Thomas Hensel

Chef at Weingut Hensel and Professor für Kunst- und Designtheorie of Hochschule Pforzheim: Thomas Hensel holds two positions that demand different forms of discipline. One is built on the routines of service and production; the other on teaching and theoretical work in art and design. Put together, they show a practice that moves between applied craft and intellectual framework without losing clarity. At Weingut Hensel, the work remains tied to Bad Dürkheim and to the estate’s own sense of place.

The shape of this career is measured rather than theatrical. As chef, Thomas Hensel works in a setting that rewards precision and restraint, while the professorship at Hochschule Pforzheim adds a second register to the same professional profile. The result is a practice marked by balance, attention to form, and a methodical relation to both making and thinking.

At Weingut Hensel, he works from Bad Dürkheim. That line points to a working life anchored in place. Bad Dürkheim is not just the backdrop to Thomas Hensel’s current role; it is the operational center from which the work at Weingut Hensel proceeds. The estate gives the position a direct link to wine country, hospitality, and the pace of the region. His present work is rooted there,

Thomas's signature dishes include Aufwind, Höhenflug, Ikarus, Aufwind Weißwein Cuvée, and Grüner Veltliner "Aufwind" trocken. Read as a group, those names point to a vocabulary built around lift, motion, and control. Aufwind, Höhenflug, and Ikarus suggest upward movement; Aufwind Weißwein Cuvée and Grüner Veltliner "Aufwind" trocken bring that language back into the specific terms of wine and style. The sequence is tight and recognisable, and it ties the signature directly to Thomas Hensel’s work at Weingut Hensel.