GOURMET GURU
Celebrating good food
CITY OF ORIGIN
Hamburg (Germany)
LEISURE HOURS
Dining out
Jogging
Playing tennis
Relaxing on the beach
FAVOURITE FOOD AND DRINK
Any type of sandwich accompanied by the perfect cup of coffee
HIMSELF IN ONE WORD
Self-driven Patrick Buttgereit is the Executive Chef at the Shangri-La Hotel – Colombo. Having worked his way up the hotel industry’s culinary ladder – as well as the experience he’s gained at the numerous exotic locations he has worked in – have enabled him to defy norms and be adventurous with the dishes he creates. He brings a touch of each area’s local flavour into every delicious speciality.
Q: What do you consider your greatest achievement as a chef? A: Personally, there have been quite a few but the greatest achievement for me is seeing my team progressing, working closely together and seamlessly tackling the daily challenges. As a chef, I always feel that we’re only as good as the team we work with.
Q: And what was your first dish? A: Chocolate coated wasabi, which I created as a surprise dish for my parents who visited the restaurant where I started out. It was meant to be part of the petit fours to be served with their coffee after dinner – and their immense surprise made this unusual dish a success.
Q: As a chef, how does your day unfold?
A: Each day at Shangri-La Hotel – Colombo differs and that’s the beauty of the job. Despite the long hours, the highlights of my day are meeting and working with people who have varied perspectives, and hail from different walks of life. This keeps my routine highly engaging and interesting.
Q: Who inspired you to venture into the hospitality trade?
A: My foray into the world of hospitality was almost by accident. In my younger days, I engaged in on-the-job training at a bakery – and I was inspired by the delicious fragrance of freshly baked goods whenever I entered the store.
The extensive hands-on experience I gained motivated me to explore more in this field. So once I completed my training, I moved on to train at a fine dining restaurant – and I believe this provided me with a more versatile exposure compared to only working with breads and pastries.
Q: What was your most challenging experience?
A: Organising and hosting an important charity event alongside several guest chefs who demonstrated very different working styles. It was a challenge but we pulled it off.
Q: Any emerging trends in food and drink…?
A: The current situation means that we always take additional precautions out of an abundance of care in the preparation of food and beverages. I believe that as long as you craft each dish with a passion while providing your guests peace of mind, you’ll succeed in the upcoming months as well as the years ahead.
Q: What are your favourite ingredients – and why?
A: Bread, cheese and salami; they’re part of my daily breakfast but I also enjoy them at any time of the day.
Q: Three favourite utensils that you can’t do without...
A: A vegetable peeler, a knife and kitchen tweezers.
Q: Any cooking tips or tricks for our readers…?
A: Simplicity is always the key.
Q: Your advice to aspiring chefs out there would be…
A: Be hungry… and go for it!
Q: Tell us about your future plans... A: We have lots of new fun things in the pipeline and are excited to implement them. In the meantime, in line with our enhanced health and safety standards, we want to ensure that our guests feel safe and comfortable.