Iconic chef Tim Mälzer (49) starts the fifth season of his VOX show "Kitchen Impossible" (also via TVNow) on February 9 (8:15 p.m.) and once again faces apparently insoluble culinary challenges in a duel with renowned colleagues around the world. It starts with the duel with star chef Christoph Kunz (34).
In further episodes, he will not only compete against favorite opponent Tim Raue (45) for the fifth time (March 29), but will also face the duel against Steffen Henssler (47) for the first time (March 22). In an interview with the news agency spot on news, Tim Mälzer revealed how the competition between the two Hamburg celebrity chefs went and how the two alpha animals of German cooking television relate to each other.
In the fifth season "Kitchen Impossible" numerous opponents are waiting for you again, including repeat offenders but also newcomers. How do you choose your counterparties?
Tim Mälzer: I am a friend of different characters, it's not just about culinary skills, it should be an overall concept, similar to mine. And my ambition is to put myself in the "David vs. Goliath" situation. I try to find opponents that I can't actually beat, who should be better in culinary terms than me, so the challenge is also a challenge.
Repeat offender is Tim Raue, who is there for the fifth time. How can you beat your favorite opponent?
Mälzer: With Raue, the greatest joy lies in burdening him emotionally and with psycho-terror. My former opponents Roland Trettl and Mario Lohninger came up with something special for us: we cook the same dish in the same kitchen for the same jury. With this, a direct comparison can finally be made and the excuses of my opponent can no longer apply. He always wails that supposedly some circumstances are responsible for not being able to rock the thing home.
Was it easier or more difficult to cook the same dish?
Maltster: Every minute you spend with Raue in a room makes it difficult. Of course, I always have a direct need to punch him in the face. That distracts from the focus on the court.
Among the duelists is the long-awaited opponent Steffen Henssler. Why did it take so long?
Mälzer: I should now give you Steffen's phone number. I suspect he knew he had something to lose. With his big snout and arrogance, he always claims that he is the far better cook professionally. Many can talk, but he also has to deliver. I then urged him to publicly agree and he could no longer free himself from the noose.
What was it like to cook against him?
Mälzer: The fair and almost gentlemanlike competition with Steffen was a lot of fun. It always gives the impression that we don't like each other because we don't miss any opportunities to talk badly about each other, but we do that out of friendly respect. Both Steffen and I have the characteristic that we don't hack at the weaker, but only at the stronger. This has been shown very nicely in this duel.
Your new opponent Max Strohe has already won against you. What did you learn from what you wanted to do better this time?
Mälzer: I took Max a bit lightly – arrogance comes before the fall. I celebrated too much for a little too little. This time I was almost too ambitious, which sometimes led to cramps that did not necessarily lead to success.
What was the worst experience for you this season?
Mälzer: This season runs under the motto "It (s) kalation" and not without reason. There were many unpleasant moments for me because my opponents now know that I can even cook very well. They got respect for my ambition and my abilities and unfortunately they were very well prepared and selected outstanding goals to make me cry – they did that.
And which country impressed you the most this season?
Mälzer: I found Uzbekistan fascinating. Generally I discover my love for the Eastern, Asian world. It is great experience that I can collect because there are still countries with their own identity and atmosphere. The beach in Italy and Spain is very similar. But I take something with me on every trip. My first impression was in Bad Zwischenahn: there is a production facility for rollators. But I discovered a nice corner with great specialties. In all my exuberance and arrogance, which I like to bring to light, I also feel a certain form of humility.
Are you soon tired of "Kitchen Impossible" or your ambition knows no limits?
Mälzer: I am sometimes tired during production. I could have made it easier to have a nice recipe show with prepared foods, in which I tell people how to cook. Instead, I always let myself be insulted and shown to the utmost. It is extremely emotional and exhausting for me, I really suffer from it. But every time I'm through, I'm proud that I pulled through and that I had the ambition not to show myself. It's kind of my "bet that?" and as long as there is no Lanz, I will continue to do so.