“Down-to-earth, regional, yet open to new ideas.”
Where a vacant manor house once slowly fell into disrepair, culinary life now thrives: The “Weichaer Hof” in Upper Lusatia is a restaurant with a unique concept. Here, regional cuisine, traditional recipes, and modern touches come together. The food is prepared with fresh, seasonal ingredients—and a great deal of passion. But what makes this place special isn’t just what’s on the plate: At the “Weichaer Hof,” people with and without disabilities work side by side. A conversation with co-owner Hagen Schmidt and head chef Carola Symm.
Mr. Schmidt, how did you come to open the “Weichaer Hof”?
Hagen Schmidt: My wife and I are both from Upper Lusatia. Twenty-five years ago, we bought a three-sided farmstead here in Weicha, renovated it bit by bit, and initially opened a private practice for psychological and family therapy. The manor house across the way was in poor condition, and the park had become overgrown. The villagers felt something had to be done about it, or else everything would fall into disrepair. So we started by fixing up a room that the village could use. We also restored the park. We actually never planned to turn it into a restaurant. It just developed that way, bit by bit.
You don’t come from the restaurant industry, after all. What made you decide to go down this path anyway?
Hagen Schmidt: In addition to the practice, we’ve built up a tourism business on our farm with eight vacation apartments and four vacation homes, all of which are certified with four stars. It quickly became clear that our guests also wanted good food on-site, and we wanted to cook with fresh ingredients. Furthermore, it was important to us from the very beginning to include people with disabilities. At first, we worked with people with mental health conditions; now, people with other disabilities are also part of our team. This requires a lot of organization and structure, but it’s truly a labor of love for us.
How exactly does this work with an inclusive workforce?
Hagen Schmidt: The idea is: normality. We don’t want our guests to even notice that people with disabilities work here. And in fact, most of them don’t notice at all. Of course, there are differences: absenteeism is higher, we need more staff, and the workflows have to be well organized. But in the end, it’s enriching for everyone—for the team, for our guests, and for us.
Ms. Symm, you’re the head chef. How did you come to work at the “Weichaer Hof”?
Carola Symm: I previously ran an American steakhouse for over 20 years. After my business partner retired, I wanted to pursue a new direction. The “Weichaer Hof” is practically on my doorstep—just five kilometers away—and the concept won me over right away: working with local producers, sourcing many ingredients directly from the surrounding area, and making a lot of things by hand. That’s exactly what I was looking for after my time at the steakhouse. I’ve been here for a year now and am very happy with my role.
How did you find the transition?
Carola Symm: At first, it was an adjustment. I was coming from a very stressful à la carte restaurant setting. Here, I had to learn to be considerate—of employees who might not have completed their training or who might need a little more time. But after a settling-in period, everything went really well. We’ve expanded and modernized our menu, for example by adding vegan dishes and offering more options for people with allergies. Today, our kitchen successfully blends traditional and modern dishes.
How would you describe the culinary concept?
Carola Symm: Down-to-earth, regional, but also open to new ideas. We serve classic dishes like beef roulade, schnitzel, or Tafelspitz. At the same time, we offer vegan pasta with mushroom ragout or a barley risotto. Artisanal preparation is particularly important to us. We make our own pasta, dumplings, and much more. We’re also reviving old recipes—for example, the apple juice roast, a family recipe from our chef, Hagen Schmidt. To make it, pork neck is marinated for three days with vegetables and apple juice from orchard meadows and then slowly braised. It’s served with Bohemian bread dumplings—a wonderful dish.
Is there a culinary “hit” among your guests?
Carola Symm: Without a doubt: our venison with homemade dumplings and red cabbage. The venison comes directly from the hunter in the neighboring village, and the red cabbage is grown just a few kilometers away. But our carp is also very popular. Many guests discover here that Lusatian carp doesn’t taste “muddy” at all, as some might assume.
How important is regional sourcing to you?
Carola Symm: It’s very important. We prefer to work with local producers because we know the origin of our ingredients and there are many high-quality foods available here. For us, regionality means cooking with whatever is currently in season and available. This results in dishes that are suited to the season and the region.
You already mentioned the Lusatian carp. It’s often considered underrated. How do your guests respond to it?
Carola Symm: Surprisingly well. About half order it prepared “blau” in the traditional style, and the other half as a fillet. Many people realize for the first time here that carp can be a delicious fish when prepared with care. It has tender flesh and develops a delicate flavor.
Are there any other regional fish dishes on the menu?
Carola Symm: Yes, we smoke our own trout and also offer salmon trout—grilled or marinated. For us, it’s a wonderful alternative to classic salmon and can be prepared in many different ways. In my opinion, it tastes even better. We also serve matjes in the summer—but only genuine, traditionally fermented matjes from the Netherlands. That’s the only saltwater fish on our menu. 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 revitalization. This becomes particularly clear every year on the Day of Repentance and Prayer, when Weicha hosts its Open Village Day. Dairy and pig farmers open their farms, offer guided tours, and sell samples of their products. The nursery hosts a Christmas sale, a carpenter showcases his work, the Weichaer Hof opens its doors and hosts a small market, and private initiatives sell handmade goods. Every year, around 4,000 visitors come to experience what rural life in our region is all about.
Ms. Symm, what are your hopes for the culinary future of Upper Lusatia?
Carola Symm: I hope that we’ll make even greater use of regional products. Upper Lusatia is a melting pot of Sorbian, Bohemian, and Silesian influences. It’s precisely this diversity that makes our cuisine so exciting. It’s worth preserving old recipes and developing them further with modern ideas. If we continue down this path together, Upper Lusatia can establish itself even more strongly as an attractive culinary destination.
To wrap up, a personal question: Where do you both like to eat when you’re not cooking yourselves or enjoying the dishes from your own restaurant’s kitchen?
Hagen Schmidt: I really like the Indian restaurant “Krishna” in Görlitz.
Carola Symm: I’m drawn to “Namu” in Altkötzschenbroda. A Korean family there cooks traditional Korean dishes. I love Asian cuisine, but I can’t prepare it authentically myself—which is why I enjoy it all the more there.
The apple juice roast from Weichaer Hof
Procedure
- Place the pork neck and the roughly diced vegetables in the
apple juice for 48 hours and keep in the fridge for this time. - Then remove the meat, dry it and season with salt and pepper. Then sear on all
sides. - Place in a roasting pan, add the vegetables with the apple juice and bay leaf.
- Cover and braise at 180 degrees for approx. 1.5 hours.
- Remove the roast, leave to cool slightly and cut into slices.
- Thicken the vegetable and apple sauce a little and pour over the roast. Bohemian dumplings or boiled potatoes go best with this. Enjoy your meal!