Down-to-earth, regional, but also open to new ideas.

You don't come from the catering industry. What made you decide to go down this path anyway?
Hagen Schmidt: In addition to the practice, we have built up a tourist offer with 8 vacation apartments and four vacation homes on the farm, all of which are certified at four-star level. It quickly became clear that guests expect good food on site and we wanted to cook fresh food. It was also important to us right from the start to include people with disabilities. We initially worked with people with mental illnesses, but now we also include people with other disabilities. This requires a lot of organization and structure, but it is a matter close to our hearts.

How exactly does the inclusive workforce work?
Hagen Schmidt: The idea is: Normality. Guests shouldn't even notice that people with disabilities work here. And most of them don't actually notice. Of course there are differences: downtime is higher, you need more staff, the processes have to be better thought out. But in the end, it's enriching - for the team, for the guests and for us.

Ms. Symm, you are the head chef. How did you come to the "Weichaer Hof"?
Carola Symm: I previously ran an American steakhouse for over 20 years. After my business partner retired, I wanted to find a new direction. The "Weichaer Hof" is almost on my doorstep, five kilometers away - and the concept immediately convinced me: working with regional producers, short distances, honest manual work. That was exactly what I was looking for after my time at the steakhouse. I've now been here for a year and am very happy with my job.

How did you find the start?
Carola Symm: It was an adjustment at first. I came from a very stressful à la carte restaurant. I had to learn to be considerate of employees who may not have the full training or who work more slowly. But after a settling-in phase, things are going really well. We have expanded and modernized the menu, for example with vegan dishes or more choice for allergy sufferers. Today we have a really well-rounded kitchen.

How would you describe the culinary concept?
Carola Symm: Down-to-earth, regional, but also open to new things. We serve classic dishes such as beef roulade, schnitzel and boiled beef. We also offer vegan pasta with mushroom ragout or barley risotto. Manual work is important to us: we make a lot of the noodles and dumplings ourselves. And we are bringing back old recipes - for example the apple juice roast, a family recipe from our chef Hagen Schmidt. Pork neck is marinated with vegetables in apple juice from the orchards for three days before being slowly roasted. It is served with Bohemian bread dumplings - a wonderful dish.

Is there a culinary "bestseller" among the guests?
Carola Symm: Definitely the venison with homemade dumplings and red cabbage. Everything is sourced locally - the venison comes directly from the hunter in the neighboring village, the red cabbage is grown five kilometers away. But our carp is also doing very well. Many guests discover with us that Lusatian fish doesn't taste "muddy" at all, as some people think.

What role does regionality play for you?
Carola Symm: A very big one. I always ask myself: why transport products halfway around the world when we have such good ingredients here? We source meat, vegetables and fish directly from the local area. For us, regionality means that we cook with what is available and are guided by the season.

You already mentioned the Lusatian carp. It is often underestimated. How do your guests like it?
Carola Symm: Surprisingly well. About half of them order it classic blue, the other half as fillets. Many people only realize here that carp is a delicious fish when it is prepared properly. It has a soft flesh and with the right treatment it develops a very fine aroma.

Are there any other regional fish dishes on the menu?
Carola Symm: Yes, we smoke trout ourselves and also have salmon trout on the menu, grilled or pickled. Salmon trout is a wonderful alternative to the usual salmon - regional, high-quality and versatile. In my opinion, it tastes even better. We also offer matjes in summer, but only genuine, classically fermented fish from Holland. That's the only sea fish we use. Everything else comes from Lusatia.

Mr. Schmidt, do you feel that your concept is also supported by the village?
Hagen Schmidt: The entire village benefits from the revival. This is particularly evident every year on the Day of Prayer and Repentance, the Open Village Day in Weicha. Dairy and pig farmers open their farms, offer guided tours and sell samples of their products, the market garden organizes a Christmas sale, a carpenter presents his products, the Weicha farm shows its premises and organizes a small market and individual private initiatives sell handmade items. Every year, around 4000 people come and experience the qualities of country life that are often missed in the city.

Ms. Symm, what do you wish for the culinary future of Upper Lusatia?
Carola Symm: That even more emphasis is placed on regional products. Upper Lusatia is a melting pot - there are Sorbian, Bohemian and Silesian influences here. This diversity makes the cuisine exciting. It is worth preserving old recipes and combining them with modern ideas. If we do this consistently, Upper Lusatia can become just as much of a culinary destination as other regions in Europe.

Finally, a personal question: Where do you both like to eat when you're not cooking or enjoying the dishes from your own restaurant kitchen?
Hagen Schmidt: I really like the Indian restaurant "Krishna" in Görlitz.
Carola Symm: I'm drawn to "Namu", a Korean restaurant in Altkötzschenbroda. A Korean family cooks really traditional food there. I love Asian cuisine, but I can't prepare it authentically myself - so I really enjoy it there.