Here’s our list of the best chefs in Berlin this year. But first, let’s talk about Berlin. Well, the country’s popular tourist destination. Though most travelers often go here to experience the country’s nightlife, arts, and culture. Plus, many often go here to visit the country’s museums. However, some of us know just a little about Berlin and its culinary industry.
Sure there’s Oktoberfest. But this only happens once a year. Back in the day, German food was thought to be bland and boring. Now luckily, these top chefs in Berlin are effectively starting to prove that this isn’t the case.
Right now, there’s a steadily growing amount of restaurants and delicious culinary destinations in Berlin. These continue to create new and innovative concepts for tourists like us.
So here’s a list of who’s who in the country’s culinary expertise. These are the best chefs in Berlin this 2021. And all of them are recipients of Michelin star awards. That’s mainly because of their hard work and dedication to culinary arts.
Now we did a lot of work to finalize this list. We talked in detail to many of our peers. A lot of them are Berlin nationals and frequent tourists. We asked them for their recommendations, experience, and insights about the country’s top chefs, restaurants, and other culinary destinations. So here’s what resulted in our time and effort:
Top Chefs in Berlin, Germany
Tim Raue
Raue is one of the most renowned chefs in Berlin at the moment. In his youth, he was part of a notorious gang of German youths called 36 Boys. Raue first started out in the culinary world as a chef de cuisine. He is also the current owner of Restaurant Tim Raue, which has two Michelin stars.
Sauli Kemppainen
Kemppainen is a Finnish chef, and he’s currently based in Berlin. He’s known for being a part of the Finnish version of the hit reality competition show, Hell’s Kitchen. In his restaurant, Savu, Kemppainen combines Spanish, Nordic, and Italian cuisine.
Savu has won plenty of awards since they started. They garnered their first Michelin star in 2019. The restaurant’s name, “Savu”, means “smoke” in English.
Dalad Kambhu
Raised in Bangkok, Kambhu started with several jobs in a variety of restaurants all around New York City. Her first restaurant was a private dining club called OMAR’s, which was situated in West Village. Today, she resides in Berlin and runs a restaurant known as Kin Dee, which serves authentic Thai food. Kambhu is 1 out of the only 10 female chefs in Germany to have received a Michelin star.
Hendrik Otto
Otto started out in his teens, working as an apprentice cook. He now works as the chef de cuisine at Lorenz Adlon Essizimmer, a job which he took in 2010. One of his hobbies as a kid was to grow fruits and vegetables in his garden, and this is the reason why he only picks the freshest kind of produce for his food. Otto is also a firm believer of equal creative opportunities for members of his kitchen staff.
Michael Kempf
Kempf is the proud owner of two Michelin stars for his restaurant, Facil, where he serves as the culinary director. He has managed to achieve so many things at such a young age and is often considered to be a rising star among today’s German chefs. The food that he serves at Facil is a true reflection of his character.
Berlin is fast becoming the main place in Germany where some of the most popular culinary trends first show up. For instance, there are now more vegan and vegetarian restaurants popping up, especially for those who are quite health-conscious. Even some of the more high-end restaurants are choosing to do business in Berlin.