Hase & Igel Düsseldorf: Quality over trends

Lunchtime at the Schwanenhöfe in Düsseldorf-Flingern. Industrial charm outside, the clatter of plates inside. The air is filled with the scent of garlic, lemon and a hint of time pressure. Things rarely move at a leisurely pace at Hase & Igel. Fresh cuisine, a changing menu, plus events and themed evenings. Silke and Norman Wegner run the restaurant together. She welcomes the guests; he’s in charge of the kitchen and the culinary concept. Anyone who cooks, serves and keeps a restaurant running all at the same time rarely has time for interviews and even more rarely feels like giving long answers. Understandable. After all, at Hase & Igel it’s not about grand words, but about ensuring that, in the end, something good ends up on the plate. Fresh, uncomplicated, without any fuss. That’s how they describe it themselves. ‘Between service and stove’ is an interview that fits where none really should: right in the middle of everyday restaurant life. Short questions, short answers, and everything that happens in between.

What does Hase & Igel stand for, if you had to describe it in two sentences?

Honest, transparent and quality-focused catering.

And what do you want your guests to feel when they’re with you?

Passion, joy and warmth.

Which happens more often at your restaurant: a dish being created on the spur of the moment – or having to take one off the menu because you’ve grown bored of it yourselves?

Definitely the former: a dish being created on the spur of the moment.

— Lunch is in full swing, the parasols are up outside and almost every table is taken. Silke keeps an eye on the guests, whilst Norman oversees the kitchen. A focused bustle. Exactly the atmosphere that Hase & Igel stands for. —

What bores you more quickly: trends or repetition?

We steer clear of trends. We stand for sustainable, original concepts that we enjoy. Repetition doesn’t have to be boring – why should perfectly crafted dishes or events be scrapped? Give the people what they want. That’s how classics are born.

Your restaurant is called Hase & Igel. Are you more like the hare – quick and impulsive – or the hedgehog – calm and precise?

Both. Speed and precision aren’t mutually exclusive.😉

— They both smile. Anyone listening to Norman quickly realises that he’s far less interested in the latest social media hype than in a dish that will still work in three years’ time. After completing his apprenticeship at the Gästehaus Petersberg near Bonn, he worked in Bonn and Berlin, later moving to Baden-Baden and the Rheingau as head chef. There, he was in charge of the cuisine at a five-star hotel before joining Hase & Igel in 2015. 

Silke, on the other hand, knew early on where her path would lead. At 15, she took her first job in front-of-house; at 17, she began her apprenticeship as a restaurant manager. Stints in Baden-Baden and the Rheingau followed, where she worked her way up to restaurant manager, built up extensive wine expertise and became a passionate hostess. She has been bringing this experience to Hase & Igel since 2022. —

Do you cook differently when no one’s watching?

No, it’s just that my sense of humour and choice of words are a bit more earthy without an audience.

Which is harder: maintaining a consistently high standard or surprising guests?

Being consistently good.

— That answer comes quicker than any other. Perhaps because that’s precisely where the big challenge lies: you can plan for one good evening. But you can’t deliver consistently every single day. —

Which decision regarding your self-employment was risky, but looking back today you’d say, ‘Hey, that was exactly the right thing to do’?

Investments in the wine cellar and the wine stock.

What was your toughest period, and why did you stick it out despite that?

It’s always a struggle – ‘on your own and all the time’. We’re sticking with it because we’re convinced that better times will come again. And because quality stands the test of time.

What’s an uncomfortable truth about the hospitality industry that hardly anyone talks about? 

That the team is the biggest challenge.

— For a moment, the conversation turns more serious. The challenges don’t come in the form of big headlines, but in everyday life: staff planning, responsibility, long days. The answer to the question about the team therefore comes without a moment’s hesitation. —

When young restaurateurs ask you, ‘How do I find my own style?’, what’s your most honest answer?

Gain experience in different establishments, over the years!

— Silke is already on her way back to the dining room; Norman’s mind is long since back in the kitchen. The interview is over. The working day is far from over. —