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Johannes Nicolay
Manager and head chef at the vegan ‘Hotel Nicolay 1881’ (Zeltingen-Rachtig, Germany)
As the hotelier and chef behind Germany’s largest vegan hotel at the beautiful Mosel valley, Johannes has dedicated his life to bringing unforgettable culinary experiences to his guests from around the world.
Who is Johannes Nicolay?
Johannes realized for himself that he wanted his hotel and restaurant to be completely vegan
Inspired by the regional and traditional cuisine, vegan chef Johannes Nicolay creates flavorful creative dishes that bring his guests the authentic hearty feel German food is known for. But as a family-owned hotel that has been passed down from each generation since 1881, this change didn’t come easily.
Starting his career as a chef 30 years ago, Johannes would have never imagined becoming one of Germany’s most renowned vegan chefs.
Having worked in several gourmet restaurants all over Germany for many years, he decided to return to his home town and take over the management of his family’s hotel in 2009.
In 2012, he suddenly started questioning our traditional meat-based diet. At first, it was for health reasons, but then soon Johannes learned about the positive impact a vegan diet can have on our world.
From one day to the other, the hotel lost all of his former regular guests. After all, this seemed to most people like a clear break with traditions, something unheard of in the region.
After several years of struggling and rebuilding his hotel’s reputation, Johannes and his “Hotel Nicolay 1881” now stand for a modern and sustainable approach to hospitality and cuisine.
