In addition to her busy life as a psychologist and mother, Meike Krüger prefers to spend every spare minute in the kitchen. She also loves to travel the world for new cooking ideas. Everything you finally put on the table, you share on Instagram (Tweet embed).

Her first cookbook was published this week: full table. Each chapter focuses on a different country – from France and Italy to Korea and Peru – and Meike teaches you how to fill an entire table with delicious dishes in no time. In Krüger, dishes are not served one by one, no, everything is served at the same time.

Why put all the dishes on the table at the same time?
“Only at the beginning of the nineteenth century, when the first restaurants appeared, was cooking in courses for the first time. Because this was more manageable for the kitchen. Until then, everything was served at once, and this was French-style service the name of the thing. This way you can show what you have. A full table symbolizes prosperity. This was later replaced by Service à la russe: Serve dishes in separate courses. “

At home we also started playing the restaurant this way. While in many countries it is not even eaten in the aisles, everything is laid out on the table as such. You see this a lot in Asian cuisine. In China, dishes are placed on the table as soon as they are ready.”

And you want to take us back to French-style service?
Yes, because if you serve in the corridors, conversations are constantly interrupted and guests have to wait a lot. In addition, everyone sees whether you eat a dish or not. Maybe people don’t like it at all, but they don’t dare say it and eat it anyway. If you put different dishes on the table, everyone can choose for themselves. Also ideal for people with different dietary requirements. And so cute for the kids, they don’t have to sit at the table all evening.”

It is also much nicer for the hostess or hostess. You are not in the kitchen all the time and you can sit back and enjoy it. I was always busy with various courses during dinner and next steps. I would only rest with dessert, when everything worked out.”

But everything should be ready at the same time. How do you deal with that then?
“It all has to do with good planning. Stress is not fun for anyone, neither yourself nor your guests. So start preparing on time. Shop early. Many home cooks do it on the same day as dinner. I would never, ever, I always get tired when the groceries come.”

For example, things that require a little more labor to make, like dumplings, arancini, or piroshki, I make on Sunday afternoons for free and freeze. You can also make larger portions of dishes such as curries and stews. You can also just freeze it. When guests come, I put cold dishes on the table first. Then those out of the kitchen and out of my head. Only then will I cook or fry. “

Can you just make dishes on Wednesdays for yourself or the family?
Of course, each dish can also be cooked separately. After a busy working day, you do not have to fill the entire table, you can also choose two or three dishes. And if people call on Wednesday wanting to come over and eat on the weekend, you can still organize a successful dinner. There are many dishes that you can make more of. Then you still have a full table full. I want everyone to be able to organize a dinner in a comfortable way.”

Banquets are divided into countries. Which kitchen do you like the most?
I am a big fan of Chinese cuisine, especially Sichuan cuisine. In addition, Thai food makes me very happy, because of the fresh and spicy flavours. But there is a different kitchen for every occasion. When your daughter goes on a trip to Peru, you make a Peruvian dinner. Russian dinner is perfect for walking all the time in the evening because all the dishes can be on the table for hours. But it just depends on what country you are nostalgic about or how you feel.”