High-quality technology in the gourmet restaurant
In the 2-Michelin-star restaurant Ophelia at Lake Constance, chef Dirk Hoberg relies on high-quality products and high-quality technology. He is particularly enthusiastic about the new HOBART combi steamer, which he and his kitchen team use in a variety of ways.
Anyone who walks through the door of the elegant Art Nouveau villa from 1909, which houses the RIVA Hotel and the gourmet restaurant Ophelia, enters another world - and yet immediately feels at home. First of all, the direct view of Lake Constance is impressive, but also the warm wooden floor, the velvet-covered chairs and elegant black and white pictures please the eye. The restrained interior design leaves a lot of room for the indulgence of Hoberg's food creations.
Image rights: Ophelia
Located directly on the shores of Lake Constance, guests visit Ophelia to enjoy unique compositions with the best products from the local area and from around the world. Dirk Hoberg has been cooking here since 2010, his philosophy is as simple as it is versatile: “The better always beats the good,” says the chef, who is one of the best chefs in Germany and who has held two Michelin stars since 2012. Fish from Lake Constance, eggs and lamb from local farm communities, fruit from regional family farms and vegetables from the island of Reichenau are served here, as are langoustines, turbot and caviar. The menu changes every three months and honors the ingredients of each season.
Perfect taste requires top technology
The food that the kitchen team serves to the guests often exceeds their expectations: fresh aromas, sauces with incredible depth of flavor, perfectly cooked meat or fish - you immediately notice that Dirk Hoberg and his team are masters of their craft.
In addition to the very best ingredients and creative preparation, a kitchen team that works at this high level needs the right kitchen technology to make the work easier. A modern combi steamer that is easy to use and cooks different products at the same time is essential for many dishes. Here, Dirk Hoberg's team relies on the HOBART CHEF'S COMBI, which is used for braising, baking and roasting, but is also for sous vide cooking and for long-term cooking overnight.
Intuitive display for easy operation
If the demand for a dish is suddenly unexpectedly high at lunch time, supplies must be provided quickly. It helps that the CHEF’S COMBI is very easy to use. “There is no inhibition when using the combi steamer. Everyone in the team can operate it because the display is intuitive, and we have stored our standard programs so that you really only have to press start – the device does everything else,” reports the kitchen manager.
“We use the CHEF’S COMBI in the Ophelia in a variety of ways. It can be used wonderfully for sous vide cooking, for long-term cooking overnight, for braising, but also for baking and roasting. Last but not least: I am particularly impressed by the cost-benefit factor with this device.”
Dirk Hoberg
Hoberg’s sous chef Fabian Obergfell is enthusiastic about the easy handling of the CHEF’S COMBI. And in addition to the intuitive COMBI OS operation, he is particularly impressed by the consistently good cooking results: “The steam distribution is excessive. “That means everything is cooked evenly and always perfect,” he says.
With the help of the CHEF'S COMBI, the Ophelia team creates a duck liver terrine with port wine jelly and pecans and a base of fruit bread. After the liver has been cleaned, the whole piece goes into the CHEF'S COMBI vacuum-sealed in a terrine form at 56 degrees for 18 minutes. The process works perfectly thanks to the even distribution of steam. A lamb-shank is also cooked sous-vide at 71 degrees for twelve hours. Following the motto work smart, not hard, the meat can be prepared overnight and without any supervision.
Everything you need
The HOBART CHEF’S COMBI offers everything you need and nothing you don’t.
This combi steamer brings absolute precision, maximum flexibility and a huge variety of dishes into the professional kitchen. It is available with 6, 10 or 20 slots – and works from 30 to several thousand meals per shift. It scores with low operating costs and an attractive purchase price.
