My greatest and most important source of inspiration are always seasons with their best ingredients. I enjoy using lamb and chicken from my trusted farmer as well as vegetables, herbs and flowers from the gardens and fields in my surroundings. I always leave some space also for some exotic accents which are result of my travels or working experiences accumulated as a young chef in Japan, Dubai and Greece.

Autumn is for me a season of pure and rich flavours. It is time when nature reaches its maturity and gets ready for the winter sleep. It is period of intense decisive flavours with added creaminess.

I like to sometimes surprise my guests with some dish created around an ingredient which is not very common on the finest tables. I tickle their curiosity by combining such an ingredient with something precious which makes the experience more inviting.

My chosen autumnal dish is made with lamb’s tongue which is slowly cooked in its own gravy, cut in very thin slices and finished with Jerusalem artichokes prepared in two different ways. Jerusalem artichokes give the dish a seasonal regional frame.

As the luxurious part of autumn is added white truffle in two forms – shaved and included into a veloute with grated Comte cheese which gives to the dish balance and power. The complexity of this dish with earthy and spicy flavours creates a nice harmony between the less sophisticated tongue and the luxury truffles and offers a wonderful journey for the taste buds.

Sven Elverfeld, Aqua (Wolfsburg, Germany)