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Gastronomy by Design with Gaggenau
Gaggenau’s appreciation of design is ingrained in its ethos, whether that’s recognising traditional skill in its European headquarters or on a tour of Salone del Mobile and Vitra Design Museum.
Located just outside the town of Gaggenau in western Germany is the Black Forest. Recognised for its charming alpine villages, tightly packed evergreen pine trees and links to the Brothers Grimm, this mythical place served as the backdrop to a recent trip hosted by luxury appliance company Gaggenau, which explored its 340-year heritage and ties to the region through craftsmanship, gastronomy and storytelling.
Kicking off in Milan during Salone del Mobile, Gaggenau presented The Elevation of Gravity at the iconic Villa Necchi Campiglio. The immersive architectural presentation – amplified by a performance from a contemporary dance troupe and food prepared by chefs using Gaggenau’s products – conveyed a new benchmark for integrated appliances through a design-focused lens.
The next stop was the Vitra Design Museum in Weil am Rhein, Germany, where the emphasis on excellent design continued. Site-specific buildings – designed by Tadao Ando, Frank Gehry, Zaha Hadid, Álvaro Siza and Herzog & de Meuron among others – culminated in a singular architectural experience, bearing a philosophy redolent of Gaggenau’s design language. “The reason we go on these trips is to really convey the value of the brand,” says Skyler Stevenson, Gaggenau’s senior product and marketing manager. “Our clients are buying more than just an oven. They’re buying European-made craftsmanship and know-how.”
A visit to the Gaggenau factory in Lipsheim, France – where guests forged their own nails using traditional techniques – drove home the depth of this industrial heritage. Across the factory floor, emphasis is placed on the human touch, whether that’s hand polishing or guiding a laser cutter, and there’s only one fully automated machine. From this airy 1930s-era building, components are produced, meticulously pieced together by skilled artisans and rigorously tested before being delivered to clients’ homes and professional kitchens alike.
For interior designer Jennifer Miller, seeing this first-hand reinforced the company’s authenticity and attention to detail. “We got to see behind the curtain, so to speak, and the pride that everyone showed – from the people who served us lunch at the factory to those who put the appliances together – really came forward,” she says. “As a designer specifying these pieces, it gives me confidence that Gaggenau is the real deal.”
Artisanal skill and gastronomy emerged as Gaggenau’s linchpins; so, too, did hospitality and finesse.
Gaggenau’s gastronomic bent, which stems from its appreciation of the art of cooking and belief in championing culinary excellence – from the quality of the ingredients to an oven’s mechanics – is reflected in its partnership with the Michelin Guide. A slew of food-focused moments across the four-day trip cultivated this idea, including lunch at Michelin-starred Lucide restaurant in Switzerland, along with another Michelin-starred meal in a hilltop castle and a rustic, regional dinner enjoyed to a performance of local musicians.
Artisanal skill and gastronomy certainly emerged as Gaggenau’s linchpins; so, too, did hospitality and finesse, and guests left the Black Forest not only taken by the company’s genuine legacy, but with their thirst for design – and their tastebuds – well and truly quenched.
