Jan Hoffmann’s cuisine begins outdoors. He finds his inspiration in the woods, meadows and vineyards around Durbach – and it is here, at Makidan, that it comes to life. What ends up on the plate does not follow trends. It follows nature.

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Cuisine with character

Culinary-wise, Hoffmann moves between two worlds: the down-to-earth traditions of Baden and the rich variety of flavours from France, accessed via Alsace. Classic techniques meet a modern, light and ingredient-focused style – braised dishes with character, bold vegetable dishes, and meat from the rump rather than the fillet. The menu tells the story of its origins.

Mushrooms, game and berries from the Black Forest meet vegetables and fruit from the Rhine Valley, complemented by selected produce from nearby Alsace. The whole is refined by the delicate aromas of the forest: wild herbs from the forest edge, young spruce tips, juniper or pine needles, which lend the dishes a depth all of their own. Accompanied by our own fermented preparations, homemade stocks and artisanal signature elements. This is the essence of Black Forest Soul Food.

The menu changes daily because the produce demands it, not because the concept dictates it. Vegetarian dishes are a given, often vegan as well, always stand-alone and never intended as a side dish. The wine pairings come exclusively from Durbach.

Finding his own style

Jan Hoffmann completed his three-year classical chef’s apprenticeship at the Laubachsmühle restaurant in Altwied. This was followed by formative stints in top-tier gastronomy: from the renowned Hotel Adlon Berlin to the one-star restaurant Villa Merton in Frankfurt, where he worked as junior sous chef, and on to the three-star Amador under Juan Amador, where he honed his style as chef de partie. A stint on the MS Europa broadened his horizons.

Hoffmann took the decisive step in 2014 as head chef at the Seven Swans restaurant in Frankfurt am Main: in 2016, he earned his first Michelin star. In 2018, the restaurant switched entirely to a vegetarian menu – Hoffmann became Europe’s youngest vegetarian Michelin-starred chef and a pioneer of a cuisine that views vegetables and plant-based ingredients not as a limitation, but as a philosophy.

Following a creative break and a number of consultancy projects, he took over as managing director and head of catering at Villa Philippe in Kronberg from 2020 to 2022. From 2022 to 2023, he ran his vegetarian pop-up at the Seehaus in Munich’s English Garden, before moving to Schloss Neuweier in Baden-Baden as head of catering.

At a glance

Culinary training, Restaurant Laubachsmühle, Altwied
Hotel Adlon, Berlin
Restaurant Villa Merton (1 Michelin star), Frankfurt am Main – Junior Sous Chef
Restaurant Amador (3 Michelin stars) under Juan Amador – Chef de Partie
MS Europa
From 2014: Head Chef, Restaurant Seven Swans, Frankfurt am Main
2016: First Michelin star
2018: Switch to a vegetarian menu, Europe’s youngest vegetarian Michelin-starred chef
Creative break and consultancy projects
2020–2022: Managing Director and Culinary Director, Villa Philippe, Kronberg
2022–2023: Vegetarian pop-up, Seehaus in the English Garden, Munich
2023–2025: Culinary Director, Schloss Neuweier, Baden-Baden
Since January 2026: Head Chef, Restaurant Makidan, Hotel Ritter Durbach

Dein Job bei uns

Durbacher Rittersekt is poured into a two-tiered glass pyramid and poured lively next to the glass on the table.

Chef de Rang
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Eintrittsdatum: ab sofort

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Comfortably furnished restaurant with wooden furniture and warm lighting. The tables are decorated with glasses, napkins, floor lamps and flowers. Benches with cushions, large windows with curtains and stylish wall decorations. The atmosphere is inviting and elegant.

Stv. Restaurantleitung
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Eintrittsdatum: ab sofort

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A tray with a glass of red wine is held up by a person with a green glove. Three other hands try to take the glass.

Barkeeper:in
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Eintrittsdatum: ab sofort

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One person pours a dark sauce over a tower of fresh waffles garnished with raspberries, blueberries, currants and mint leaves.

Frühstücksmitarbeiter:in
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Eintrittsdatum: ab sofort

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Jan Hoffmann – Head Chef at Makidan

Cuisine with character

Finding his own style

At a glance

Dein Job bei uns