Flashback to 2017, and Hermes Gehnen’s university classmates were planning conventional careers in medicine and research, and he was conducting a very different kind of experiment – one that would eventually earn him the trust of Michelin-starred chefs around the world. N25 started with curiosity, a mini-fridge, and what his peers politely called an “interesting obsession.”
While you were pulling all-nighters, arguing about whose turn it was to take out the trash, and mastering your beans on toast, Hermes Gehnen was experimenting with maturing caviar – right next to his textbooks.
“Right,” Hermes laughs at the memory, “In 2017, I was studying biology. So while most of my peers were focused on becoming doctors, scientists, or researchers, I was starting N25 Caviar right there in my dorm room.” He also admits to a growing fascination with Michelin-starred restaurants, which he had the chance to visit from time to time.
An Interesting Obsession
Most of his peers didn’t share the interest. Lots didn’t even know what caviar was. “I guess some thought it was an interesting obsession,” he shrugs, “and they sort of knew it was a niche product…but not much else.”
While teenage hobbies usually fade away, Hermes Gehnen’s passion intensified. Today, N25 Caviar commands respect from culinary luminaries like Jan Hartwig, whose latest venture, Jan, earned three Michelin stars in 2023. “I can rely on N25 CAVIAR for absolute consistency in quality,” Hartwig has said – high praise from someone at the pinnacle of fine dining.
Building A Brand Like N25 Caviar Takes Time
So, it’s safe to say, Hermes doesn’t have too many regrets.
“Looking back, it was the right move to start the brand back then,” Hermes nods. “If I could meet the 2017 version of me, I’d remind him that building a brand takes time – growth can feel painstakingly slow sometimes – but progress, no matter how gradual, and genuine recognition are the things that really last.”
They’d probably catch up over a round of golf. Hermes plays competitively, and he’s come to consider the production of fine caviar as having the precision of a good golf swing. “Every swing requires patience and precision because even the smallest mistake can change the outcome,” he muses.
Setting Out To The Source
You can picture him, fresh-faced and just out of university, pitching his caviar to elite chefs. “That feels scary when I think back on it now,” he widens his eyes.
Being young can have its advantages, he came to learn. “I’ve always believed respect and sincerity transcend age,” he says.
His innocence and inquisitiveness helped in many ways, and he had some time on his hands. So, when he discovered the best caviar was coming from China, he set out to discover the source. “I approached the farmers with genuine curiosity, wanting to understand why so many Michelin-starred European restaurants use Chinese caviar,” he remembers, “spending time with them, researching, and building long-lasting relationships.”
He discovered that reputations around cheap and inauthentic Chinese products hid the true story. At the caviar farms he visited, innovative farming techniques were being used. “Consumers used to be cautious about products from China,” he agrees, “but technological advances have boosted efficiency and quality across agriculture, manufacturing, and luxury products.”
Redefining What Perfect Caviar Could Be
Those visits helped Hermes articulate his mission: “never simply to produce caviar, but to redefine what perfect caviar could be.” They also gave his fledgling brand a name, N25, which refers to the location of those first caviar farms he visited.
Product sourced. A perfectionist mindset honed on the golf courses of Europe. And a name, N25, to call his caviar. The next phase was to fundamentally change the way caviar is produced, “from pre-selecting it, to aging it, and grading it to meet the highest standards.”
“That level of precision and patience gives us full control, and my goal has always been to push the boundaries of caviar production and enhance the dining experience.”
Selecting Sturgeons
That means Hermes and the team, based out of their HQ in Munich, select the oldest sturgeons, with the biggest, fattest, high-quality roe. They harvest the roe and quality check it, then employ a unique recipe to age it – one that may vary slightly depending on the species.
“Most caviar on the market is sold fresh, simply cleaned and salted, which can lead to one-dimensional, salty flavors,” Hermes explains. “Our aging process deepens the flavor, bringing out nutty, rich, umami notes.”
It’s a rigorous process. Every batch is graded by color, texture, aroma, salinity and flavor, “with no shortcuts.” Then it reaches discerning restaurants: Jan Hartwig’s Jan, the three Michelin-starred Zén in Singapore, the two-star Da Terra in London, es:senz by Edip Sigl, and Waldhotel Sonnora by Clemence Rambichler, giving Hermes “many fun stories to tell from restaurants around the world.”
“At Zén, Singapore, guests are introduced to an ice display featuring the ingredients on the menu, including N25 caviar,” Hermes marvels, his products now showcased in the Michelin restaurants he used to revere while he was at university.
Their level of storytelling is especially valuable, helping guests understand the dedication and exacting standards that go into the caviar that will appear in their dishes. Like the pike dumpling with caviar butter that Jan Hartwig serves, presented in a caviar beurre blanc, in which “the simplicity lets the caviar shine,” or the baba dish served by Rafael Cagali at his restaurant, Da Terra – a deconstructed dessert featuring a cachaça-soaked madeleine, pistachio ice cream, and N25 Kaluga-hybrid reserve caviar, where the aged, salty, nutty, and savory flavors take center stage.
One Perfectly Produced Tin Of N25 Caviar At A Time
His peers didn’t quite understand the obsession back when he was in university. Today, the world’s most discerning palates do — one perfectly produced tin at a time.
“Okay, that’s not entirely true,” Hermes admits. “I had one friend at university who was a real foodie. He started helping me. And after we graduated, he joined the team full-time. He’s now head of our German office, managing production, staff, imports, and exports, which makes me really happy because we’ve been friends since the very beginning.”
Seven years later, Michelin-starred chefs rely on the product, and Hermes still approaches each batch with the same patience and precision he brings to every golf swing. Some obsessions are worth keeping, and maybe a friend as well, from back in the day.
Wink Hotels' is a new kind of Vietnamese hotel made for the modern traveler and ready to take on the world.