Tohru Nakamura

Sometimes things just naturally happen in life. “What belongs together comes together.” or “It’s a match.” as we’d say today. Tohru Nakamura and his cuisine are an example of such fate. It was simply a matter of course.

Tohru Nakamura felt this early on, when he began experimenting with food preparation as a child. This special magic of cooking combined with the convivial experience of eating together has never left him. Quite the opposite: it encouraged him to fulfil his destiny. Out of the home kitchen into the fine dining kitchens of this world: Léa Linster, Martin Fauster,

Joachim Wissler and Sergio Herman were his mentors. “It was a breathtaking journey from Munich to Luxembourg, via Munich to Cologne and Sluis in the Netherlands back to my home town. I was able to take so much from the experience and am eternally grateful to have been able to learn from these outstanding role models,” says Tohru Nakamura upon reflection.

“What belongs together
comes together”

Together with his team, the son born to a German mother and Japanese father wrote his success story at the “Werneckhof” restaurant. However, this was by no means a foregone conclusion. But hard work. Discipline. And willing. Then, after many years, things suddenly changed. The world was no longer the same after March 2020. Worldwide, hobs remained cold and restaurants empty. After several months confined to his own four walls, Tohru Nakamura asked himself the question: “Should I remain a chef or should I do something different?”

With a tight-knit team, a love of the profession and new partners by his side, he was given new hope: “Thanks to our team, which has almost entirely remained the same with Marc, Felix, Thomas and Inge, there was light on the horizon.” After an initial pop-up period in the former city scriptorium, the “Ensemble Culinaire GmbH” was born. “The fact that we can now return to the place where new things started is a nod to fate,” says Tohru Nakamura, laughing.

Now „Schreiberei“ and „Tohru in der Schreiberei“. Everything new. Or still everything the same? Not at all. “What is inspiring you?” or “Where do you have the inspiration for the dishes?”. Questions like these and many more, are frequently asked Tohru. His answer is simple and complex at the same time: “The team. The journeys. The partners.” More detailed: “ I always loved to travel. Japan is my second home. Every part of our mother earth is special with its own culinary specialties – I for myself, like that very much and feel it is unique.

We all here shared our different experiences and impressions. Then together as a team – partners, team members and suppliers - we collect the ideas and with the herefrom developed spirit creativity results.

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