How long did the opening of the restaurant take, starting from the first concepts, the first thoughts about it, until the eventual opening of the Kochmützen?

I became better acquainted with the idea of leading a German restaurant at first time while I was working in Shanghai. I was able to expand and to deepen this knowledge during my stay in Jiangsu and again later on in Beijing. Then I had already existing contacts with specialised design-firms, a furniture firm; I have learned how to work with colours and how to furnish a restaurant. That has been a learning process that took several years. I acquired all the knowledge that I put into the “Kochmützen” within a duration of 4-5 years.

Is your concept thought to be rather for Germans, who have been already for longer time in Beijing, or is it targeted for Chinese who just want to know a typical German restaurant, that means just for trying typical German dishes?

Now, firstly I want of course to reach foreigners, who are either working in Beijing or who are on vacation in China. Because in China there is the public opinion that a western restaurant has to be good, if it is frequently visited by foreigners. Then the local Chinese guests will come too. However, basically seen, we are in China, and the costumers I want to reach, are by nature Chinese too, either the ones who know German cooking from a stay in Germany, or the ones who are simply just curious about getting acquainted with “something special”.

What are the typical dishes that you offer? And what do the Chinese take for a typical German dish?

It does not matter, wherever you are going in the world, be it whether in China now or in South America: German does always mean “Bavarian”. You can’t change this attitude: If you don’t have knuckle of pork on the menu, you are clearly no German restaurant. At ‘Kochmützen’, there are also the classics on the menu, as pig’s roast meat, knuckle of pork, veal sausage, various sausages, and other typical German respectively Bavarian dishes. But we also serve international dishes like rumpsteak, leek á la Crème and so on.

So the beer is probably Bavarian too?

Of course. We do have here in China ‘Hofbräuhaus-beer’, which is brewed under license, four different kinds of Weissbier (Erdinger and Paulaner, each of both in light and dark brewing), as well as two different kinds of home-made beers, also one dark and one light beer.

Among China-travelers, it is often told that in Germany in the Chinese restaurants, Chinese dishes are usually prepared differently than the original Chinese dishes. Is it the same with German dishes here, in that they are maybe prepared slightly more suitable for the Chinese taste?

When I came to China, everyone expected from me that I would adjust the dishes a little more to meet the Chinese taste. However, I am convinced that it is necessary to remain authentically. "Die Kochmützen" is a German restaurant, established in a foreign country, and one has to be able to recognize that fact with the dishes. If one would made the dishes more suitable for the local taste, one wouldn’t be authentic any longer and therefore no longer unique. So, I don’t change the dishes in order to meet the taste only for the Chinese tongue, it is all prepared exactly like it would be if in Germany and the feedback of our guests certify that we are right in supporting this concept.

So, in sum, you have only German dishes on the menu? 

We do have mainly German but also some international ones and some dishes that are also in Germany very common to find on the menu.

How does the communication with the employees work? Do they have to be able to speak in English or even German, or do you speak Chinese by yourself?

I myself don’t speak Chinese, but every department manager who is working at the "Kochmützen" does normally speak English, so that communication in English is guaranteed. Communication with non-Chinese guests does primarily take place in English; the service staff does accept the guest’s orders in English or in Chinese. Our menu was written in three languages: German, English and Chinese.

Please tell us some of your typical, specific Chinese experiences in everyday life, for example in the restaurant, at shopping and so on, which you would not encounter in Germany in the way you did in China, for example regarding problems in communication.   

It is difficult keeping specific standards, for example serving the coffee cup in the exact way so that the spoon lies in the correct relation to the handle, which means in parallel relation – as it happens in Germany automatically. However, these are only trivial things but nevertheless standards that should be maintained. But precisely paying attention for such trivialities is sometimes forgotten by the waiter, and these are the details in everyday life that sometimes are a bit annoying.

Another example: Everyone knows the guest is drinking the beer with right hand, so the tankard needs to be served with the handle showing into the correct direction. That is such a detail too, which is likely to become forgotten by the Chinese waiter. However, that is a proof for poor service, which should basically not happen.