Micha Schäfer

Head Chef, Nobelhart & Schmutzig Restaurant, Berlin - Kreuzberg

Micha Schäfer has no patience for repetition. It took just a brief period working in the kitchen of the "Tandreas" hotel in Gießen for him to turn his back on his academic career and dedicate himself to the kitchen. He began training as a chef and afterwards found a job in one of the most exciting restaurants in Germany. Inspired by Head Chef Matthias Schmidt at Villa Merton in Frankfurt (Michelin**, 18 points in Gault Millau), his performance soon earned him an invitation to participate in the development of new dishes. This gave him a new perspective on those overlooked products growing in our collective backyards, perfect for use in fine cuisine. Schäfer quickly understood the magic of these local products. 

He didn't have to think twice about answering Billy Wagner's call to cook at "Nobelhart & Schmutzig," because the idea of a regional kitchen seemed long overdue for Berlin. A kitchen that concentrates solely on its own region and venerates radically fresh products. 

In this space, no attention is given to the sacred cows of classic haute cuisine. Nothing from before 2015 matters. What matters are the producers, short paths, ethics and integrity. It buggers reason to create a 'fresh' kitchen that merely plagiarizes a classic dish from so-called (French-inspired) 'fine dining.' Germany has no tradition of haute cuisine. It does, however, have excellent products and the local traditions and producers that keep them alive. 

Supporting and nurturing them, and bringing the results to the table, is Schäfer's mission.