The German culinary scene thrives on personalities, a6>who are more than mere craftsmen at the stove. One of these characters is Rainer Klutsch – chef, creative mind and TV personality with a distinctive mixture of passion, humour and culinary curiosity. For Klutsch, cooking is much more than the a46>pure preparation of food. It is a creative process, craftsmanship and expression of personality all at once.
The way of Rainer Klutsch in die catering industry was anything but classical. Originally, his professional career began far away from pots pots and pans. But at some point the attraction attraction of cooking stronger than any conventional career planning. From this passion developed step by step a culinary career, which led to a position as head chef at a renowned restaurant. a43>step by step, a culinary career, which gastronomy, creative concept work and media presence with each other.
Cooking is a metamorphosis—passion celebrated to perfection by master chef Rainer Klutsch.
Rainer's barren years – first law, then insurance salesman
A gifted musician, may he rest in peace, Hans Hölzel, alias Falco, penned one of the most famous sayings about the untamed 80s and 90s:
“Those who can remember these times did not experience them.”
The author, himself a child of this decade and also following the call of freedom, reflects his own experiences in the character of Rainer Klutsch.
What is the point of studying law in the end? Either you swear an oath to the state – well, as a judge, you become the unloved child of society. Or, depending on your orientation, you get to deal with the War of the Roses squabbles of bickering, nagging spouses or perfidiously stupid neighbours.
The accolade then is to employ less well-off, amateurish hobby criminals. Sensible criminals very rarely end up in court and are therefore unlikely to visit the law firm as interesting conversation partners and promising clients.
One thing is certain: in the case of the legal profession, the cash register rings in every case.
Following their parents’ scolding:
You need a job – a proper education, lads, then it’ll cost you something afterwards.
Which former law student searching for meaning doesn’t have these sayings ringing in their ears?
It was impossible to predict that Jura would become an insurance broker. But in that case, the finances would have worked out too. No – this career path, which was anything but sexy and creative, also had to be abandoned.
There was no stopping me from heading to the stove.
The appeal of a stove – the path to a creative feeding trough
Children’s eyes shining brightly, their little hands sinking into the flour, baking cookies and spreading icing over the Christmas treats with wild brushstrokes.
After all, eating is the most basic and beloved activity even as an infant – suckling at the mother’s breast and inhaling the sweet, wonderful smell of security. It’s mealtime.
What could be more interesting than cooking? What profession better combines madness and creativity than giving free rein to one’s unbridled, powerful curiosity at the stove?
Time for Rainer Klutsch to start the real project of his life.
Kitchen on Fire – the anarchic playroom for stove artist Rainer Klutsch
Rainer has always felt most comfortable as the man behind the counter.
After all, the restaurant industry is a reflection of society – and the man at the helm, with his orchestra of charming waitresses and chaotic, hot-tempered chefs, is the tamer of the nightly operetta.
What could be more obvious than launching the Kitchen on Fire project?
The fact that Rainer Klutsch is really serious about this can be seen on his arm – tattooed on his skin for eternity. The red rings are a reminder of the god of the herd. A Molteni. A chef’s favourite tool.
Kitchen on Fire then turned its attention to catering and private fine dining and crazy dining.
It must have been fate that Rainer ended up in Hamburg for a while. Chefs who are not prepared to dip their toes into other waters will rarely venture beyond their home turf.
Soida ond Linsa are certainly a great thing and have been good for ages – but they are not beneficial to the mind in the long run.
Hamburg’s Schanze district has its charms. As a cosmopolitan city, Hamburg is a magnet that has a lot to offer in terms of cuisine and shopping.
It goes without saying that here by the water, there are other fresh seafood and delicacies from the sea available than in the Stuttgart Market Hall.
A revelation in terms of variety and creativity for a hero in the kitchen.
The Klutsch Cooking School in Stuttgart's Heusteig district
An atmosphere reminiscent of the hip Kreuzberg of the 90s – creative, asymmetrical and, above all, unconventional.
It goes without saying that this went down well with the Swabians in the heart of Stuttgart.
