René Frank

Sweet dreams

René Frank is among the world’s most accomplished pastry chefs. The native German’s vibrant career spans over 15 years and prestigious postings in Europe and Asia. René is the head chef and co-founder of CODA (1* Michelin) in Berlin, Germany’s first and only desserts restaurant. Awarded a Michelin star in February 2019, CODA is the first restaurant serving only desserts to receive a Michelin star. Opened in late 2016, CODA is a journey around the world of modern pastry in seven courses. The dessert tasting menu is for a new generation of conscious diners: CODA’s dishes are designed to make guests feel comfortable and never tired. They are light, easy to digest and not calorie-high. At CODA, René only works with fresh products and no industrial products like white sugar. The kitchen reduces natural sugars in raw ingredients like organic fruits and vegetables, balancing them with the flavor profiles – sour, bitter, salty and umami – so that no dessert is overly sweet. CODA showcases René’s unique approach to pastry, blending classic technique with progressive interpretation, but also a philosophy that dessert can be more than just a final course. Time- and labor-intensive techniques yield full-blooded flavors with contrasting textures, creating a multi-sensory experience. A good example is his concept of working “bean to plate”: using raw cacao beans to have unlimited control over quality and flavor. Before CODA, René was Head Pastry Chef at La Vie (3* Michelin) in Osnabrück from 2010 to 2016. He played an instrumental role in the restaurant garnering its third Michelin star in 2012. In 2013, he was named German Pastry Chef of the Year by Gault Millau. Previously he worked at Michelin starred restaurants in San Sebastian, Switzerland, France and Japan. Since receiving one Michelin star in 2019, CODA has counted several more accomplishments, including 16 Gault Millau points and a Pastry Chef of the Year accolade for René from the German gourmet guide Feinschmecker. Barbara Woolsey