JRE say farewell to Steffen Disch

BAD KROZINGEN. 150 companions bid farewell to Steffen Disch at a moving funeral service at the Fritz Waßmer winery in Bad Krozingen on 31 March. The sudden death of the top chef from Baden at the age of just 53 has deeply shaken the industry. Among those attending were around 20 members of Jeunes Restaurateurs Deutschland (JRE-Deutschland), who had been friends and colleagues of Disch for many years.

The funeral service at the end of March was organised by Gerhard Daumüller from Keltenhof (Steffen Disch and the Jeunes Restaurateurs had been friends for many years) and JRE member Thomas Merkle ("Merkles", Endingen) - and showed both impressively and painfully the lasting impression Steffen Disch left behind. In addition to around 20 top chefs from the association, numerous personalities from the gastronomy scene were also on hand to pause for a moment with family and friends - including Thomas Schreiner (Laurent Perrier), Matthias Heitzer (Die Fußballköche), Thomas Mack (Europa-Park) and the Plaza Culinaria team.

Steffen Disch has been an active member of the Jeunes Restaurateurs since 2007 - and was recognised there as a passionate host, talented chef and committed co-creator. With the "Raben Horben" restaurant, which he took over in 2005, he left his mark on Baden gastronomy for over two decades. His regionally rooted gourmet cuisine earned him a Michelin star in 2014. In 2020, Disch opened the "Kuro Mori" in Freiburg - a culinary homage to the Black Forest, inspired by Asian flavours and products. Following the closure of the Raben at the end of 2023, he wanted to devote himself entirely to this new chapter - together with his ex-wife Kirsten Disch, who will continue to run the business after Disch's death. His daughter Laura will take over the culinary management.

"Steffen Disch was a person with attitude - open, honest, inspiring and full of energy. His sudden death leaves a huge gap," says Oliver Röder, President of JRE Germany. "He enriched our association for many years - professionally, personally, as a friend and passionate host. His memory will live on in our ranks."