Dirk Heidemann has been head chef at the in-house restaurant since 2014 and has been working as a chef for 30 years. It started as a hobby when he was a child. This experience is immediately noticeable. When we visit him, he is fastening the last button of his snow-white chef’s jacket while whisking a black beer sabayon with a shiny silver whisk. It’s lunchtime and despite the packed restaurant, Heidemann greets us with a smile and welcomes us. His processes are clearly structured, his team knows what needs to be done and Dirk Heidemann remains calm.
When asked why he is taking part in the Weimarer Land Mahlzeit project, he explains: “Regional cuisine is not a new idea for me. But if there’s something new to learn, I’m in, no question about it.” Using regional products is a matter of course for him, preferably fish from regional trout farms and beer from the Apolda brewery.

“The main thing is to match the season”, is how Dirk Heidemann describes his composition of products from the Weimarer Land Mahlzeit. As a starter, he presents a potato roulade with wild ham carpaccio and aronia berry cream, followed by a pickled leg of venison with stuffed Hüllerchen – small Thuringian dumplings filled with black pudding and tossed in fried bacon and onions – as the main course. The menu reflects his desire to make traditional German cuisine respectable again, to show how varied it can be.
For dessert, we sit down on the restaurant’s own terrace. We enjoy the cake made from buckwheat with apple slices, fruit blossom honey and goat’s cheese with black beer sabayon with an uninterrupted view of Apolda Castle.

During our visit, Dirk Heidemann repeatedly tells us how important it is for him to maintain contact with regional suppliers. He visits them often, swaps ideas and tries new products. This regional diversity is reflected in the restaurant’s menu. Themed and gourmet brunches are also organised regularly. The restaurant also provides culinary support for special events in the town of Apolda. The guest’s wishes always play a special role: “People should know that they can enjoy a relaxed and really good meal here. We want the guest to take centre stage. Their smile and well-being is what makes me and my team really happy,” explains the head chef.