The tiled ambience of a butcher’s shop fitted perfectly into the picture – as did an old Molteni stove from the 1950s, which the previous owners had left behind.
Here, Rainer used his experience in creative catering to develop a cooking school in Stuttgart that cultivated a style of serenity at the stove.
No lobster tails or arrowtail crabs were tortured in cold water here – no. Here, the best of grandma’s cooking was reinterpreted and garnished with the roots of his homeland.
All of this can be read about in his cookbook Am Herd meiner Oma (At My Grandmother’s Stove) (2021) and, above all, recreated in real life.
Rainer says of himself:
“I don’t reduce gastronomy to what’s on the plate. Transparency between the kitchen and the guest is my priority. Guests should see what I do and how I do it.”
Rainer Klutsch – the enfant terrible of television cooking
Rainer is – and I hope he forgives me for saying so – a show-off who is perfect for top-quality television entertainment.
He knows how to captivate his audience with a special smile in a particularly charming and witty way.
He has demonstrated this in many productions, starting with The Taste.
To this day, Klutsch still works for ARD and other broadcasters in numerous formats related to cooking.
He brings the relaxed, easy-going manner to the screen that his viewers appreciate so much about him.
The Klutsch Concept Studio
However, an automated CV-scanning system such as Workday or SAP HR would immediately weed this candidate out of the applicant pool due to a lack of classifiability.
A data corpse lost in the nirvana of an algorithm.
As an SAP HR consultant, I know better than anyone what goes on in various personnel departments with their soft-spoken HR officers.
What is completely overlooked:
Creative minds who do not fit the predefined algorithm are lost to companies from the outset.
A machine only evaluates positively what has been fed into the box as the desired standard.
The collaboration between Rainer Klutsch and TYPEMYKNIFE®
That’s when Rainer Klutsch appeared on my screen.
I immediately took an interest in him and realised that we are not so dissimilar after all.
After I’d written to him, nothing happened for a while – until, quite suddenly, the phone rang.
Do you know that feeling when you have an unfamiliar conversation partner whom you may have known forever?
That’s exactly how it was for us.
Every tradesperson knows that two chefs can talk endlessly about good tools.
Holding a knife in your hand, feeling the power of this tool and discussing it in technical terms – that is something completely different.
We’ve found each other.
And we reckon we’ll be working together for a few more years – in the spirit of creativity.
Claus Ermlich TYPEMYKNIFE Blog 2023
FAQ
FAQ – Rainer Klutsch
Wer ist Rainer Klutsch?
Rainer Klutsch is a German chef, TV chef and restaurateur from Stuttgart. He became well-known for his creative cuisine, his cookery school in the Heusteigviertel district and numerous television appearances on cooking programmes.
Where is Rainer Klutsch’s cookery school located?
Rainer Klutsch’s cookery school is located in the Heusteigviertel district of Stuttgart. There, he shares his creative take on classic cuisine through cookery classes and events.
What does Rainer Klutsch’s cuisine stand for?
Rainer Klutsch combines traditional cuisine, inspiration from his grandmother’s recipes and modern creativity. His philosophy is based on transparency between the kitchen and the guest, as well as relaxed, passionate cooking.
In which television programmes has Rainer Klutsch appeared?
Rainer Klutsch became known to a wider audience through programmes such as "The Taste" and regularly appears on various cooking shows on German television, including ARD..
Was ist „Kitchen on Fire“?
Kitchen on Fire was a project by Rainer Klutsch that focused on catering, fine dining and creative cooking events, and represents an important phase in his culinary development.
Is there a cookbook by Rainer Klutsch?
Yes. In 2021, Rainer Klutsch published the cookbook "Am Herd meiner Oma" (At my grandmother's stove), which reinterprets traditional recipes and focuses on authentic cuisine.
What does the Klutsch concept studio stand for?
Klutsch Concept Studio specialises in creative catering concepts, culinary consultancy and innovative ideas for the food and events industry.
How did the collaboration with TYPEMYKNIFE® come about?
The collaboration arose from a shared passion for high-quality kitchen tools and precision craftsmanship. Both parties share a commitment to creativity, craftsmanship and a passion for cooking.
