Sigi Schelling, the Michelin-starred chef at the Werneckhof in Munich, has made a name for herself in the culinary world. She has been running the restaurant with one star since 2021 and has already received numerous awards, including "Chef of the Year" in Feinschmecker and "Rising Star of the Year" in Gault&Millau. In this podcast episode of Restaurant-Ranglisten.de, she talks about her path to self-employment and the challenges she has overcome along the way.

Schelling has already made a name for herself at the renowned Tantris restaurant, where she worked for 14 years under the management of Hans Haas. However, the opportunity to continue in the kitchen after his departure did not materialise, as the owner family wanted a fresh start. This decision led to Schelling taking the plunge into self-employment. This change allowed her to pursue her own culinary vision and develop creatively.

However, self-employment also brought new challenges. While the focus at Tantris was exclusively on cooking, Schelling had to take on many other tasks at Werneckhof, including staff management and the economic management of the restaurant. "When you're self-employed, there are of course a lot of other things, it's all about service, it's all about the restaurant," she says, describing the diverse requirements.

Despite these challenges, Schelling has managed to maintain her culinary philosophy and style. Her dishes are characterised by clear flavours and harmonious combinations. One example of this is her char with beetroot, walnut and caviar. "Of course, I also poach it at a low temperature and that's not the best way to cook a char or salmon or something like that," she explains her dish The combination of the earthiness of the beetroot and the subtle bitterness of the walnut creates a balanced flavour experience.

Another highlight of her cuisine is the pigeon breast with artichoke base and truffle. This dish requires a lot of preparation, but Schelling emphasises that it's worth it: "It's a lot of work to prepare, of course, but it's actually perfect and is just an artichoke base cooked with the veal sauce and truffle and then the pigeon breast inside."

Schelling attaches great importance to flexibility and the satisfaction of her guests. She regularly adapts her menus and caters to individual requests. "I have to be flexible, because I want my guests to come back," she emphasises. This flexibility and her commitment to quality have helped her to build up a loyal clientele.