Finding Peace in the Countryside: A Chefās Journey from City Life to Rural Inspiration with the Bauwerk Chef Residency
Finding Peace in the Countryside: A Chefās Journey from City Life to Rural Inspiration with the Bauwerk Chef Residency
For a few years now, the vibrant city of Amsterdam was my home. The canals, the people and their culture, and the constant hum of activity became the backdrop to my life. As a chef I thrived in the fast-paced environment, working long days and long nights, crafting dishes that brought joy to others. But over time, the relentless pace of city life and the demands of the culinary world began to wear on me. A growing restlessness took root, and I found myself yearning for something differentāsomething quieter, slower, and more connected to nature and myself.
That longing led me to an unexpected place: the German countryside. Thanks to an opportunity from Bauwerk Colour founders Bronwyn and Andreas, I was invited to join them in their rural retreat. Nestled deep in the countryside, their homeāa schloss (castle in German)āwas far removed from the hustle of city restaurants. Apart from a few traditional German pubs and takeaway spots, the area offered little in terms of culinary options. They wanted to introduce more creativity around food in the area, believing the regionās produce had untapped potential. This led to the creation of the Bauwerk Chef Residency.
The Bauwerk Chef Residency was born out of the founders wanting to provide chefs a creative space to work on their craft without the time pressure of a typical kitchen. Removed from the distractions and burden of everyday life, it would allow the chef to focus on reinvention.
The move wasnāt just a change of scenery, but a deep shift in perspectiveā a chance to explore sustainable cooking practices and reconnect with the fundamental aspects of food creation. I learned to appreciate the simplicity and beauty of fresh, local ingredients, and the slow pace of life here gave me the time and space to rekindle my love for cooking. In the stillness of the German countryside, I rediscovered the joy that had once driven me, and it reshaped how I approach food, creativity, and the balance between work and life.
A New Philosophy: Sustainability and Community
One of the core principles I have come to embrace in my new environment is sustainability. Living in the countryside has allowed me to form meaningful relationships with local farmers, hunters, fishermen, and artisans. The food I have created here feels deeply rooted in the surrounding landscape, shaped by the seasons and the natural world.
Supporting local businesses and producers has been a cornerstone of this residency. Rather than focusing solely on the end resultāa dish on a plateāI have begun to look at the entire process in a more holistic way. Itās not just about transforming ingredients into something beautiful in the moment, but rather creating techniques and methods that are timeless, sustainable, and respectful of the environment. This kind of slow, intentional cooking is a far cry from the fast-paced, instant gratification often found in city kitchens.
Working closely with local producers means building a community around food. Food is not created in isolation; itās the result of many hands and many hours of labor. From the beekeeper who harvests honey to the farmer who grows vegetables, every dish I prepare carries the story of those who helped make it possible. Itās a collaborative process, one that involves respecting the land and the people who work it.
Recipe
Cultured Cream Through Elderflower Jun
I started experimenting with aging and culturing cream. I found that a well fermented elderflower jun ā a Korean honey-based kombucha ā is the perfect agent for creating a bacterial culture in the cream that has subtle yet beautiful floral notes. I used the honey from the beekeeper in our village and combined this with elderflower, foraged in the nearby fields. The heavy cream comes from the local dairy farm. This is a perfect accompaniment to some freshly harvested spring peas.
Ingredients
300g elderflower
1 jun SCOBY
100g jun liquid
900g water
100g organic honey
250g heavy cream
Method
1. Start by mixing the honey and water. Bring it to a boil. Add the elderflower and remove from the heat.
2. Let the tea infuse and cool down for a couple of hours.
3. Put the tea through a fine sieve and discard the flowers. Add the jun liquid and SCOBY and store in a glass with a clean cheesecloth on top.
4. Let the tea ferment for 14 days until itās nice and acidic and has just a hint of sweetness. Mix 50g of the jun tea with 250g of the heavy cream and let it ferment for another two days in a clean vessel. The cream should be thick and slightly bubbly.
From City Life to Rural Simplicity: Navigating the Shift
The transition from city life to the countryside has come with its challenges. I didnāt fully anticipate how difficult it would be to find the right ingredients, how my experimental dishes might not resonate with the locals, or how isolating rural life could sometimes feel.
In Amsterdam, as a chef, you have access to almost anything you need, whenever you need it. In a small village, you need to look more to local sources, which requires a different approach. While Bauwerk provides a large vegetable garden designed for the Chef Residency, thereās always a limit to the weather and the seasons. A wet summer left half the produce devoured by slugs, which required reinventing or exploring new dishes.
