The story
At Oz in Fürstenau, executive chef Simeon Nikolov treats every plate as a direct translation of today’s harvest, establishing a new standard for contemporary vegetarian cuisine. Under the direction of Andreas Caminada, the kitchen operates as a continuous dialogue between soil and plate. Gardeners Jérôme and Chille Racine cultivate the estate’s permaculture plot without synthetic inputs, ensuring whatever reaches peak ripeness arrives at the counter within hours. This approach to plant-based cooking replaces traditional meat and fish pillars with seasonal produce that demands precise technique rather than heavy seasoning. The resulting precision aligns naturally with the restaurant’s 16-point Gault&Millau rating and its green Michelin star for sustainable practices.
A winter starter combines roasted deer antler salad, watercress, and radish sprouts alongside a chili cream that highlights the olive-like tang of cornelian cherries. Warm months bring lacto-fermented melon paired with unripe tomatoes and grape sorbet, while cooler days feature a mushroom and barbecue foam filled onion tartlet. Chefs also prepare chawanmushi using a yolk-stuffed bagel instead of dashi, or grilled kohlrabi strips resting on quark cream with house-made kombucha vinegar. These vegetable-forward plates demonstrate how focused fermentation and careful heat management elevate humble ingredients.
Guests sit along a horseshoe-shaped counter that wraps directly around the open kitchen, allowing uninterrupted views of the plating process. The compact layout keeps the experience closely tied to the service team, who gladly explain each preparation step upon request. Dairy and eggs from the Graubünden region ground the menu, though a fully vegan progression remains available upon request. This deliberate proximity transforms a standard meal into an observant study of modern vegetarian cuisine.
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