Top 10 of 2025! At number 1!
‘LOUISE’ by Jan Hartwig
At Restaurant JAN in Munich, Chef Jan Hartwig has a way of turning stories into culinary moments — and none moved me more than his dish “Louise.”
The name carries meaning: it’s called Louise because it was the first dish he created after the birth of his daughter. That sense of new... More
Top 10 of 2025! At number 1!
‘LOUISE’ by Jan Hartwig
At Restaurant JAN in Munich, Chef Jan Hartwig has a way of turning stories into culinary moments — and none moved me more than his dish “Louise.”
The name carries meaning: it’s called Louise because it was the first dish he created after the birth of his daughter. That sense of new life, tenderness and emotion somehow finds its way onto the plate.
The composition is deceptively simple:
oxtail reduction, crème cru, sea urchin, and N25 caviar (Special Jan Collection).
It’s not the most elaborate dish — but for me, it’s the one that defined 2025. The flavors hit like a total flavor bomb: deep, savory intensity from the oxtail, the silkiness of crème cru, the oceanic sweetness of the sea urchin, and the pristine salinity of the caviar.
All incredibly powerful ingredients — yet blended with such delicacy that they form a beautiful symbiosis rather than competing with one another.
And then there’s the story. Knowing it was created at such a meaningful moment in Hartwig’s life made it even more special — and the fact that it kicked off my best meal of the year sealed it as my clear number one.
A dish that’s not only delicious, but deeply human!
📷 : @steffensinzinger
Michelin Guide : ⭐️⭐️⭐️
. G&M : 19/20
. OAD top 100 : 3 Less
