Meet Hans Rueffert | Chef, Author, Speaker, Podcast Host

We had the good fortune of connecting with Hans Rueffert and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Hans, can you tell us more about your background and the role it’s played in shaping who you are today?
I was raised above my family’s restaurant in downtown Jasper, GA. The Woodbridge Inn was an old railroad hotel & restaurant established in 1880 and has served as one of the community’s keystone businesses ever since. Living 13 steps above one of the region’s landmark restaurants meant that our entire lives revolved around the ebb and flow of the community and the guests; our happiness came with the deep, satisfying reward of making sure our guests were well taken care of. We hosted and were a part of birthdays, anniversaries, family reunions, engagements, wakes, political events, religious services, and more. When the city was locked in snow and ice, we fed the power crews, first responders, tow-truck drivers, nurses, and travelers unexpectedly trapped by Georgia’s ever-changing winter weather conditions. As a business, our primary focus was always on meaningful and honest hospitality. Everything else seemed to fall into place when we kept the customers’ needs as our navigation point. Rather than focusing on PROFITS, we chose to focus on PEOPLE; the profits became a byproduct of the guests’ overall experience. I’ve taken that philosophy and have let it be the cornerstone of everything I do, from being the culinary ambassador at The Old Mulehouse restaurant (in the very community that started it all for me) to public speaking around the globe, sharing what I’ve learned in the hopes of helping others.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I’ve been in the hospitality industry now for over four decades, so I consider myself a “lifer” in the field of catering to other people’s needs. Hospitality is less of a “job”, and more of a “lifestyle”, and it trickles in to every aspect of one’s life. If 2005, just two weeks after taping the finale of the Next Food Network Star Season 1,, I was diagnosed with Stage 3B stomach cancer. One moment I was at the top of my profession, the next…cancer. After 16 years and 15 major surgeries, I’m left with no stomach, no esophagus, no gall bladder, etc. That experience gave me such a rare sense of perspective, and I quickly learned that every cliche that you’ve ever heard is true: life is short, time is precious. Being somewhat physically challenged, I’ve learned to shift my focus from QUANTITY to QUALITY. Instead of feeding hundreds of people directly, I spend my time as a culinary ambassador, teaching and training the next generation of hospitality. I also am deeply involved with the Gastric Cancer Foundation, helping patients learn to live without a stomach. I host a nutritional video series called the Gesundheit Kitchen that highlights the connection between what we EAT and how we FEEL. Though the series is geared toward patients, the information in each episode is relevant to everyone. You can find those videos and read more about the GCF at: www.gastriccancer.org

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
In Atlanta proper: Breakfast/Lunch: R. Thomas in Midtown – deliciously healthy options in a funky, fun package…an Atlanta institution!
Dinner: The Optimist – I’ve never had an experience anything less than spectacular at this solid eatery; creative menu offerings, craft cocktails, inspired desserts, yet not the slightest bit pretentious
Dessert/Coffee: Cafe Intermezzo – the closest thing Atlanta has to a Viennese cafe…excellent

For the group – Krog Street Market – there’s something here for everyone, even the picky person

North of Atlanta:
Favorite gourmet/wine shop: Out of the Blue in Blue Ridge, GA. If I’m in need of some inspiration or looking for my “new favorite wine”, I’ll hop in the car and head straight to Blue Ridge and visit owner Sarah Auman. It’s worth the drive…

Lunch/Dinner/Bar – The Old Mulehouse in Jasper. You could say I’m biased, and you’d be correct! But if it wasn’t one of my favorite places, I would be failing in my attempts to help make it be YOUR favorite destination north of the city

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
My parents owned a series of audio cassettes by motivational speaker/author Zig Ziglar, called “Over the Top”. On extended car rides in our old diesel Mercedes wagon, our family would almost certainly spend some miles listening to Ziglar’s contagious enthusiasm for life, anecdotes, and witty one-liners. While my younger self might have rolled my eyes at the sound of Zig’s voice, his teachings absolutely became a part of my scaffolding, helping to create the person that I am today. My favorite mantra is this: “You get what YOU want out of life by helping enough other people get what THEY want out of life!”

Website: Www.hanscooks.com

Instagram: Hanscooks

Linkedin: Hans Rueffert

Twitter: @hanscooks

Facebook: Hans.Rueffert

Other: Www.butidigestpodcast.com Www.gastriccancer.org

Image Credits
Photos by: Ella Rueffert