Charlotte Major
“Good food is not only delicious, but starts with a lot of appreciation. For employees, products, producers.”
How did you get into cooking and what were the most important steps in your personal career in the restaurant business?
Cooking has always been a profession that I found incredibly exciting. During my school years, I was able to gain my first experience through internships, and then during high school I started my first job in the restaurant business. After studying in Cologne for a short while, I went back to Berlin and started my apprenticeship.
It has always been extremely important for me to recognize what I want and, above all, what I don’t want.
What does good cuisine and good food mean to you?
Good food is not only delicious, but starts with a lot of appreciation. For employees, products, producers, etc.
“If you think about how many people have changed the direction of their career or are not even considering going into the restaurant business, it’s a clear sign: Something is not going right here.”
Why did you decide to work at Hallmann & Klee?
Apart from the fact that the food is incredibly good, clearly because of the people and the working atmosphere. From the moment I first walked into the restaurant, I felt really comfortable.
What makes a good workplace for you?
Suitable working atmosphere.
Clear, direct communication.
Respect.
Concentration.
Opportunities to develop and grow.
Creativity.
What do you wish for the food industry in the future?
I wish that more people would want to be a part of it again. If you think about how many people have changed the direction of their career or are not even considering going into the restaurant business, it’s a clear sign: Something is not going right here.
“I believe that cooperation between different groups is one way to tackle the problems.”
Why do you think there should be more collaboration between the food service, agriculture and food artisan sectors?
The closer the collaboration, the better the understanding of each other and therefore the better the end product.
Why are you a member of Die Gemeinschaft? What do you expect from it?
Cooking alone is not enough for me. For me, being part of Die Gemeinschaft means being part of a positive, important change or even movement that has a lasting impact not only on the industry itself but also on everyone involved and, ideally, on those not involved.
What core issues are most important to you personally?
Future viability. Knowledge exchange. Education and training.
What do you think are the most important issues that need to change in the coming years within food industry, gastronomy and agriculture?
The working conditions. I think anyone and everyone who has been or is in the food service industry knows what working life can be like.
More appreciation. On the part of the guests, but also within the various networked industries.
Product relatedness. There are already some great people both in gastronomy, as well as in agriculture, who already think, work and live this way. But we need more people like that.
Who do you think is responsible for this and why?
It is always easy to point the finger at others. The responsibility is weighted differently with politicians, individuals and large and small companies. I believe that cooperation between different groups is one way to tackle the problems.
Photos:
Judith Jakob
More information about Charlotte Major:
Website