New head chef for the Abt- & Schäferstube

AMORBACH For over 30 years, Achim Krutsch has shaped the cuisine at Schafhof Amorbach and received the highest honours for his craft. Now the time has come to pass on the kitchen sceptre. From 1 May 2025, Daniel Stelling, most recently Head Chef at the Europäischer Hof in Heidelberg, will take over as Chef de Cuisine of the Schafhof kitchen.

The country hotel & restaurant "Der Schafhof Amorbach" is located in the heart of the Bavarian Odenwald Nature Park. Originally a Benedictine monks' estate, it has been open as a hotel and restaurant under third ownership since 1979. Achim Krutsch has been a mainstay of the Schafhof since the early 1990s and has therefore experienced all three owners. Both in culinary and personal terms, Achim Krutsch has shaped and moulded the restaurant, the "Abt- & Schäferstube" and the former "Benediktinerstube" of the Schafhof.

Achim Krutsch completed his training at the Fürstenhof in Celle. After holding various positions, including the legendary "Schweizer Stuben" in Wertheim, he joined the Schafhof Amorbach as kitchen director in 1992. Five years later, he achieved his greatest honour and received a Michelin star for his culinary skills. He established the upscale cuisine in the following years and was praised in numerous restaurant guides for his outstanding work. He cooked up the Michelin star for over 20 years, confirming his outstanding work. Other restaurant guides have also honoured his work: two toques in Gault Millau or three diamonds & Varta Tipp Küche. Feinschmecker listed the restaurant in the 500 best restaurants in Germany every year. Over the years, he has also mentored numerous trainees and taught them the basics of cookery. "We would like to thank Mr Krutsch from the bottom of our hearts for over 30 years of outstanding work at the highest level and wish him all the best for the future," says Dominik Schmidt, host at Landhotel "Der Schafhof Amorbach".

"Even as a very young chef on my first wine trips, it was clear to me that I wanted to spend my professional career in a wine-growing region. The Schafhof gave me the opportunity to realise this dream at a high level for many years in a wonderful ambience in one of the most beautiful wine-growing regions in Germany. I am truly grateful for this. I wish the owner family, my previous colleagues and my successor the best of luck and success," says Achim Krutsch.

From 1 May 2025, Daniel Stelling will take over the position of Head Chef. The 41-year-old has most recently worked at the Europäischer Hof in Heidelberg since 2017, where he also took on culinary responsibility as head chef. After successfully completing his training as a baker and chef, he cooked in various well-known restaurants, including numerous starred restaurants such as the "Kronenschlösschen" in Eltville am Rhein and "Die Hirschgasse" in Heidelberg.

"The most formative station was the Buddenbrooks restaurant in A-Rosa Travemünde, which at its peak was awarded two Michelin stars and 18 Gault Millau points under the management of Christian Scharrer. It was there that I learnt to appreciate and love the perfection and craftsmanship of French cuisine. All of this is reflected in my dishes. Great harmony and enjoyment are my top priorities. I am particularly looking forward to my new team and the support of my sous chef Aniello Miele," says Stelling.

Dominik Schmidt: "We are delighted that we have been able to recruit Mr Stelling as the head of our culinary kitchen team. We are convinced that Mr Stelling, with his experience and expertise, will continue to keep the kitchen at a very high level and will be able to impress our guests with a breath of fresh air."