Committed. Disciplined.

Has long done Brussels sprouts an injustice.

The name Franz is basically a very good prerequisite in our company: For three generations, the first-born sons of the Inselkammer family have borne this name.
 
Since August 2015, we have had another Franz in our ranks, but this time with a last name: Tobias Franz, 38 years old, 1st chef at the Brauereigasthof and in the banquet area of the "Brauereigasthof Hotel Aying".
 
Born in Franconia, grew up in the Upper Palatinate. At the time, he wanted to be an electrician. Today, when he recounts this, he has to laugh about it: "After I had completed a few internships, it was clear that I wasn't born to install sockets and lay cables." His father then suggested he do an internship in the kitchen - and that's when it "zoomed": "I was fascinated by this vibrant atmosphere and the work processes from day one."
 
Another positive aspect of the profession: you can work where you want. "And that's exactly what I was in the mood for after my apprenticeship: seeing something new and exploring the world outside the Upper Palatinate a bit." And so stations in Munich and Landshut followed, from star cuisine to cross-over style.
 
For the offshoot of an Italian star restaurant, he finally ended up in Mexico City. "That was a crazy project - just getting the goods for the Italian cuisine there!" Purchasing wasn't the only challenge, though: "Employees were basically several hours late. We then started simply moving the start of duty forward by an hour. If it was supposed to start at 9 a.m., the official start of duty was at 8 a.m. - and then at 11 a.m. everyone was there at some point."

And despite all the adversities, the time there was a great enrichment. "It was also there that I really became aware of how well off we are! Before we could process the food in Mexico, we had to soak it in an iodine solution to rid it of all the pollutants in the peel or on the roots because of the enormous environmental pollution. That had a big impact on me and my approach to the environment and food."

After returning to Germany, he took a job in Munich - and from there it wasn't far to Aying. "I enjoy it immensely to be here and to be able to experience and help shape all these changes in the course of the kitchen remodeling."

Cleanliness, discipline, respect for the products - these are the cornerstones that are most important to him in his work at "August und Maria." "After all, we get some of the vegetables from our own garden. When you witness how long it takes for a tomato or a cucumber to grow, you think twice about how much you cut away."

By the way, he has a special relationship with Brussels sprouts: "I hated them as a child. Then at some point I ate an extremely good Brussels sprout. And since then it's been the same with me: it always depends on how they're prepared. Things that don't taste good have, in case of doubt, not been prepared really well."

But he can think of one exception: "Licorice. I think even I reach my limits with licorice." To all licorice lovers, Tobias Franz is always open to new suggestions!


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