The third JRE Genusslabor 2.0 of the Jeunes Restaurateurs Deutschland (JRE) took place on 5 and 6 October - this time high up on the Falkenstein in Pfronten in the Allgäu. Host Simon Schlachter ("PAVO" in the boutique hotel Blaue Burg Falkenstein, Pfronten) opened the doors of his business and turned the alpine nature into a stage for two days full of culinary energy, dialogue and passion for craftsmanship. Four teams of two, consisting of JRE chefs and well-known faces from the food scene, took up the challenge of creating a four-course menu in the open air and over an open fire at an altitude of 1,250 metres - using ingredients that they had collected themselves in nature or from regional producers.

Day 1: On a gourmet route through the Allgäu

Sunday began with a first highlight: the teams and their courses were drawn by lot at the castle ruins above the Blue Castle. Benjamin Unger ("Blauer Engel", Aue-Bad Schlema) cooked together with content creator and "bread sommelier" Axel Schmitt (Team Defender), Vitus Winkler ("Kräuterreich by Vitus Winkler", St.Veit im Pongau, Austria) with "The Taste" winner Katja Baum (Team AKI), Daniel Fehrenbacher ("Adler", Lahr-Reichenbach) with podcaster and food influencer Hanna Reder (Team R express) and Eveline Wild ("Der WILDe EDER", St. Kathrein am Offenegg, Austria) with video producer David Seitz (Team ASA Selection). Each team was also allowed to choose a favourite ingredient brought along by the JRE members - from rowan berries and Evelina apples to self-hunted wild rabbits or wort from brewing beer.

Then it was off on the gourmet route in four Land Rover Defenders: through forests, across meadows and into the artisanal world of regional producers. Under the guidance of a mushroom expert, the teams not only collected mushrooms, but also herbs and berries. In Kempten, cheese affineur Tobias Endras from "jamei Laibspeis'" gave a tour of the vaulted cellar and explained how flavour is created through time, care and patience.

Back at the Blue Castle, the participants were greeted by a richly laid table with fresh products provided by the JRE partners - including caviar in different variations from AKI, fresh vegetables and salad from R express, high-quality products from manufactories from freakstotable and crockery from ASA Selection.

Day 2: Craft, fire and focus

On Monday morning, the open fires were already burning on the terrace of the Blue Castle. The open cooking demanded everything from the teams: organisation, timing and real craftsmanship. The invited dinner guests were able to look over the teams' shoulders and witness first-hand how concentrated and creative their work was. "Cooking like this, reduced to the essentials, did something to me," summarised Eveline Wild. "You gain a new awareness of what we have in our everyday lives - and how valuable every single product is." After five hours of focus and teamwork, the participants finally presented their plates.

Team Defender opened the menu with their creation "Zweierlei" - a double play of textures and flavours that combined Hokkaido pumpkin, lamb, sourdough and rowan berries in two different interpretations.

The first plate focused on freshness: Hokkaido pumpkin cooked on an open fire, fused with lemon and oil to create a delicate, almost ginger-like flavour, met lamb sweetbreads prepared in a marinade of lime and kaffir lime leaves. This was accompanied by a chutney made from rowan berries, wild herbs and a crispy sourdough bread chip with spruce needles and spruce tips.

The second plate showed a deeper, earthier interpretation. Pickled rowan berries, flavoured with honey, thyme and a hint of sage, were combined with walnuts cooked in cherrywood syrup. Fern tips provided a contrasting accent, while a crumble made from third-generation sourdough bread and Umberto cheese from jamei formed the base.

Course II: "Hazelnut" - Team AKI: Vitus Winkler and Katja Baum

With "Rabbit Nut", Team AKI addressed the question: What does the rabbit eat? - and translated this idea into three courses that told the story from different perspectives. To start: a small bite of roasted Jerusalem artichokes with crème fraîche, grilled lemon juice, sour clover, haskap berries and sweet Altona caviar - an earthy yet fresh start that set the tone for the menu to follow. This was followed by plucked wild rabbit from the leg, served with roasted lettuce heart, wild herbs, pickled strawberries and a dressing of oxymel and flower pollen. The AKI caviar added a subtle salty depth to the dish. The final dish was a tender pastry pocket filled with wild hare, accompanied by nettle pesto, damson and mild goat's cheese. An autumnal composition that combined strong flavours, subtle sweetness and artisanal precision.

The Evelina apple took centre stage in the third course. Daniel Fehrenbacher and Hanna Reder interpreted the apple in several textures: as apple butter, a buttery-creamy compote that formed the basis with its subtle sweetness, and as a fresh, fruity note in the finish. On top was a creamy celeriac puree, made from tubers that had been slowly cooked in the embers all morning. On top of this was a ragout of braised lamb cheeks, flanked by briefly roasted lamb rump. An onion braised in the embers and then grilled provided the flavourful highlight, while a crispy tarte flambée with Carré cheese completed the course. The result: a multi-layered, harmonious plate that combined the flavours of autumn with precise craftsmanship.

Course IV: "Curd cheese pancakes" - Team ASA Selection: Eveline Wild and David Seitz

Finally, Team ASA Selection served a sweet homage to the craft: curd cheese pancakes with malt pears, caramelised walnuts and vanilla sauce. For the brew, fore wort - a base from the beer brewing process - was reduced and used as an aromatic base in which the pears slowly infused and developed their delicate malt flavour. The biggest challenge lay in cooking over an open fire: finding and maintaining the right temperature for the dough of the Palatschinken. With patience, experience and a great deal of dexterity, a dessert was created that combined classicism and precision.

When passion becomes contagious

The creative energy of the Challenge participants finally caught the attention of the JRE Germany board, which was also on site. President Oliver Röder ("Burg Flamersheim", Euskirchen) and Vice-President Andreas Widmann ("Widmann's Alb.leben", Königsbronn-Zang) spontaneously took to the pan and knife together with Genusslabor patron Tobias Bätz ("AURA by Alexander Herrmann and Tobias Bätz"). The Jeunes used the leftover ingredients to create two intermediate courses - a trout rillette with ceviche vinaigrette and a smoky mashed potato and sour cream combination with three different types of caviar from AKI.

"This creative spontaneity and togetherness - that's exactly what JRE is," says Oliver Röder. "We all contribute our history, our ideas and our enjoyment of the craft. The Genusslabor 2.0 shows how approachable and free top cuisine can be."

Two days, four courses, countless impressions - Genusslabor 2.0 has once again shown what happens when creativity, passion and team spirit come together. "For me, the Genusslabor is like a power charging station for new ideas," summarises Tobias Bätz, who has just been awarded first place in Rolling Pin's "100 Best Chefs Germany" for his innovative spirit. "It's not about perfection here, but about enthusiasm, genuine craftsmanship and the courage to try something new - these are moments that you can't buy."