Meeting with Stefan Stiller first time in Shanghai during one of our early and frequent visits to his Pop-Up restaurant in a food court in Xintiandi was quite joyful. Stefan Stiller is a nice person and also has an interesting vita. It was not always easy for him in Shanghai. But after so many years now, he is quite successful and well established.
I was given the chance to do a series of portrait photos for him, which I tried to vary a little. There are images, which point out the nice and friendly side of him and others, which serve the cliché of a dominating chef, which he definitely is not – as far as I can judge.
He earned 2 Michelin stars and successfully maintains them, which is not easy, especially when you operate a restaurant, which is not integrated into a first class restaurant. Just now in fall 2021 he received his 3rd star for the Shanghai restaurant and already 2 stars for the Guangzhou restaurant only five month after opening it.
He has a stable base of returning clients and his cuisine is excellent – what else could you expect. Tried his dinner menu and I can highly recommend. By now he is expanding to Guangzhou and also operates related consulting businesses.
During the shooting at his Shanghai restaurant he revealed planning a book about his life and career as a chef. And he definitely has something to tell! We agreed to shoot a few more portraits with him, telling his story, which he might want to use in his book.
If you want to know more about him, why don’t you not just book a table at his TAIAN TABLE restaurant and ask him yourself. Its worth it!