Staschi’s marinated braised beef or Staschi’s huge schnitzels: they are two dishes that attract a full canteen at the Schöneck-based company GK Software very quickly! “Staschi” is the nickname for the chef, Andreas Stasch.

He feels highly valued and this is reflected in the way that he prepares his food. He fine-tunes the dishes that he prepares himself with a great deal of love for detail – adding black chocolate or gingerbread or other secret ingredients to the marinated braised beef, for example.

“Staschi” says that he feels accepted at GK Software.

“I can let my creativity run wild, I feel accepted and enjoy a great deal of freedom. I thoroughly enjoy my work here.”

The 46-year-old chef has found real happiness here at Schöneck in the Vogtland region. He was born in Chemnitz, but is celebrating his 30th anniversary as a chef this year.

“I never wanted to do anything else and actually planned to work on board a ship after completing my training.”

Instead, he opted for what he calls a “honky-tonk tour” after the fall of the Berlin Wall; he worked in Bermuda, America and in the German town of Schwäbisch Hall for a fairly long time. He returned to Saxony in the late 1990s, but initially had problems getting adjusted to life in the Chemnitz area again.

“I missed the respect for my job then that I had experienced in other regions. I wanted to pass on my experience and the knowledge that I had gained and get involved. But my work didn’t seem to be worth very much.”

By chance and in a roundabout way, he arrived in Schöneck and found exactly what he had been looking for.

About 250 employees at GK Software visit the canteen and the cafeteria on working days. “Staschi” and his team look after them all day long.

“I liken our task to a painter’s. We redesign the picture, i.e. the menu, every day.”

He himself sets very high standards for his food. And he adds,

“People here at the technology company don’t look down on me, but regard me with appreciation. The work is challenging, but there are plenty of opportunities.”

Andreas Stasch believes that the Vogtland region could be more self-confident.

“You can live a wonderful life here – the scenery’s really beautiful and attractive. The local people could support their region much more and promote it in terms of tourism. You don’t have to search for long to find the attractions – you can find them during a cycle tour to the Vogtland Lake, a winter hike along the ridge pathway from Schöneck or a visit to Schneckenstein.”

And he adds, “We should learn to appreciate it much more.”

When asked how he copes with the winter in Schöneck, he replies, “Well, we didn’t have beautiful weather in Bermuda all the time either – if I think back to the hurricane season.”