Fourth "Am Pass" season is online

The ARD series "Am Pass - Geschichten aus der Spitzenküche" is entering its fourth season. Six new episodes can be seen in the ARD media library and will also be broadcast on SWR television on 17 January at night. As in the first three seasons, the author and producer is Christoph Heymann(heyfilm Bewegtbildproduktion, Hanover).

Episode 1: Sahra Hallmann: Sarah Hallmann from the restaurant "Hallmann & Klee" in Berlin-Neukölln and her team bring concentrated female power to the male-dominated industry. She is currently the only female chef in the capital to have been awarded a star. She shows that even at the top level, cooking can be relaxed and fun. A strict hierarchy and drill are not a must for success. Her signature dish combines the favourite culinary memories of her childhood. Sarah Hallmann grew up on a farm in Baden-Württemberg. As the youngest child, she was often the first to come home from nursery and her grandmother would serve her a hot potato as a starter. She used to walk past lovage bushes in the garden and still associates the smell with feeling good and at home. But it is also the great cultural diversity and the feeling of freedom in Berlin that inspire her to create her extraordinary dishes

Episode 2: Daniel Schimkowitsch: How does Daniel Schimkowitsch, head chef at L.A. Jordan in Deidesheim, master his way to his second Michelin star? It's a path full of challenges, setbacks and courageous decisions. Even in the early years, he caused controversy with his behaviour and radical changes in the team. But his unwavering focus on quality and innovation has led him to the top. His handling of unusual products is particularly impressive: Together with a supplier, he developed a method of bringing live langoustines to Germany - a move that required not only craftsmanship, but also an intensive examination of ethical issues.

Episode 3: Alina Meissner-Bebrout and the onion: Alina Meissner-Bebrout shows how ingredients such as pasta, onions and cheese can be turned into an extraordinary dish - with the onion as the star. Alina Meissner-Bebrout worked alone for years in the small kitchen of Be:braud in Ulm. For a long time, she didn't dare employ anyone else because she didn't want to put anyone else through this hard work. She is now a successful entrepreneur with a second restaurant and an event location. Her varied tasks often mean that cooking takes a back seat. Nevertheless, she conveys her vision and passion for cooking to her team every day. To make this step possible, she had to learn to hand over responsibility and rely on her team.

Episode 4: Peter Wirbel: In this new episode of AM PASS, Peter Wirbel, head chef at "Midi" in St. Ingbert-Rohrbach in Saarland, explains how he cooked up his first Michelin star. He developed dishes for a gourmet restaurant in a large canteen kitchen. A real challenge, as the routes are often long and not designed for the detailed work of haute cuisine. He also has to rearrange the pass in the dining room where the dishes are served every evening. At the owner's request, Peter Wirbel cooks almost exclusively with regional products from the Bliesgau biosphere reserve. It is also a challenge to conjure up fine dining dishes from more down-to-earth ingredients. Wirbel is particularly proud of his signature dish with beetroot. It took him a long time to find the perfect proportions for the components. A Sauvignon Blanc from the Bliesgau region is essential for the flavour, which the top chef considers the perfect match for his Beurre Blanc.

Episode 5: Peter Fridén: Peter Fridén, head chef at the Purs restaurant in Andernach, takes viewers on a culinary journey that is deeply rooted in his personal history. Born in South Korea, raised in Sweden and having worked in Germany for ten years, Fridén combines various cultural influences in his cuisine, which not only characterise his dishes, but also his identity as a chef. With a new team in Andernach, he is realising his vision and bringing fresh impetus to the restaurant. Particularly exciting is the integration of Swedish Löjrom caviar, a product that for Fridén symbolises his cultural roots and his search for authenticity. He spent a long time looking for a way to integrate this special caviar into his cuisine and bring the unique flavour of Sweden to Germany.

Episode 6: Dirk Hoberg: Dirk Hoberg, head chef at the gourmet restaurant Ophelia in Constance, opens the doors to his open kitchen and gives an insight into the special challenges it presents. In a room where guests can hear every move and every word, communication plays a central role. Here, hectic shouting and the loud clattering of pots and pans are taboo. Instead, Hoberg has developed a calm, precise dialogue with his team, which forms the basis for a harmonious and highly concentrated working atmosphere. His culinary challenge is to use regional products from Lake Constance at the highest level. He is particularly interested in the "island tomato" from Reichenau, an island that consists almost entirely of greenhouses. Hoberg spent some time there to better understand the farmers' craft and appreciate the subtleties of this extraordinary product.