Facing page: two of the top chefs shaping Berlin’s burgeoning culinary scene, Tim Raue, far left, and Daniel Achilles in one of the city’s equally en vogue wine bars – Cordobar Below: wines from Cordobar; poached blackcurrant, plum paste and liquorice ice-cream from Les Solistes, Pierre Gagnaire’s eatery in the Waldorf Astoria Berlin’s bounty Long-known as a city that celebrates the spirit of individualism, the German capital is finally upping its culinary credentials to match its political clout, thanks to a handful of young creative chefs and restaurateurs who are unafraid to challenge the status quo Words by patricia bröhm/Photography by urban Zintel D iscerning diners craving lobster, bresse hen or foie gras are out of luck at Reinstoff (reinstoff.eu), where traditional haute cuisine staples are forgone for underthe-radar delicacies such as locally caught weeverfish, Maraena whitefish and wels catfish. These lesser-known, often overlooked species suit both the budget and the ambition of a self-employed chef like 38-year-old Daniel Achilles. “An expensive fish tastes good as is,” he says. But the creative vision involved in taking a simple Baltic herring and emphasising its subtleties by marinating it and serving it alongside apples, edible flowers and mini Danish smørrebrød is extraordinary. “Simpler products demand more attention and consideration,” says Achilles, who spends some 14 hours daily dreaming up new creations in his small subterranean kitchen. The chef’s hard work is appreciated not only by his guests, but also by restaurant critics. Achilles and his two partners launched Reinstoff, which translates as “pure substance”, in early 2009. By the end of the year, the eatery had earned its first Michelin star and was named Discovery of the Year by Gault & Millau. In November 2011, Reinstoff snagged a second Michelin star. Achilles’ most recent accolade was Gault & Millau’s Chef of the Year designation last November. “The degree of success we’ve achieved would not have been possible in any other German city,” the Leipzig native says. And indeed he has demonstrated more than anyone else just how much a chef can profit from Berlin’s buzzing culinary scene with talent and a bit of luck. No other German locale can boast a creative and dynamic framework that rivals the one found in Berlin, a city once known as the country’s capital of currywurst and döner kebab. There are more restaurant openings, more variations in style and more ambitious concepts tested out than anywhere else – and no other city has such a cosmopolitan orientation. The breadth of restaurant genres spans from traditional German cooking and authentic Szechuan dishes to Turkish fine dining and high-minded vegan creations. Diners can dig into ten-course tasting menus and revel in internationally acclaimed wines, or indulge in creative fast-food dishes for just a few euros. Berlin’s restaurateurs are looking beyond the country’s borders to Copenhagen, London and Paris for inspiration. By Michelin star count, too, Berlin leads Germany with a total of 18, handily trumping Munich’s 14 stars and the 12 of Hamburg. “This city is defined by its continuous development,” says Tim Raue (tim-raue.com), one of the very few native Berliners among the capital’s top chefs. “Berlin attracts guests and gastronomes who are strong individuals. Berlin has always been a city where people can be anyone they want.” Like Achilles, Raue puts emphasis on independence. Born in the only now up-and-coming Kreuzberg district, the chef has long proven his courage to follow no one’s lead but his own. His Asian-inspired, intensely flavourful cooking style – which he demonstrates at his restaurant on Rudi- Dutschke Street – is one of a kind in Germany. He frequently travels to Bangkok, Hong Kong and Tokyo, gathering new inspirations for his cooking and further honing his craft. No other chef, perhaps worldwide, could pull off his interpretation of Cantonese wasabi prawn: an ultra-fresh Norway lobster encased by a crunchy, tender wasabi shell and complemented with a broth of CENTURION-Magazine.com 67
