bernate.pages.dev

Hans rockenwagner biography

    •

Hans Röckenwagner was born in southern Germany in the late 1950s to parents who owned a restaurant there. After three years of schooling in the Black Forest, he apprenticed at the Michelin two-star Zum Adler restaurant near Basil, as well as other restaurants throughout France, Germany and Switzerland.  In 1979 at the age of 22, he was recruited by Jovan Tryboyevic to come to Chicago and work at his Le Perroquet restaurant.

In 1984, he moved to Los Angeles and in 1985, he opened Röckenwagner Café in Venice, California, and Fama in Santa Monica.   In 1991, the Venice building was sold, so Chef Hans moved Röckenwagner Café to Main Street in Santa Monica, in a building that was designed by Architect Frank Gehry.  In a corner of the café he had opened a little bakery, called Röckenwagner Bakery, and today it has expanded to stores and products throughout Southern California.

In 1996, Great Chefs Television was producing their Great Chefs – Great Cities series, and showed up on Santa Monica’s Main Street to tape Chef Hans Röckenwager preparing three dishes: a Langoustine Purse wi

    •

Born in our restaurant, baked in yours.

Röckenwagner Bakery understands the needs of chefs because we’re run by one. Our founder, Hans Röckenwagner, is a classically trained chef who has helmed acclaimed restaurants in Germany, Switzerland, Chicago, and Los Angeles. He is renowned for combining contemporary cooking styles and traditional techniques with the highest quality ingredients. Chef Hans has translated his understanding of restaurants and food-service into a Bakery attuned to meet their needs. He has created Röckenwagner Bakery with a relentless focus on innovation, quality, and freshness. His delicious breads and baked goods are crafted in a state-of-the-art baking facility in Los Angeles. Here, our team creates exceptional artisan breads and baked goods, 24 hours a day.

Download Our Brand Story

The trailblazing German native opened his first restaurant, Röckenwagner, in 1985 on Abbot Kinney Boulevard in Venice, California—years before the street was named the “coolest block in America” by GQ.

Identifying the need for finer artisan breads for the food indust

    •

JOHNNY HARLOWE

In 1962, Johnny Harlowe made the jump from the silver screen to chef and owner of Dear John’s. Convinced by his pal Frank Sinatra, Johnny opened the iconic spot just a ways down from Sony Studios on Culver Blvd. It became the watering-hole for the Hollywood elite with Sinatra often in the corner playing the piano against the dark brick walls once lined with portraits of famous John’s. Seasoned chefs and entrepreneurs Josiah Citrin and Hans Röckenwagner have teamed up to re-open Dear John’s with an updated classic American menu and old-school cocktail list.

 

Hans Röckenwagner is an award-winning chef, restaurateur, baker, author, TV personality, designer and carpenter.  He launched his first restaurant at the age of 24 in Venice, which served as a platform for numerous industry honors including the James Beard Rising Chef award, Gourmet Magazine’s Top 10 Restaurants and LA Weekly’s Top 10 Bakeries, among others.  In addition to Röckenwagner Cafe in Mar Vista, Hans founded The Röckenwagner Bakery Group, which provides a ful

Copyright ©bernate.pages.dev 2025