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Steinheuer – Our Roots | Book Presentation – I don't feature great books often, but every now and then I do. The "not often" is because I delve deeply into each book before deeming it interesting for my site. One book that particularly impressed me comes from one of my favorite publishers, Tre Torri Verlag – the publisher for food, drink, and enjoyment, which is right up my alley. 😉 In our increasingly digital world, books have taken on a whole new significance for me in recent years. When do you actually want to bring something home to browse and peruse, instead of "just" surfing the web? What would you rather experience in a tangible form and have on your own bookshelf or kitchen shelf? – One answer to that question is the new book "Steinheuer – Our Roots," which I practically devoured (…literally…).

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The designs alone make you want more…

The book „Steinheuer – Our Roots“ – a first look

„"Today's book review is about 'Steinheuer – Our Roots,' published three weeks ago, and the chef of the same name, Hans Stefan Steinheuer, who has run his two-Michelin-starred restaurant ("Zur Alten Post") in Heppingen since 1998. Steinheuer is considered a true luminary among Germany's top chefs. As one of Germany's most decorated chefs, he cooks only at the highest level. His parents were also professionals in the kitchen, and so tradition, a strong connection to his homeland, and consistency remain paramount in his family's work.".

The book "Steinheuer – Our Roots" is about the "New Cuisine of the Old Post Office." Across 240 pages, it presents a delightful, regionally inspired, and contemporary haute cuisine, featuring nearly 60 recipes. Each one makes Steinheuer's diverse roots visible and tangible on the plate. As a big fan of burrata and poultry, I was immediately drawn to combinations like "Heppingen Cucumber on Burrata and Lemon" (page 88) or "Pigeon with Celery on Black Garlic" (page 162).

It is striking that both French haute cuisine and an unconditional love for the ingredients shape Steinheuer's culinary style – thus, he has been instrumental in revitalizing the region's fine dining since the 1980s. His creations skillfully blend with the influence of his son-in-law, Christian Binder, who has held the position of head chef at the "Alte Post" since 2015. Binder's influence is subtly woven into many of the dishes and recipes. Intriguingly, Binder expertly combines his passion, particularly for refined vegetarian cuisine, with his father-in-law's culinary creations.

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A look at the master: Hans Stefan Steinheuer

Why am I so enthusiastic about this book? – Because it tells far more than just the story of a two-Michelin-starred chef who cooked his way to the top of the German culinary scene. After browsing through the book, you'll not only understand the background of the cooking better, but you'll also know the history of the Ahr Valley, including its impressive landscape, diverse range of products, and excellent wines. The book also recounts Steinheuer's career and his ancestors in connection with the opening of the restaurant 80 (!) years ago. The next generation (daughter Désirée and son-in-law Christian Binder) are also involved, and, as was the case 30 years ago, the generational transition that has already begun is forging new paths and making room for new roots.

Subdivision, recipes and more

The book is divided into amuse-bouches, starters, vegetarian dishes, fish, intermediate courses, main courses, cheese, and desserts. From page 232 onwards, there are also some basic recipes (tomato stock, poultry forcemeat, dark poultry stock, etc.) to round things off. The texts integrated from page 5 to page 14, which cover Steinheuer's roots, the land, his beginnings, the harvest, and everything that has led to the "Alte Post" being what it is today, certainly set the right mood for the book. (Definitely read them all!)

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Let's go! 😉

Hans Stefan Steinheuer and family

Even at the age of 13, Hans Stefan Steinheuer was already helping out at his parents' restaurant on his weekends off. Following his later culinary training, he gained experience at the "Erbprinz" in Ettlingen, where he met his future wife, Gabriele. After a time together at the "Schweizer Stuben" in Wertheim, they took over his parents' restaurant, "Zur Alten Post," in Bad Neustadt-Ahrweiler around 1985. To this day, Hans Stefan Steinheuer reigns supreme in the kitchen, while his wife lovingly attends to the guests. After receiving their first Michelin star in 1986, they earned a second in 1998, which they have proudly retained ever since. Steinheuer's son-in-law, Christian Binder, began his culinary career with Michael Hoffmann at the Berlin restaurant "Margaux." In 2008, he joined Hans Steinheuer at "Zur Alten Post" on the Ahr River as a demi-chef. He followed in the footsteps of his future father-in-law and met the love of his life at work: his daughter, Désirée Steinheuer, became his wife, and together they embarked on educational trips to Shanghai, London, and also to Nils Henkel's "Schlosshotel Lehrbach" in Bergisch Gladbach. Since 2015, they, as the next generation, have been running the "Alte Post" and not only skillfully continue the established tradition but also give it their own unique touch.

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Motif page 202: „Cherry blossom Sakura“ (…I’ll spare you mine… 😉

Personal opinion and conclusion

For anyone who enjoys cooking and is already quite good at it, this book will be a real asset to their collection. Even just glancing at the well-organized table of contents makes you want to cook more. Since I (still) lack the expertise to cook like this myself, I tried it out with a passionate cook in my own kitchen. The turbot with asparagus and sea urchin turned out well, but the cherry blossom (sakura) wasn't quite as successful (…which I would have been responsible for…) 😉 It's also great that the individual steps of the recipes are explained so simply. (It's enough that if the execution isn't exactly easy, then at least it should be explained clearly – and it is!) The book is a lot of fun! Both for browsing, getting inspiration, and for cooking (or having someone else cook) ;-).

Have fun!

Bibliographic data:

Book presentation by: „Steinheuer – Our Roots“
Publishing house: Tre Torri
Key facts: Hardcover with numerous photos, texts about the region and passion, as well as recipes, square format (28 x 29 cm), 240 pages, €49.90
ISBN: 978-3-96033-029-5
Sample text (scroll down a little after clicking)

You can buy the book „Steinheuer – Our Roots“ directly from Tre Torri Verlag.

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