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Das Le Canard nouveau mit fantastischem Blick auf die Elbe.
Mit dem neuen Chefkoch Norman Etzold soll das Restaurant für
die Zukunft gewappnet werden. / Le Canard Nouveau with
a breathtaking view of the Elbe River. With new head chef Norman
Etzold, the restaurant is well positioned for the future.
Beispiel würde ich nie einfl iegen lassen. Das fi nde ich
dumm. Davon gibt’s im Norden genug.
FF: Wie kommt diese Philosophie bei langjährigen Gästen an?
NE: Allgemein sehr gut. Ich glaube, sie merken, dass wir ein
Team sind, das wirklich Lust hat, das Frische versprüht.
Der eine oder andere Gast meint aber schon mal, dass es
mehr Prunk bräuchte.
FF: Das Le Canard nouveau befi ndet sich in einem der nobels-
ten Stadtteile Hamburgs mit einer wunderschönen Aussicht
auf die Elbe – aber recht weit außerhalb. Machen sich
Gäste aus fern gelegenen Stadtteilen auf den Weg zu Ihnen?
NE: Ich hoff e es. Man muss heute auf jeden Fall keine Berüh-
rungsangst mehr haben, weil im Le Canard der Geldadel
sitzt. Mir ist absolut wichtig, dass jeder willkommen ist.
Ich begrüße alle gleich – egal, ob sie im T-Shirt oder in
einem edlen Oberhemd kommen. Unser Lunch-Menü zum
Beispiel kostet 45 Euro. Sehr erschwinglich, fi nde ich.
FF: Sie haben angekündigt, mindestens fünf Jahre in
Hamburg zu bleiben. Wo steht Ihr Restaurant dann?
NE: Auf derselben Stufe, auf der es vor fünf oder zehn Jahren
stand. Außerdem ist es mein Ziel, unsere Terrasse bis
dahin zu öff nen, sie soll ein place to be für alle werden.
Ich träume von einem Bio-Sonntagsbrunch mit Live-Ei-
Station. Ich könnte mir auch vorstellen, alle paar Monate
ein Spanferkel zu machen, mit dem Grill, den Ali hier
stehen gelassen hat. Nur für Gourmets ist dieser Platz
langfristig zu schade.
The fi rst time he set foot in Le Canard Nouveau, it was in
a bleak state, says Norman Etzold, giving a tour of the new
dining areas and new kitchen one Monday evening. Located
in an upscale neighborhood overlooking the Elbe River and
container terminals, the venue was little more than a con-
crete shell. Two key fi gures have spent endless hours here in
Hamburg-Othmarschen slaving over the stove: Austrian Josef
Viehauser and Ali Güngörmüş, who at Le Canard Nouveau was
the fi rst chef with Turkish roots to earn a Michelin star.
While the restaurant was once a hot spot for high society, the
new chef doesn’t necessarily see the need to keep it that way.
Born in Thuringia, 35-year-old Norman Etzold has tattooed
forearms and most recently worked at the one-star restaurant
Palais Hansen in Vienna. He’s been involved since nearly the
beginning and even helped make decisions about redesigning
the traditional rooms. The new Le Canard Nouveau is elegant
and small, with seating for 54 guests at tables covered in white
linens. The space is dominated by light-colored wood fi nishes
and features framed sketches by leading architect Meinhard von
Gerkan, the restaurant owner, on the walls. Etzold sits down for
a conversation and an espresso at the chef’s table, with nothing
but a sliding window between us and his workspace.
FREIFRAU: Mr. Etzold, you were head chef at a one-star
restaurant in Vienna. Rather than pursuing a second star,
you’ve chosen to start over in Hamburg. What is it about
this challenge that appeals to you?
NORMAN ETZOLD: The fact that I can contribute from the
beginning. I’ve been working at diff erent restaurants
and hotels for 14 years now. I love the idea of being able
to put to use all of the knowledge that I’ve gathered in all
that time.
FF: Le Canard Nouveau boasts prominent predecessors –
Josef Viehauser and TV chef Ali Güngörmüş. Are you
worried about being compared to your predecessors?
NE: Absolutely not. Our goal is, of course, to earn another
star, but I won’t measure my success by how I stack up
compared with the other two. Josef Viehauser worked
at Le Canard 15 years ago. I was just starting to cook.
Everyone knows how quickly cuisine changes. I don’t
have any connections to Ali either. We met recently when
he stopped by for a quick lunch. He focused on Arab/
Mediterranean cuisine – mine is completely diff erent.
FF: What’s your cooking style?
NE: Focused on the product, with lots of green fl avors and
without all the chichi. I rely on nature and work with fruit
and vegetables that are currently in season. And if there’s
just too much of it, I bottle or ferment it. I like the idea of
being able to tell customers that they’re eating a daylily
bud that’s only available for exactly three weeks. Served
with not much more than a fl avorful mayonnaise. At
the same time, I don’t go around talking about regional
ingredients all the time.
FF: Why not?
NE: Because occasionally I like to serve up scallops and
turbot. But that’s not to say we don’t make a real eff ort
to source our main products locally. I’d never fl y in,
say, zander, cod, or lamb. That would be ridiculous.
There’s enough of those up here in the north.
FF: How do long-standing guests respond to this philosophy?
NE: Generally very well. I think they see that we’re a team
that wants nothing more than to serve up fresh ingredi-
ents. Occasionally a guest will say that we could do with
a bit more fanfare.
FF: Le Canard Nouveau is located in one of the wealthiest
districts in Hamburg and off ers a breathtaking view of the
Elbe River – but it’s not exactly close by. Do you also have
customers come in from neighborhoods farther away?
NE: I hope so. You no longer have to worry about rubbing elbows
with the rich and famous at Le Card. For me it’s essential
that everyone feel welcome. I greet everyone the same –
whether they’re in a T-shirt or a fi ne dress shirt. Our lunch
menu, for example, costs €45. Pretty aff ordable, I’d say.
FF: You said you’d be staying in Hamburg for at least fi ve
years. What about your restaurant?
NE: Things will continue just as they did fi ve or ten years ago.
My goal is also to open our terrace by that time. It should
be the place to be for everyone. I dream of an organic
Sunday brunch with a manned egg station. I could also
imagine serving up a suckling pig every few months,
using the grill Ali left here. This place would be wasted
on gourmets alone.
HAMBURG-TOUR
LE CANARD NOUVEAU