I came into the project with a clear plan, focusing on technical cooking, deep fermentations, and sourdough baking. But I quickly realized that these techniques didnāt resonate as Iād hoped in this new setting. The environment is vastly different, and it was a bit naĆÆve of me to assume I could execute everything just as Iād envisioned.
The language barrier has also been a challenge, and there are days when I feel isolated, far from the friends, family, and world I once knew. Yet, alongside the struggles, thereās a liberating sense of freedom in this new chapter. Iām no longer tied to the expectations of my former career, and for the first time in a long time, I have the space to explore what truly makes me happy.
Recipe
Roasted Lamb Asado Style
For a family event we decided to roast a whole lamb over open fire. A neighbor provided us with one and brought it to us in the back of his car. The two main elements of a good asado ā Argentinian style of grilling on an iron cross ā are time and timing. Time because the lamb needs time to age, aging relaxes the muscles after rigor mortis, which makes meat more tender and strengthens the flavor. And timing because over the span of 12 hours it is the chefs job to make sure that every part of the lamb gets the right amount of exposure to the indirect heat of the coals. To ensure even cooking and prevent the lamb from burning or drying out, he has to move the position of the lamb on the cross constantly. I made a simple dry rub to season the lamb using dried sour cherry, a local fruit, and hazelnuts, which can be found in the forests surrounding the castle.
Lamb Dry Rub Ingredients
Equal Parts:
- Freeze dried sour cherry
- Roasted hazelnuts
- Roasted onion powder
- Garlic powder
- Black pepper powder
- Smoked paprika powder
- Fennel seed powder
- Cumin powder
- Smoked mushroom powder
- Katsuobushi powder
- Coriander seeds
- Salt
Recipe
Shoyuzuke Mushroom Powder
I love playing with ideas of double fermentation. In the case of lacto ferments, instead of using salt as a safety agent, I use a different already existing ferment, like miso, shoyu, garum or tamari. Note that it is key to reach the same level of salinity as you would with simple lacto fermentation, for safety reasons. I found that these lacto fermentations are much more layered and have an unbeatable depth. One of these experiments led me to a versatile powder that packs an extreme amount of umami. You can use it as a natural substitute to msg to give almost any dish a flavor boost.
Ingredients
1 kg brown mushrooms
250g high quality shoyu (15% salt preferably self-made)
buckwheat koji (optional)
oak branches
Method
1. Start by cleaning the mushrooms.
2. Roast the mushrooms over the oak branches, make sure the fire isnāt directly touching the mushrooms, and use a water spray to create a generous amount of smoke.
3. Once completely roasted and smoked, transfer to a vacuum bag and vacuum completely. Freeze until rock solid.
4. Defrost the mushrooms and open-up the vacuum bag.
5. Use the following equation to determine the right level of salinity: weight of shoyu / total weight (shoyu + mushroom weight + buckwheat koji) x salt percentage of the shoyu 250/250 + 1000 x 15 = 3%
6. Add the correct amount of shoyu to the mushrooms and re-vacuum the bag.
7. Let the mushrooms ferment for a week at room temperature. Separate the liquid from the mushrooms and store in the freezer for a different time. Dry the mushrooms in the oven overnight at 75 degrees. Let cool down and transfer to a thermomix. Spin for 1 minute at speed 10. Store the powder in a dry place.
The Journey Ahead
This move to the countryside has been more than just a physical relocationāitās been a personal journey of rediscovery. Iāve learned to embrace the unknown, to find joy in the simple pleasures of life, and to create food that is both meaningful and sustainable. I donāt know what the future holds, but for now, Iām content with the path Iām on.
I am beyond grateful to Bronwyn and Andreas for offering me this opportunity. Their openness, hospitality, and commitment to sustainability have made a profound impact on my life. Together with my girlfriend Gemma, weāve been welcomed into their home, their family and their community. Oelzschau, with its timeless beauty and sense of calm, has become a place of inspiration for us both.
In this quiet corner of the world, Iāve found something that the city could never offer: the chance to reconnect with myself, to slow down, and to embrace the craft of cooking in a way that honors both the land and the people who make it possible. Itās a journey that continues to unfold, one dish at a time.
For the next chef in residency: come with an open mind, rather than a fixed idea. Try not to focus on yourself too much ā rather on the environment youāre in and the community around you. Let that be your inspiration.
