The respect is mutual. “Kurt’s not a lazy farmer,” laughs Marius. “I may bake my own bread, but he makes his own flour. And I know exactly how he makes it. That means I can share every step with guests who might be interested. Restaurants are about trust, after all. If you can answer their questions, they’ll trust you, and they’ll keep coming back.” Frehner appears equally at ease on the farm as he does back in his kitchen, where he evidences his technical and culinary dexterity with a lightness of touch, whipping up a starter of yellow and green broad beans in vinaigrette, topped with delicate pink pickled onion, and a main of roasted red cabbage and pumpkin, their juices poured over together with browned butter. Unfussy, fresh, and perfectly balanced, both dishes are a testament to the quality of their components, and to the creative nous of the mind that put them together. “My dream would be for guests to say, “Wow, what an amazing meal,” and then start questioning where the food comes from,” Frehner says upon serving. “My wish is for them to approach the issue of how we eat through enjoyment. True sustainability doesn’t have to be devoid of beauty, taste or pleasure.”
