Change of restaurant in Andernach

ANDERNACH. Peter Fridén, the previous head chef at YOSO, for which he recently achieved another star in the Michelin Guide, is taking over responsibility for the sister restaurant PURS. Yannick Noack had previously been responsible for the two-star rated cuisine there.

From May, Peter Fridén, who was born in South Korea and grew up in Sweden, will establish "New Nordic-Japanese Cuisine" as Executive Chef at PURS , the PURS Luxury Boutique Hotel & Restaurant announced. The implementation is intended to "enrich the overall work of art by star designer and antiquarian Axel Vervoordt, who has designed the hotel, which is part of PURS Fine Hotels & Restaurants, in the spirit of Wabi-Sabi", according to the press release.

With this change, PURS Fine Hotels & Restaurants aims to achieve two goals at once. On the one hand, the hotel concept centred around the design and philosophy of Axel Vervoordt is to be strengthened and now also completed in the culinary field. From the check-in ritual with Oshibori cloths, the traditional Japanese tea ceremony and the art tour in the afternoon to the New Nordic-Japanese cuisine in the evening: guests immerse themselves in the world of Axel Vervoordt and the philosophy of Wabi-Sabi during their stay.

Peter Fridén combines three culinary worlds at PURS, which guests can enjoy here from the beginning of May 2024: Asian-Japanese cuisine with Scandinavian cuisine and French haute cuisine. "When I cook, I connect with these three cultures. Even as a child, my uncle in Sweden taught me how to cook - with down-to-earth, typical Swedish dishes. Through my travels to East Asia, I have a connection to Asian cuisine, which is also where my roots lie," says the 42-year-old chef.

Asian and Nordic cuisine have very different culinary traditions and ingredients, and the cooking techniques are also different. Nevertheless, there are unifying elements such as fish and seafood, the strong connection to nature and the use of fresh, seasonal ingredients.

In terms of cooking style, wabi-sabi means preparing restrained dishes that emphasise the beauty and flavour of natural ingredients and offer a deep indulgence. This is exactly what Peter Fridén does and he is deeply impressed by the perfection and respect in Japan - not only for the food, but also for the people. "After all, food is one of the fundamental elements of life that brings people together," says Peter Fridén.

In addition, Peter Fridén will remain responsible for the YOSO restaurant as Executive Chef. He and his team are currently working on a "Fine Asian Street Food Concept" and want to bring the diversity of Asian street food to Andernach and YOSO. A reopening is planned for the second half of the year.

The repositioning of the culinary world of PURS Fine Hotels & Restaurants will counteract the trend of classic gourmet gastronomy declining throughout Germany. "We also had to make this experience in the PURS Restaurant in 2023 and had to accept a sharp drop in guest numbers," says Gerhard Pohl, Managing Director of PURS Fine Hotels & Restaurants. "We already spoke to Yannick Noack about an upcoming concept change at PURS in 2023. This will now take place from May 2024. We are grateful that he and his team have been able to delight our guests with their award-winning cuisine in the past and wish him all the best for the future."

The PURS Luxury Boutique Hotel & Restaurant is the first hotel that the world-famous Belgian designer and antiquarian Axel Vervoordt has designed as a whole. His art consists of recognising art as such. Axel Vervoordt has not only turned the hotel into a total work of art through the philosophy of Wabi-Sabi - which is based on returning to the essentials and focussing on what is really important - but has also integrated special objects by renowned artists. Japanese works, including ceramic art by Shiro Tsujimura, one of the most sought-after contemporary potters, and works by sculptor and installation artist Susumu Koshimizu, have been staged by Vervoordt in PURS in such a way that they can unfold their full splendour.

A Japanese bathhouse is also planned for the future, offering guests a special and traditional spa experience and at the same time rounding off the overall concept of the PURS Luxury Boutique Hotel & Restaurant.