Daniel Gottschlich declares fine dining dead

COLOGNE. "Fine dining is dead" – with this clear statement, the two-star restaurant Ox & Klee is setting an example. "The slogan is not a calculated break with convention, but rather an expression of a profound change. Because anyone who runs a top-class restaurant today has to offer more than etiquette, an ivory tower and stiff formality. It's about more than food. It's about experience," says a statement.

Fine cuisine at this high level lives on, but the old framework in which it has been served for decades is outdated for Ox&Klee. The restaurant no longer believes in the classic fine dining experience. "The days when guests felt dressed up when they entered a gourmet restaurant are over. So is the idea that enjoyment can only take place in silent awe and with an eye on etiquette. Classic, stiff fine dining has had its day – because guests have changed. What was reserved for the social elite 50 years ago is now accessible to everyone. The experience is opening up, for example to people who trade their holidays for an evening of culinary delights. For everyone who finally feels welcome, without a tie, without a dress code, without a disguise," is how Ox & Klee describes the starting point. People who visit Ox & Klee today are looking for emotional depth, personal connection and stories that touch them. It is no longer about distance, but about closeness. Not about staging status, but about a genuine experience on equal terms. That is why a lot has changed at Ox & Klee – and the Ox & Klee team has drawn the following conclusions:

• The kitchen and service are one. Chefs interact directly with guests. Who better to serve a dish with passion than the chef who created or prepared it?
• Guests become part of the experience. The menus play with the six taste qualities and involve the guest by playing with these qualities. The focus is on what is on the table.
• Emotion is part of the concept. There is amazement, guessing, laughter and sometimes even tears.

Quality? Non-negotiable.

Despite the new setting, the standards remain unchanged. Ox & Klee continues to hold two Michelin stars. Daniel Gottschlich says: "We don't compromise on precision, depth of flavour or technical skill. On the contrary: our dishes have to deliver more than ever before. They have to move people. Surprise them. Leave a lasting impression. Not just through taste, but through context and moment."

The team setup has also been rethought: more chefs, flat hierarchies, more responsibility. Everyone in the team is involved in serving guests. This enhances the experience and actively addresses
the staff shortage in the industry.

• Restaurant management: John Riel Jahn
• Host & sommelier: Yuriy Apelyushynskyy
• Head chef & owner: Daniel Gottschlich
• Sous chefs: Philipp Josef Klein & Linus Sicken
• Head pastry chef: Christian Grunau

The team's shared understanding: Everyone contributes ideas. Everyone tells the same story. Everyone sees the menu as a stage. The chef also serves the water. Everyone is one. The Ox & Klee Unity. The two familiar camps of "service" and "kitchen" no longer exist at Ox & Klee.

The change is also visible on the outside. Together with EIGHTYARDS, an innovative, resource-saving start-up that belongs to the Hugo Boss Group, the first teamwear for the Ox & Klee Unity and an artist outfit for head chef Daniel Gottschlich were developed. These were made from high-quality fabric remnants and underline the general approach: no compromise on quality and, at the same time, a high level of awareness in the use of resources.