From the track to the kitchen: after her sporting career Kati Wilhelm fulfilled a culinary dream. In her restaurant Heimatlon a Valoriani wood-fired oven takes centre stage — used for distinctive Urfladen, meat dishes and an open-kitchen experience.
Why open a restaurant?
Kati enjoys dining out herself — preferably in a relaxed setting and, if possible, outdoors. After returning to Thuringia she wanted to bring impressions from her many years of travel in biathlon into a place where locals and visitors can feel at ease and unwind. Moving into a new field was both a challenge and a labour of love.
What’s special about the wood-fired oven at Heimatlon
Choosing a wood-fired oven was almost accidental — classic pizza was not the primary focus. What mattered to Kati was the guest experience: an open kitchen with real wood fire creates atmosphere and intimacy. Guests can watch their dishes being prepared, follow the work of the cooks and hear the crackle of the fire.
At Heimatlon this produces the restaurant’s own Urfladen — sometimes traditional and rustic, sometimes inventive, but always with regional, seasonal ingredients and many homemade components. According to Kati, the open fire on a stone floor gives a particular aroma; the dough becomes crisper and airier. Besides Urfladen, steaks and other meat dishes are cooked in the oven. Occasionally Kati even invites school classes or kindergarten groups for joint baking sessions — at Christmas they sometimes bake biscuits together.
Tips for home cooks using a wood-fired oven
Kati’s advice: when baking with wood, plan for several people or make extra to keep in reserve. Once the target temperature is reached, the oven can be used for hours. At first it’s worth experimenting to learn the right timing and temperature for the result you want.
Who Kati most likes to cook for
Kati most enjoys cooking for family and friends — sharing a meal together matters most to her. In the restaurant she leaves day-to-day operations to the kitchen team, which delivers consistent quality even under pressure. Cooking on a wood-fired oven also makes for a great social event in a private setting.
Recipe: Steinbacher Urfladen
Zutaten für den Urfladenteig
- 200g wheat flour
- 100g rye flour
- 100ml water
- 100ml milk
- 1Pckg. dried yeast
- 20g sugar
- 15g salt
- 25ml balsamic vinegar
- 50ml sunflower oil
Zubereitung
Mix the flours, sugar and salt and knead with the remaining ingredients into a soft dough. Let the dough rise for 90 minutes at 26 degrees, then divide, roll out and top as desired.
Belagideen
Sour cream and Gouda form the base. Kati’s recommendations:
- Pan-fried green asparagus, beef ham and red onion
- Chopped mixed vegetables, caramelised sunflower seeds and fresh green herbs
Further ideas can be found in Kati’s "The Heimatlon Cookbook".
One more tip from the editors
Anyone planning to cook on a wood fire at home or in a professional kitchen benefits from good advice — for example on oven type, fuel and intended uses. Our range includes proven wood-fired ovens such as models from Valoriani; we’re happy to help with selection and implementation.
