A Journal of Food & Culture Places
Places
that stay
with you.
A journal exploring the many ways we experience and enjoy life. From good food and remarkable places to music and the people behind it.
Through interviews and features, I explore the stories beneath the surface. I want to understand what drives people and what lies behind what we see at first glance.
Stories in the journal
Latest Stories
The Journal
In Conversation
I’m interested in people who follow their own path. In conversation, I want to understand what motivates them and which experiences have shaped their lives. It’s not just about their achievements, but also about the decisions behind them.
Interview · Chocolate
Julia Zotter.
Julia Zotter on leading the family business, the challenges of making vegan caramel, sourcing cocoa from 15 countries and learning to let go in Shanghai.
Interview · Music business
Florian Janoske.
From a band on the verge of breaking up to a number-one album on their own label. Florian Janoske on Versengold, Sony and the business of independence.
Interview · Hospitality
Nikola Reiter.
Nikola Reiter on running a family-owned resort, making decisions for future generations and creating something that can’t be bought: time.
No Compromise
Alcohol-free drinks don’t need to be measured against wine or beer. In this series, I explore drinks with an identity of their own and how our understanding of enjoyment is changing.
Episode 5
Drink · Hospitality
The Zero.
Can alcohol-free wine truly compete with the original? Four wines from The Zero reveal why sparkling varieties succeed where still wine struggles.
Episode 4
Drink · Hospitality
Sparkling Tea.
Master Sommelier Alex Koblinger on Sparkling Tea, the growing role of no- and low-alcohol drinks and why the best pairings don’t need to imitate wine.
Episode 3
Interview · Fine Dining
Vitus Winkler.
Two-Michelin-starred chef Vitus Winkler on wild herbs, fermentation and the creative possibilities of alcohol-free pairings in fine dining.
Episode 2
Drink · Aperitif
Verjus Is Back.
Made from unripe grapes, verjus is finding a new place in the glass. A look at Raureif, Biohof Kobatl and an alcohol-free aperitif with an identity of its own.
Episode 1
Drinks trend
Zebra Striping.
Alcohol-free wines, Sparkling Tea and hop-based drinks at Rolling Pin Convention 2026. The trend has arrived, but is the hospitality industry ready?
Features & Essays
Some subjects deserve a closer look. Here, I write about what I encounter along the way and explore questions that reach beyond a single moment.
Essay · Plant-based cooking
*can be made vegan
Why plant-based cooking works best when it isn’t treated as a special case. On separate vegan menus, subtraction instead of recipes, food costs and the vegan corner at the breakfast buffet.
Essay · Children & Food
Is That Good Enough for You?
Why does all that care so often stop where the kids’ menu begins? On fries next to lamb kleftiko, children as the most honest critics and small portions from the regular menu.
Feature · Food fair
A Taste of Time.
A Sunday at Vienna’s Gault&Millau Genussmesse. Memorable dishes, limited time slots and a search for sophisticated alcohol-free pairings.
Feature · Festival
What Remains of MPS?
In 2026, an era comes to an end at Mittelalterlich Phantasie Spectaculum. As the major bands leave, could MPS rediscover something it had lost?
Feature · Charity
Fest der Sinne.
A charity afternoon at Schloss Kornberg in support of Austrian Cancer Aid: regional cuisine, a raffle and good company against the atmospheric backdrop of the castle.
Essay · Detox & society
The Longing for a Reset.
Why our longing for detox often has less to do with the liver than with the pressure to optimize ourselves. On rest, recovery and the question of what we really need.
Portrait · Permaculture
A Garden Full of Flavour.
A visit to Michelin-starred chef Peter Fankhauser in the Zillertal Valley. A permaculture garden with 800 seed varieties, fermented leek ash and a dish inspired by sunflowers.
Places & Hospitality
A place is more than its design or facilities. I’m interested in the people behind it and the ideas that shape it. Here, I write about hotels and restaurants, as well as smaller discoveries away from the familiar routes.
Feature · Coffee & Ceramics
When Coffee Becomes Art
Tucked away in Rovinj’s old town, Tunï Gallery is a small gallery with a coffee bar: porcelain that preserves landscapes and cold drip that is sold out when it is sold out.
Hotel portrait · Cyprus
Stillness as a Concept.
How the Alion Beach Hotel creates room for quiet in the middle of Ayia Napa, through understated service, easy family time and hospitality without performance.
Family story · Kids Club
Finest Family and the Lava Lamp.
Homemade lava lamps, orange hands and a little creative chaos. Why the Kids Club is one of the reasons Finest Family Resort works so well for our family.
Hotel portrait
Home Away from Home.
Four children, a missing cuddly toy and, surprisingly, time to relax. Why Finest Family Resort makes a family holiday feel like a holiday for everyone.
About the Author
I want to know
what’s behind it.
I’m Nadine Nissen, a freelance journalist. Food was my starting point for a long time, but my curiosity has always reached further.
Today, I enjoy writing about music just as much as remarkable places. What connects these interests is my curiosity about why people do what they do and the stories that emerge from it.
More about me
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