I make cocktails and tea, and research all things gastronomy. I like Champagne, and have a penchant for Japan.
I started working in bars originally to support my studies, but meanwhile, I have developed a passion for all things that taste or smell, which I use hedonisms as an umbrella term for. I hold a WSET 3 diploma for sake and wine (both with merit), and am a certified water sommelier. Apart from that, I focus on:
I studied perfume in depth, culminating in the creation of a collection of what I consider the 100 most influential perfumes in the history of fragrance. On a different note, I had the opportunity to become a student of the Japanese incense ceremony and help develop a course for English-speaking students together with the incense trader kōgadō.
Having worked in bars in Australia, Japan and Switzerland, I have participated (and sometimes even won) in a fair share of cocktail competitions, organised spirits tastings and am collaborating with a Swiss distiller to launch a new product. Most recently, I worked at the renowned Kronenhalle Bar, where I designed cocktails to match the performances of the nearby Opernhaus Zürich. Finally, I have written articles on cocktail trends for a renowned magazine.
I am studying tea in general, and more specifically Chinese tea ceremony as well as Japanese tea ceremony in Zurich and Japan since 2014. Meanwhile, I have had numerous presentations and tastings for both traditions, and am holding a series of lectures about the Japanese tea ritual at hōmu in Basel.
I enjoy studying languages and their cultures. My mother tongue is German, but having lived in Australia for one year and having finished my Swiss Matura bilingually, I have managed to attain a fairly solid command of the English language. Furthermore, I have at least a conversational level (A2) in Japanese and French.
Ammersin, the Austrian importer of Angostura, wrote a little article about the Angostura 2024 Western Europe final. You can read about my recipes on my blog.