The LA VIE by Thomas Bühner opens in April

DÜSSELDORF. in a few weeks, the time has finally come: the restaurant LA VIE by thomas bühner will open its doors on the ONE METRO Campus in Düsseldorf. The longstanding 3-star chef will act as operator, concept creator and patron and, together with head chef Timo Frische, host Antonia Winkler and sommelier Thilo Kownatzki , will present classics from the former la vie in Osnabrück with novelties from his travels around the globe. Düsseldorf interior designer Olaf Kitzig is responsible for the interior. The exact opening date is expected to be announced in March. Reservations can be made from then on.

Kitchen philosophy

The cuisine at the new LA VIE by thomas bühner combines high-quality products from the region with the best influences from two culinary worlds - French and Asian: For Bühner, French cuisine is the origin of fine dining and therefore also the basis of his culinary understanding. However, thanks to his engagements in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Beijing, Asian cuisine has also become his culinary home. At LA VIE in Düsseldorf, these two cuisines now form a harmonious combination. Two evening menus with four to eight courses are on offer - one with meat and fish and one vegan menu. Naturally, there will also be a few familiar dishes, including potato foam with pumpkin curry ice cream, venison in a broth of exotic spices and cod with wagyu and saffron stock. After all, it is dishes like these that have propelled Bühner into the world of cookery. A lunch menu with at least three courses is also offered on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. Also very important for patron Bühner: LA VIE works as sustainably as possible. The restaurant therefore operates largely without paper, plastic and aluminium foil. The menu follows a zero-waste approach.

Head chef Timo Fritsche and his international team are responsible for implementing the kitchen philosophy. The 40-year-old from Lower Saxony previously worked alongside Thomas Bühner at la vie in Osnabrück from 2011 to 2018 - most recently as head chef. Since then, he has gained further experience in the Andreas Caminada Group - as head chef at Restaurant Schloss Schauenstein, Head of Research and Development, head chef at Restaurant OZ and at Igniv by Andreas Caminada in St. Moritz. Prior to his engagement at la vie, he worked as Kitchen Director at the Mural Farmhouse in Munich. Fritsche is supported by hostess Antonia Winkler and sommelier Thilo Kownatzki, who both previously held the same position at the two-time award-winning Falco restaurant in Leipzig and have extensive experience in top gastronomy.

Architecture and design

When designing the interior, Thomas Bühner once again relied on the expertise of Olaf Kitzig and the team from Kitzig Design Studios. The Düsseldorf-based architecture firm has already designed the LA VIE by thomas bühner restaurant in Taipei. In Düsseldorf, a timelessly elegant dining room with 27 seats is now being created in the atrium of the METRO Group headquarters. The reception area impresses with stylish lounge furniture, a walnut-panelled wine cabinet and a round natural stone cooling island for aperitifs at the perfect temperature. From the reception area, the path leads into the spacious dining room, where undulating velvet-covered walls and warm beige and brown tones create an intimate ambience. High-quality Vitra tables and matching chairs, handmade crockery by Pieter Stockmans and hand-blown glasses by Zwiesel Glas emphasise the perfect setting.

Once they arrive, guests can choose between classic table arrangements with two to four seats, an oval table in a small alcove for up to six people or a seat at one of the two marble counters. Here, guests sit slightly elevated and have a completely different view of the restaurant and the kitchen, which is only separated by semi-transparent, patterned glass panels. The counter, made of Irish Green marble with its organically curved shape, merges into a cooking island where a chef prepares snacks for aperitifs or desserts in front of the guests. Meet & greet sessions with Thomas Bühner and even cookery courses with V-Zug appliances will also be held here in future. The centrally located Red Jasper marble bar seats up to ten guests - perfect for socialising in a group, but also for solo diners.

Works by German graffiti artist Stohead characterise the ambience as an artistic highlight. A fully glazed window front and the adjoining terrace extend the room into the open air.

The LA VIE by thomas bühner restaurant is located at Schlüterstraße 1 in 40235 Düsseldorf-Flingern.

The opening hours are: Wednesday & Thursday: 18:30 - 23:00, Friday & Saturday: 12:00 - 14:30 & 18:30 - 23:00, Sunday: 12:00 - 14:30