The people of Mainz flock to Weinhaus Bluhm – because of Murielle! Actually, the popular restaurant should be called "Chez Murielle" – that would probably be more fitting. Weinhaus Bluhm, located in a 300-year-old crooked half-timbered house in the romantic old town, has a long tradition – and then Murielle came along in 2016! Together with her father Pierre, a legendary restaurateur in Mainz, they have not only spruced up the historic wine house – they have reinvented it.

The interior design is reminiscent of an Alsatian "Winstub," with Murielle's paintings adding artistic accents. French dishes with Rhine-Hessian influences delight guests, while the selected wines offer a vinological treat that wine lovers could wish for.

And Murielle? "I never run out of ideas!" she announces with her characteristic smile. With her cheerful manner, she is a "total work of art": the daughter of French parents, she was born in Neustadt an der Weinstraße in the Palatinate and grew up in Mainz. She studied linguistics in Vienna and worked as a simultaneous interpreter and speaker. She also trained in classical singing and acting.

For 15 years, Murielle performed on stage at the Burgtheater in Vienna, impressing audiences as a mezzo-soprano and actress—for example, in productions by Christoph Schlingensief. Cooking has been her passion since childhood. When the "singing chef" returned to Mainz to be with her father, she also excelled as a singer at the opera in Munich, where she cooked up a storm at premieres.

Her fine French cuisine shines with classic dishes such as Pierre's legendary fish soup or "steak tartare" – with meat from Rheinhessen. She also had the opportunity to showcase her culinary skills on camera in SWR cooking shows. On special occasions, Murielle cooks Vietnamese dishes that her grandfather brought back from Indochina.

She sources the wines selected to accompany these dishes from winemakers with whom Murielle has a personal relationship—from the Palatinate, Rheinhessen, the Rheingau, France, and the Nahe. She used to enjoy giving cooking classes in her show kitchen, but nowadays she hardly ever gets around to it. The "Quer durchs Bluhm" evenings are legendary: before the restaurant sometimes closes for a few days, there is a "leftover meal" with up to 15 courses of everything the refrigerator has to offer.

Anyone who stops by the Weinhaus Bluhm should not be afraid of contact. You may find yourself sitting a little closer together than usual. And if time allows and the mood is right, the "singing chef" may give you goosebumps late in the evening by performing a song or two: jazz, chansons, or Israeli songs.

You simply feel at home at Weinhaus Bluhm – just like the guests at Pieter Bruegel's "Peasant Wedding": the impressive print of the famous painting, reproduced with the permission of the Vienna Art History Museum, adorns the entire width of the second room of the wine bar. Art is omnipresent here: Murielle also has her paintings printed on bags. And in summer, guests sit outside "auf der Gass" (on the street) in true Rheinhessen style.

The Great Wine Capitals Best of Wine Tourism Award 2024 in the "Art and Culture" category goes to "Weinhaus Bluhm." The unique combination of wine, cuisine, and culture in a historic setting completely won over the jury.