Chef Bernhard Reiser, with his long and prolific career, is an acclaimed chef among the most prominent in Germany, despite the closure of his MICHELIN-Starred restaurant in 2023. He is now a restaurateur but also actively involved as a researcher and entrepreneur.
Bernhard Reiser was born in 1966 in Illertissen, Germany. From a young age, at just 15, he discovered his passion for cooking thanks to his grandmother, who owned a fruit and vegetable shop in town and could create delicacies from any ingredient.
After completing his apprenticeship, in 1989, he began his career as a chef at the officers' casino in Lagerlechfeld, Bavaria. He then worked as a chef de partie and sous-chef at the "Romantik Hotel Augsburger Hof." In 1993, after earning the title of master chef, he became head chef at "Schloss Solitude" in Stuttgart and head chef at "Bosshotel" in Metzingen. The following year, he served as a culinary consultant for Hänisch Castle and city hotels in Solitude, Monrepos, and Cecilienhof, preparing state banquets for personalities like Boris Eltsin, Bill Clinton, and others.
In 1995, he opened the restaurant "Louvre" in Rothenburg ob der Tauber, which received a MICHELIN Star from 1996 until its closure in 2003.
In May 2002, he opened the "Weinstein Restaurant Weinbar" in Würzburg, later renamed "Reisers am Stein." From January 2008, the restaurant started exclusively offering smaller portions, following the motto "Farewell to the main course," with Bernhard's wife, Silia, serving as the sommelier. In 2014, the restaurant was awarded a MICHELIN Star, and a second chef joined the team.
Over the years, Bernhard Reiser has explored various culinary traditions, including monastic, Ayurvedic, and Mediterranean cuisines. He teaches the "Food Management" course at DHBW Mosbach, Campus Bad Mergentheim, combining sports and nutritional sciences. At his cooking academy, "Reisers Kochschule," he also promotes the healthy aspect of food.
In February 2010, Bernhard was honored with the Warsteiner Prize, the German gastronomy award, in the "Food" category. A few months later, he became the nutritional consultant for the German women's national football team. Since 2013, Bernhard has hosted his culinary program called "Ask the Reiser."
In 2023, "Reisers am Stein" closed, but Bernhard didn't stop there. Today, he is active not only as a chef and restaurateur but also as a researcher and entrepreneur. He collaborates with Maison Krug and manages "REISERS Zehnthof," listed in the MICHELIN Guide, "REISERS Kochwerkstatt & Catering," and "Aifach REISER am Marktplatz."
Photo Credits: @Reiser
