Tell us about yourself and your interests!
“My dream job would be ‘Food Philosopher.’ I would travel the world, searching for food, markets, cookbooks, secret recipes and then, write about the deeper meaning of food and eating.”
It’s quite hard to share this overflowing passion: “The only thing I’m afraid of is that no one will listen to me. My friends usually tell me to stop talking about food for a few hours.”
When Daniela tells us about her typical day, it feels like we’re in a sweet dream: “Having coffee in bed, reading a nice book, then taking a walk; Strolling the city streets for new shops, restaurants, food markets or enjoying a walk along the beach, the river or in the mountains, then going back home, taking a hot bath while reading and ending the day with a good meal like homemade pasta, that’s what I like. If it is more than a day, I would go to the beach—I love the sound of rolling waves and sea air makes me hungry.”
She talks about food in a philosophical way: “Food is my passion, obviously! In German, food means ‘Lebensmittel,’ which can be translated literally by ‘means for life.’ I do believe that we should think more about how we feed ourselves and the rest of the world. According to me, not only does food nourish the body but also the mind and the soul.”
What about your cooking experience?
Daniela acts for the environment: “I do not want to be part of any exploitation, environmental devastation or killing of beings. So we try to support organic farming, fair trade and live a strict vegan lifestyle. But I do not “force-feed” others with those believes, I ‘secretly’ convert them by cooking them tasty organic vegan meals.”
“I always think about food. I have to peek into every cookbook I see, read every menu on the street, try every new dish I find and buy way too many spices, cook books and tools. Turkish spices, African cookbooks, Thai sauces, French mustards, Japanes grinder, Moroccan Tajin, Juicer, Kitchenaid, Vitamix, my kitchen is running out of space and people who visit me usually say: “Wow, there are so many ingredients that I have never seen before, it is like a museum.” Well, you got it, Daniela is the biggest fan of food in the world.
Whatever the season, our host has many ideas to surprise her guests’ taste buds, even if they show up at the last minute: “In summer, we would grill some vegetables like eggplant, artichokes, sweet potato, shitake mushroom, fennel and some vegan burgers & sausages, come up with a quick salad and have some fruits as dessert. If it is cold outside, I would prepare some home-made pasta with vegan bolognese or spicy tomato sauce. If they are not too hungry and can wait for an hour I would do a spelt-flour Pizza topping it with eggplant, peppers and vegan cheese, or french style with onions.”
We all have our favorite recipes. Daniela is no exception: “I did bake a vegan chocolate cake for my father-in-law’s 85th birthday. Covered with coconut flakes and served with a home made banana-cinemon ice cream, it was just perfect. Oh my god, I was really relieved as all the guests have been “non-vegans” and a bit critical of our life-style.”
She proves us that even a vegan meal can be successful: “If I cook for others, a successful meal is one where I not fulfill the expectations of my guests. With us being vegan, they often are afraid that they have to chew on some raw carrots, together with some salt and tasteless dry grains, accompanied with a cup of water, and that they will stay hungry. When we serve them one of our vegan menus, together with some vegan red wine, they are surprised that ‘no-meat’ can taste so yummy and makes them full.”
What about your place?
“The most outstanding part of our apartment is a 30m2 roof garden. We have a dinning table out there, 2 trees and also a bed to lounge on. We try to grow our own fruits and vegetables, so in summer time you can pick your own strawberries, raspberries, tomatoes, carrots and salad, listen to cool music from around the word and chill on the bed under the sky. And our kitchen also is very special – you will not believe how much stuff fits in a small place – every corner holds a new surprise.” Vegan cuisine and roof garden are a perfect combo if you want to be closer to nature.
What do you think of Cookening?
Sharing and encounters, that’s what our host is passionate about: “We love the idea of meeting people from all over the world who are interested in food and cooking. A meal shared is a bit like a life shared and eating together does connect people on a deeper level.“
Finally, Daniela gives us a few tips: “I think you need more promotion in Germany so more hosts and guests will join. As a vegan, I also would like to see which of the host would be suitable for me. So one idea would be a search functionality for a specific cuisine where I can select vegan.”
If you want to meet Daniela and attend a meal at her place, click right here!
Do you want to be part of Portraits or Stories on the Art of Cookening? Contact us!