What were you doing before you opened the Insel-Café in Sauzin five years ago?
I grew up in Schleswig-Holstein and, right after finishing school, completed an apprenticeship as a hotel manager on the island of Föhr. It was an exciting and busy time—my first time away from home. I really enjoyed the close-knit island life; everyone knew each other. Our hotel had a large hall where the islanders could hold their celebrations. So we were kept busy even in the winter. After that, I set out into the big wide world. My training opened many doors for me. First, I went to Munich; I worked in Switzerland, Wernigerode, Celle, and Augsburg. At the hotels where I worked, I held various positions, mostly as a housekeeper. In Switzerland, I worked at the Robinson Club, and then I signed on to work on cruise ships. In Augsburg, I opened a chocolate shop in the old town. There wasn’t anything like that there yet. It did very well, so I later opened another location.
That sounds like a colorful professional life in many different places…
I’m always amazed when someone has lived and worked in one place their whole life. It’s admirable. It’s different for me. I’ve traveled a lot for work. And sometimes I accompany my husband, who sails the seas as a captain, on long cruises. That’s how I’ve come to see quite a bit of the world. Australia and New Zealand have particularly fascinated me. But we’ve also traveled to India and Indonesia, South America, and the Nordic countries of Norway, Sweden, and Denmark. When I’m traveling, I always take a keen interest in the cake displays and take inspiration from them.
