The Morel family: The dream of their own restaurant
It's sizzling, it's steaming, it smells: while chef Frédéric Morel takes the breads out of the oven, son Loïc crawls across the restaurant floor. Mother Elisabeth keeps a close eye on him while she talks about her favourite place. "It's here," she says, laughing and looking at her husband and son. And by "here" she means not only her restaurant Coeur D'Artichaut at the old fish market in Münster, but also Münster, the city centre itself, her flat right on Schlossplatz, the proximity to her family.
In 2019, the Münster native returned to Münsterland with her husband - a Frenchman, Breton to be precise - and in the meantime the Morel couple not only have a restaurant together, but also two sons. And it was precisely these reasons that brought them (back) to the region.
© Münsterland e.V./Philipp Foelting
© Münsterland e.V./Philipp Foelting
© Tanja Farwick
From France via Hamburg to Münsterland
Frédéric and Elisabeth met in Hamburg. There Elisabeth did her training as a hotel manageress and not only learned to love her job, but also met her future husband in the hotel kitchen: Frédéric. The dream of owning their own restaurant slowly built up in both of them - and became stronger and stronger over time. "And at some point in your life, other things become more important - you might not want to sit on the S-Bahn for an hour and a half a day," says the 30-year-old. That's why both of them increasingly set their sights on the city of Münster . "Here you get more of your life back," Elisabeth thinks.
But finding a suitable property in Münster from afar - not so easy. At some point, Frédéric and Elisabeth nevertheless quit their jobs in Hamburg, packed their bags and took the plunge. And they were lucky. Acquaintances told them about the rooms in the Old Fish Market and they jumped at the chance. They spent a few weeks renovating, then in October 2019 they opened their restaurant "Coeur D'Artichaut" and went into business for themselves. Only four months later, they secured the Michelin star. "Of course, that also makes us proud," Elisabeth tells us. "We worked hard for that." In the meantime, they have long since had loyal regular customers who also support them in the Corona period and regularly order food for home.
© Münsterland e.V./Philipp Foelting
© Münsterland e.V./Philipp Foelting
© Münsterland e.V./Philipp Foelting
Parallels between Bretons and Münsterlanders
And what does the Breton Frédéric think of Münsterland? "Münsterlanders and Bretons are not so dissimilar," says the couple. "A bit stubborn at first, but if you put in a bit of effort and show yourself, you eventually belong as a matter of course." True, his French homeland is still very important to the Breton. "But I don't mind if I don't live there anymore," he says.
Before coming to Hamburg, Frédéric had worked as a chef in England and Switzerland for several years. "People in Brittany have always been drawn out into the wide world," says the 33-year-old. "It's probably because of the Atlantic coast." Which he - admittedly - misses in Münsterland, of course. Instead, he lets his roots flow into the food. The focus is on his mother's classic Breton cuisine with delicacies from the sea and the land.
That's why his parents visit twice a year with all kinds of products from the region in their luggage. And apart from their own restaurant, the little family also likes to eat out in Münsterland itself - and appreciates everything from pizzerias to star cuisine. "The main thing is that it is made with love," they say - then it tastes good everywhere.
