Our Restaurant
We are a locally owned restaurant that focuses on creating beautiful and fresh dishes with ingredients from our Kansas City farmers. Our menu rotates seasonally, so what you enjoy today might not be on the menu next week. Why do we do this? Because we want to provide you with a contemporary farm-to-table meal that is homey yet sophisticated and elegant. We are a family owned restaurant and we aim for you to feel welcome and comfortable while you dine with us.
Our relationship with our farmers and small wineries is extremely important to us, and we dedicate ourselves to providing you with only the best products and produce.
Our beer, cocktail and wine lists are designed to match our menu and we are always happy to offer a pairing suggestion for you.
Owners, Martin & Katrin Heuser
Martin, Executive Chef
Martin discovered his love for cooking while working at his family’s restaurant in Bonn, Germany. The restaurant, “Im Steinhaus,” occupies an old stone building that dates back to the early 15th century and has been owned by his family for nearly 200 years.
Martin studied at the Steigenberger Hotel Management School and attended chef training at Hotel Bristol in Bonn. Among others he worked as a chef at the Operakaellaren in Stockholm, where he studied under renowned Chef Werner Voegeli. He earned a Master Chef Diploma and worked for two prestigious Michelin Star establishments before leaving Europe to follow his dream to live in Canada.
Once in Canada, Martin took a job with Le Crocodile in Vancouver, British Columbia, the top French restaurant in the city at that time. While in Canada, Martin competed in the Culinary Olympics in Erfurt, Germany, on Team Alberta, where he earned a bronze medal for his entry.
In 2007, Martin moved to Kansas City, Missouri, with his wife, Katrin, and their four children. In May of 2012, the family opened Affäre, a contemporary German restaurant located in the heart of the Crossroads’ art district. Martin’s passion lies in using all natural, farm fresh, seasonal foods and game meats, supporting local producers as much as possible.
Katrin, Sommelier
Katrin was born in southern Germany along the beautiful “Romantic Road,” an area of the country where rivers wind their way through vineyards and forests. She moved to Hong Kong as a child with her family where she lived for many years and was frequently exposed to international wines and foods. After her return to Germany, she met her husband Martin, and the two moved to Canada after Martin completed the Masterchef diploma.
After moving to Canada, Katrin studied Hotel & Restaurant Management in Vancouver, British Columbia, and worked for multiple fine dining establishments, where she soon discovered her passion for wines. She completed her sommelier diploma in Calgary, Alberta, through the International Sommelier Guild and worked in the field for many years before deciding to open her own restaurant with Martin in Kansas City, Missouri.
As a co-owner of Affäre, Katrin takes on many of the responsibilities that come with running a family-owned business. As the certified sommelier, Katrin meticulously chooses wines from all over the world that pair best with her husband’s ever-changing, farm-to-table dishes. All the wines on her wine list are from sustainably farmed vineyards.
She also ensures that the restaurant maintains the high standards of fine dining, yet at the same time, a welcoming environment that makes dining at Affäre feel like dining with family.