Viviane Geppert: How she cooks fresh and delicious despite stress

Profession, child, household – and then bring something healthy on the table every evening? TV presenter Viviane Geppert (34) knows exactly how challenging everyday life can be if everything is supposed to run at the same time. There is often little time for elaborate dishes between shooting, appointments and family life – and yet eating together plays a central role in her. So how do you manage to cook fresh, balanced and joy, despite a lack of time?

Your first cookbook was created from exactly this question. In “Quick & Tasty” (ZS Verlag, ET: July 2, 2025) Geppert gathered 50 creative recipes that go quickly, need little ingredients and still taste really good. In an interview with the news agency Spot on News, Viviane Geppert reveals how she remains organized in everyday life, which you pay particular attention to when cooking – and what dishes always go with your family.

Viviane Geppert: I honestly say it: it is often a bit of a balancing act and needs a lot of coordination. But I am very lucky that my husband and family support me well – without the dignity, not running so round. The key for me is definitely planning. I prepare a lot, have already cooked at noon or weekend and freeze things so that things can be done quickly in the evening.

I have actually only really learned that since I was a mother. In the past, I really enjoyed standing in the kitchen for hours in the evening and getting stuck – today it just has to go faster because there is a child who is hungry as soon as I come to the door. Planning and a bit of organization are everything!

And honestly: it is also totally okay if it doesn’t go perfectly. Then there is just a toast for dinner or even a frozen pizza – that is also part of it.

Geppert: My biggest tip: preparation is really everything. If you have a little more time – for example on weekends – simply cook and portion of ingredients such as garlic or onions. This saves a lot of stress and time during the week. It also helps a lot to keep an eye on the pantry and the refrigerator so that you can spontaneously conjure up something. In the time when you consider what you order and where, and then waiting for the delivery service, you have often cooked something fresh yourself – and mostly it is also healthier and more delicious. Plus: You save a few forgotten remnants from the fridge. And sometimes it’s really fun – especially if you know that you can just eat and put your feet up afterwards.

Geppert: Total! Cooking and eating got a completely new meaning for me. I find it incredibly nice to celebrate meals as a moment together – that was the case with us earlier at home: everyone is sitting together at the table, telling of the day, eating together. I absolutely want to pass on this tradition to my child. Sure, you automatically pay more attention to healthy, fresh ingredients and a balanced diet – but I’m not dogmatic. If I realize that my son is really in the mood for a certain dish, then there can be three days in a row. I think a relaxed attitude is as important as nutritional values ​​- in the end it counts that food is joy and connected. A good mix of healthy base and small exceptions – that is the goal for me.

Geppert: We actually don’t have real rituals – except that we try to eat together every evening. For us, this is a fixed moment in everyday life to get together, briefly breathe, to take the cell phone away and review the day. The little one is right in the middle of it, can help, look at curious and try everything he feels like – which I find totally beautiful. We are not so much about defined processes, but more about eating together is a moment for us as a family – without distraction, but with a real exchange.

Geppert: My husband is a huge fan of my Spaghetti Bolognese – that is his absolute feel -good meal. When he had a stressful day or just hanging through, I sometimes surprise him with it in the evening and I immediately notice how the mood rises. This is such a simple dish, but there is a lot of love in it – and it just works. I also often do it when friends are visiting because it is such a classic that everyone is happy about.

Our son loves my zucchini potato buffer – they really always go. And what I’m totally happy: he likes to try new things. I am very proud that he likes to eat olives as much as I am until today. I never thought that, but it shows me how important it is to introduce children to eat and try together early – often surprise you.

Geppert: For me, a good quick dish is one that works without stress – so little sneaking, simple steps and, above all, ingredients that I do not have to look for in three different shops – at best even in the refrigerator or storage cabinet anyway.

Of course, it should taste delicious, of course, but also a little fun, prepare it and you shouldn’t be in the kitchen for more than 30 minutes. After that you have a meal that makes you full and happy and maybe even used up a few remains.

This is exactly what I wanted to show with “Quick & Tasty”: You don’t need unusual ingredients or a lot of time to bring something really delicious, uncomplicated to the table.

Geppert: I am quite well equipped for spontaneous kitchen inserts. Pasta, rice, legumes, potatoes or rizoni are always in my closet – this is my culinary security leash. There are almost always eggs in the fridge, many cheese variants, butter and milk, and a small storage box is waiting in the freezer: portioned vegetables, broth in ice cubes, herbs, onions, garlic – everything that makes cooking easier. In addition, a few canned foods such as chickpeas, tomato passata or tuna, and I can bring something delicious on the table at any time. I then specifically buy fresh meat, fish or vegetables – depending on what we feel like. It is less about having everything in stock, but rather about being able to react flexibly. And that works quite well with a few clever basics.

Geppert: I think my motto in the kitchen is: easy to try, try it out, not be too strict with yourself. I totally cook out of my stomach – learning by doing hits it quite well. I rarely adhere to rules or rigid processes, for me cooking is more of a creative, emotional process. Actually, it is almost a bit ironic that I wrote a cookbook where suddenly everything is in grams and minutes – because I cook yourself completely freely myself. But I noticed that many people find that exciting and want to imitate my recipes. So I tried to write it all down – without losing fun and lightness. My kitchen philosophy is: stay curious, don’t be afraid of new combinations, do not constantly count calories – and above all: cook with lust and love. Then usually it tastes too.