Frédéric Morel: A Personal Culinary Identity at Cœur D’Artichaut

From Family Roots to Gastronomy

Can you give us a short introduction with your name, location, how long you've been a chef, and at which restaurant you currently work?

My name is Frédéric Morel, living in Münster, Germany and owner/chef of the restaurant Coeur D’Artichaut.I’ve been a Chef since 2003

Can you tell us a bit about your journey in the culinary world? How did you start, and what inspired you to become a chef?

My journey in the culinary world started very early. I grew up in a French family where food was always an important part of everyday life. Cooking, sitting around the table and sharing good products were simply part of our culture. My father is from La Réunion, so I was also exposed to very different flavours and culinary traditions from an early age.

I became a chef because I realised that cooking brings together everything I enjoy: craftsmanship, creativity, products, people and the possibility of constantly learning something new. My career then took me through different kitchens and experiences, each of which taught me something different and shaped the way I cook today.
Over the years, I became increasingly interested in expressing products in my own way rather than simply reproducing what I had learned. This eventually led Elisabeth and me to create Cœur D’Artichaut in Münster in 2019.

Today, I see my cooking as a combination of my French roots, the places and people that have influenced me, and the products I discover along the way. I am still inspired by the same thing that fascinated me in the beginning: the idea that a simple product can become something memorable through knowledge, precision and emotion.

A Cuisine Shaped by Products and Memories

What is your philosophy when it comes to cooking and creating new dishes?

For me, cooking is first and foremost about the product. I want to understand where it comes from, what makes it special and how I can express its character as clearly as possible.

When creating a new dish, I rarely start with a technique. I start with an ingredient, a memory, a place or a combination of flavours that inspires me. From there, I try to find the right balance between creativity and restraint: adding what is necessary, but removing everything that does not contribute to the idea.

I also believe that fine dining should still be emotional. A dish should not only be technically precise; it should create a feeling, tell a story or perhaps remind you of something from your own past. For me, the best dishes are those where you can recognise the product immediately, but experience it in a new way.

Could you share the story behind one of your signature dishes?

One of my signature dishes is inspired directly by my father and his roots in La Réunion.

My father used to cook a very simple dish of sardines with tomato and massalé – a spice blend that is characteristic of Réunion cuisine. Massalé is related to Indian masala, but has its own identity and, for me, a more fruity and aromatic character. It is a dish I grew up with and one that carries a lot of personal memories.

For our version at Cœur D’Artichaut, I wanted to keep the soul of my father’s dish while translating it into my own culinary language. We grill the sardine and combine it with tomato, ginger, pickled shallot, herbs, Tomato Beurre Blanc and a massalé emulsion. Puffed rice adds a delicate texture and recalls the simplicity of the original dish.

The idea was never to make the dish more complicated just for the sake of it. It is about taking something very personal and familiar and giving it a new expression through technique and precision, while keeping the flavours that make it meaningful to me.

For me, this dish is therefore much more than a sardine dish. It is a connection between my father, La Réunion, my childhood and the cuisine I create today.

A Restaurant Built on Connection

Can you describe the concept of your restaurant and what makes it unique?

At Cœur D’Artichaut, our concept is rooted in a close connection between the kitchen, the team and our guests. Since opening in 2019, we have had an open kitchen, and our chefs personally bring all of the dishes to the table and explain the ideas behind them. For us, this creates a direct and very personal connection with our guests.

Our cuisine is strongly influenced by our French roots, but also by the places, people, memories and products that have shaped us. We change our menu every month, which allows us to constantly work with the seasons and to follow new ideas and products rather than being tied to a fixed repertoire.

What makes the restaurant particularly special to us is that we don't want to create a barrier between fine dining and the guest. The experience should be precise and ambitious, but at the same time warm, personal and approachable.

Ultimately, Cœur D’Artichaut is about more than the food itself – it is about sharing our passion, our stories and our way of cooking directly with the people sitting at the table.

Recognition for the Whole Team

What does winning the JRE 2026 Award mean to you and your team?

Winning the JRE 2026 Award means a great deal to us because it is a recognition of the work of the entire team. In a restaurant like ours, nothing is achieved by one person alone. Every dish, every service and every detail is the result of many people working together with passion and dedication.

For me personally, it is also a wonderful confirmation that the path we have chosen with Cœur D’Artichaut – combining ambitious cuisine with a very personal and direct connection to our guests – is being recognised.

Most importantly, the award gives our team a great sense of pride. It is something we can celebrate together, but also motivation to keep developing, to stay curious and never stop questioning what we do.

We are very grateful to JRE for this recognition and, above all, to our team and our guests who make Cœur D’Artichaut what it is.

Passing on the Craft

What advice would you give to aspiring chefs who want to follow in your footsteps?

My advice would be to stay curious and never stop learning. Learn the fundamentals properly, understand products and techniques, and be willing to work hard. The years spent in different kitchens are incredibly valuable, because every chef, every team and every experience can teach you something.

At the same time, I would encourage young chefs not to simply copy the people they admire. Take inspiration from them, but gradually find your own voice. Your background, your memories, your experiences and even your mistakes can become part of what makes your cooking unique.

And perhaps most importantly: don't forget why you started cooking in the first place. The restaurant business can be demanding, but cooking should still be about passion, generosity and sharing something with other people. If you keep that at the centre of what you do, the rest can develop over time.