Kettner's Kamota

The story

Kettner's Kamota: New Austrian Cuisine with a Michelin Star in Essen

A Taste of Styria in the Ruhr

Kettner's Kamota sits in the leafy suburb of Essen-Werden, a place where chef Jürgen Kettner has finally realised his own restaurant. The cuisine, while technically listed as Alsatian, is in fact a deeply personal “New Austrian” style – one that marries the hearty, alpine flavours of his native Styria with the precision and clarity he absorbed during a long love affair with Japanese cooking. This is not fusion for its own sake; it is a thoughtful, seasonal approach that has already earned a Michelin star in the 2026 guide.

The Chef's Path

Kettner's journey is unconventional. He began as a machine technician before switching to the kitchen, training at Essen's two-star Residence under Berthold Bühler. Stints at Bean & Beluga in Dresden, Schöngrün in Bern, and Esplanade in Saarbrücken honed his craft. A decisive collaboration with Robin Pietsch saw the pair win a Michelin star within six months at Pietsch by Kettner in Wernigerode, earning Kettner a Gault Millau “young talent” nod. Now, with his business partner Wiebke Meier, he brings that same restless energy to Kamota.

Counter Dining and Seasonal Menus

The restaurant is arranged around a counter, putting guests close to the action. There is no à la carte in the evening – instead, a choice of a four- or six-course tasting menu, which changes every six to eight weeks. The Alsatian label, however, doesn't capture the full story – Kettner's cooking is a dialogue between his Austrian roots and his Japanese inspirations. Dishes such as the Beef Tatar Stulle with Simmentaler Fleckvieh and caviar, or the Styrian Crudo (a raw fish preparation) show the kitchen's skill with both tradition and technique. A “Gspusi” of goose liver with Périgord truffle is another signature. The menu is built to create a “spannungsbogen” – a narrative arc from first bite to last.

The Kamota Experience

The dining room is intimate, the service thoughtful. A vegetarian menu is always available, and the team – Roslind, Alex, Fabio – bring the kitchen's daily surprises to the table. Between Tuesday and Thursday, a smaller à la carte selection is offered for those who want a lighter introduction. The wine pairing, built around Styrian and international labels, complements the food's clean, bright flavours. Visitors expecting classic Alsatian dishes will find instead a refreshingly original take on alpine cuisine. In Kettner's own words: “Genuss is koa Luxus, sondern a Pflicht” – enjoyment is not a luxury, but a duty. At Kamota, that duty is taken very seriously.