbeat! Last May I spent only a couple of days in LaVie, but this time... I decided to stay for a month. And wow, that's all I can say. 

I worked a lot on chocolates/different pralines and improved my skills tremendously. I must say it's nice when you do small quantities and hand dip them all. Love it! One of my favorites was white chocolate, quinoa and caramelized white chocolate. DELISH. All of these ideas come from a fantastic young Chef Rene Frank who taught me a lot and has impressed me a lot.   

I think I developed my hidden passion for chocolate work..

THE Banana milkshake dessert. For the love of everything that is great, as soon as I cracked this ball open I felt as if I was having my all time favorite banana smoothie. Seriously! And it has ginger in it, lots of it!

These little fellas are rockin'. Who would ever think milk chocolate, corn and sesame would be a match made in heaven?! Oh yes. 

The Snowball. Dessert made during Christmas time, so pure and elegant. The ball is blown sugar and has lots of lovely surprises in it ;)

At the end of my time in LaVie I finally got a chance to quickly go home, change, and have dinner at this beautiful restaurant. It is amazing how the perspective changes when you sit down and have this meal and when you're in the kitchen. 

There were so many different flavors, textures, techniques, temperatures...It was truly a party in my mouth. I had a wonderful time, learned lots, but also struggled working with 12 men...yea...If you think something like that would be fun, WELL it's not! I was the only girl and they were of course acting very stupid. Men....

A beautiful little city Osnabruck is. I shall be back!!!