Austrian national Johannes Mayr has always been a food and wine connoisseur, and made his passion a profession when he entered the food and beverage business. With 15 years of professional experience in Food and Beverage operations, Johannes Mayr has not only shouldered important positions in a number of prestigious hotels worldwide, but he’s also developed a taste for the finer things in life. Apart from his interest in food and wine, Johannes is a passionate golfer and also likes to ski the slopes from time to time, that is, if he’s not listening to jazz or opera. Johannes likes a smooth sound, but as Agenda found out when questioning him about his perfect day, he’ll also be first in line the next time U2 comes to town.

My Perfect Day

For me, a perfect day in Beijing must start with a healthy breakfast to energize me! I’m not being partial here, but I think our Kempi Deli is perfect, as it’s renown renowned for its delicious pastry and also serves tasty breakfast variations. After a freshly brewed cup of coffee, I am ready to go an early-morning walk in Beihai Park, which helps to wake up even the last sleepy cells of my body. I love watching the groups of people practicing tai chi and dancing in the early morning. It’s fascinating to watch!

After this refreshing morning walk, I dive into the crowd at Beijing’s Panjiayuan antique market, where I make my way through the narrow corridors packed with antique furniture, decorations and art. This, of course, is hard work, and eventually my appetite leads me to Sanlitun, where I enjoy a delicious meal at Migas.

I am on the search for hidden gems and delicious places to eat, so I’ll spend the whole afternoon strolling though Beijing’s hutongs and dining areas. It’s not just a hobby, of course, but something that helps me with my job as well. New ideas and creations are crucial in the food and beverage business, and the vast scale of restaurants in Beijing always bring me great insights. So, on a perfect day, my search would lead me to a restaurant where I have not been yet and that is able to surprise me in a way that I would not hesitate to recommend it to anyone.

Come nightfall, it’s time to catch a show with friends at the National Center for the Performing Arts (NCPA). Beijing Opera is remarkable in its own way and is endlessly fascinating to me! A perfect ending to a perfect day would be to drive down to Houhai, where I’ll listen to jazz and enjoy a glass of wine while gazing out on the colorful scenery of the lake.

Kempi Deli 凯宾美食廊 Daily 7am-10pm. 1/F, Kempinski Hotel, Chaoyang District (6465 3388 ext 5741) 朝阳区凯宾斯基饭店1层

Beihai Park 北海公园

Daily 6.30am-8pm (Nov-March); 6am-9pm (April, May, Sept, Oct); 6am-10pm (June-Aug). 1 Wenjin Jie, Xicheng District （6403 1102) 西城区文津街1号 www.beihaipark.com.cn

Panjiayuan Antique Market 潘家园旧货市场

Mon-Fri 8.30am-6pm, Sat-Sun 4.30am-6pm. West of Panjiayuan Qiao, Chaoyang District (6775 2405) 朝阳区潘家园桥西边

Migas Restaurant and Lounge 米家思

Daily 10am-3pm, 5-11pm. 6/F, Nali Patio, 81 Sanlitun Lu, Chaoyang District （5208 6061） 朝阳区三里屯路81号那里花园6层

National Centre For The Performing Arts (NCPA) 国家大剧院

2 Chang’an Jie, Xicheng District (6655 0000) 西城区西长安街2号 www.chncpa.org

Houhai 后海

Di’anmen West Avenue 地安门西大街

East Shore Live Jazz Cafe 东岸咖啡 (Agenda’s Recommendation)

Daily 3pm-2am. 2/F, 2 Qianhai Nanyanlu (just to the west of the post office on Di’anmenwai Dajie), Xicheng District (8403 2131) 西城区地安门外大街前海南沿2号楼2层