From a queen-size bed to a wild meadow
Gisela Harrer is a globetrotter and herbalist. She produces exquisite syrups
for mocktails – and shares her in-depth knowledge with guests at the
Engelwirt Art Hotel in Berching during a workshop – whilst top chef
Tommy Schäfer creates a wild herb menu to accompany them
Hamburg, 2 July 2026 – Her life story reads like that of a globetrotter: in California, she crocheted Bavarian cardigans for luxury boutiques; in Switzerland, she worked in top-class restaurants; and in Iran, she watched as the Shah of Persia flew away in a helicopter with Farah Diba right before her eyes. In Munich, she subsequently moved in circles of the aristocracy and the jet set. Then came a financial turning point: Gisela Harrer fell from her queen-size bed into the car seat, lived for months in her red VW Golf and, back in her home region of the Upper Palatinate, reconnected with her family roots: her mother had passed on her knowledge of herbs to her, so she gathered wild herbs in the meadows – and successfully sold them to Munich’s top chefs: stinging nettles to Hans Haas at Tantris, wild garlic to Alfons Schuhbeck. Today, for example, the 78-year-old woman from the Upper Palatinate creates herbal syrups for mocktails and shares her knowledge of wild herbs in a workshop (9–11 October 2026) with guests at the Engelwirt Hotel in Berching – top chef Tommy Schäfer is creating a special wild herb menu to accompany it.
During the workshop, Gisela Harrer will lead a walk through the meadows of the Altmühl Valley, where wild herbs will be gathered. Back at the hotel, the focus is on how to use the ingredients and the various ways of preparing them. Gisela Harrer says things like: “More bitter compounds, please!” or “I’m as fit as a fiddle”. And as the afternoon progresses, she hands over the reins to Tommy Schäfer, who trained with Heinz Winkler in Aschau and is now, amongst other things, the in-house chef at the Engelwirt for special occasions. Together with the guests, he prepares a menu featuring wild herbs and shares tips and tricks on how to use them in the kitchen. What exactly will the menu look like? The 59-year-old, likeable chef does not yet wish to comment on this. He says: ‘It all depends on what can be found in the meadows.’
As well as nature, guests at the hotel can also immerse themselves in the finest culture: the Engelwirt is an art hotel par excellence. The fully restored 17th-century provost’s estate, with its total of 15 rooms and suites, was opened in 2024 by Michael and Stephanie Zink. Here, guests live with and amongst art. In Room Five, for example, you are greeted by two dogs in green uniforms who are rescuing a diver on the moon, whose outfit is reminiscent of Neil Armstrong’s. ‘Diver on Moon’ is a work by the French artist Gregory Forstner. In front of the piece stand two small green stools with illustrated books to browse through. Wherever your gaze falls: paintings and sculptures blend harmoniously with carefully selected designer furniture by Eames, Moormann, Wegner, Prouvé and Moroso, and with historic elements such as stucco ceilings, opulently carved oak doors and rose-shaped pointed arches. The Engelwirt is truly a treat for all the senses.
