FRIEDRICH
BELOUSSOW
When chef Friedrich “Fritz” Beloussow cooks, he translates whole landscapes onto a plate. His journey spans three countries: Born in Uzbekistan, Fritz moved to Germany in 1990, where he trained in the exacting discipline of classical French technique. It was here he worked in his first Michelin-starred kitchen. He arrived in New Zealand in 2022 and fell in love with a landscape so wild and specific it demanded an entirely new way of cooking, but one that could combine both nature and technique.
From 2024 to 2026, Fritz was Head Chef at Rātā Queenstown. Here he brought with him the Michelin-level standards to the restaurant’s journey. He worked with locally foraged ingredients, sourced exceptional Central Otago produce and forged close relationships with growers, farmers and fishermen. In June 2026, Rātā was awarded its first Michelin Star, recognising the standard Fritz helped establish during his time leading the kitchen.
In May 2026, Fritz chose to begin a new chapter. Now back in Christchurch, he is working on an exciting new culinary project while continuing to explore the philosophy that has come to define his cooking: one shaped by the landscapes, producers and seasons of New Zealand. As Fritz puts it, "Somehow, I feel this is only the beginning."
Every landscape has a flavour.
Every season has a story.
The day I stepped into a professional kitchen, I knew I’d found what I had been searching for.
For Fritz, the finest ingredients are shaped by the land, the seasons, and the people who tend them. His approach starts outside the restaurant entirely: walking orchards with growers, talking to fishermen, foraging through native bush. “Beyond techniques, what defines me is the way I work with people. I listen, I observe, I ask questions and discover a deeper connection to the place I now call home.”
That connection is what ends up creating the diners’ experience. Every dish carries the fingerprint of the person who grew it, caught it or foraged it. Hospitality, says Fritz, is simply the act of making sure that effort is felt all the way to the table.
