The nominees of the Berlin Master Chefs 2025

BERLIN Berlin's gastronomy is a mirror of the city itself: imaginative, inspiring, rich in contrast and intercultural. There is hardly any other city where the artisanal pleasures of the trade meet creativity and cultural diversity so naturally. It is precisely this special mix that makes Berlin's gastronomy scene unique - and is the reason why the Berlin Master Chef Award has been one of the most important honours for the capital's gastronomy for almost 30 years. Here you can see what makes Berlin's culinary scene tick and what unites people: good flavour.

Now the time has come again: the nominations for the Berlin Master Chefs 2025 have been finalised. An independent, twelve-member jury, consisting of food journalists and experts, has nominated the five candidates in each of the following categories: "Berlin Master Chef 2025", "Rising Star of the Year 2025", "Berlin Host 2025", "Berlin Scene Restaurant 2025",
"Berlin Neighbourhood Champion 2025", "Berlin Bar Culture 2025". The seventh category, "Gastronomic Innovator", will not be announced until the awards ceremony in November. With these awards, Partner für Berlin recognises the spirit of gastronomic innovation as well as the long-standing quality and consistency of the nominees.

Dr Stefan Franzke, Managing Director of Partner für Berlin: "Diversity and vibrancy are part of Berlin's culinary DNA - and this is exactly what the Berlin Master Chefs make visible year after year. This year's nominations unite courageous newcomers and established greats of Berlin's gastronomy. They all stand for innovation, passion and a unique standard of quality. As a partner for Berlin, we are delighted to be able to honour these special personalities - because they shape Berlin's reputation as a creative and enjoyable metropolis far beyond the city's borders."

The jury selected five nominees for each category from around 170 candidates and catering establishments put forward by the jury.

Berlin Master Chef 2025:

• Nicholas Hahn, Cookies Cream
• Vadim Otto Ursus Henselder, Otto, Trio, Pluto
• Karl-Louis Kömmler, Loumi
• Jonas Merold, Merold
• Silvio Pfeufer, Restaurant Matthias

Rising star of the year 2025:

• Tobias Beck, Luna D'Oro at Clärchens Ballhaus
• Jeff Claudio, Stoke
• Hannah Cooper Borchardt, Feed the Pony
• Antonio di Santo, Zum Heiligen Teufel - Cucina Italiana
• Marcus Kümmel, Bollenpiepe

Berlin host / Berlin host 2025:

• Jana Kämpfer (host), Manon brasserie nouvelle
• Mengling Tang (host), Peking Ente
• Anh Vu (Restaurant Manager) & Claudia Steinbauer (General Manager), Luna D'Oro & Clärchens Ballhaus
• Isabell Wendel (Hostess), Bricole
• Janine Woltaire (hostess) & Michi Stiel (sommelier), Restaurant Matthias

Berlin's trendy restaurant 2025:

• Bar Basta
• Luna D'Oro at Clärchens Ballhaus
• Manon brasserie nouvelle
• Pinci
• Sphere Tim Raue

Berlin neighbourhood champion 2025:

• Adana Grillhaus, Kreuzberg
• Diener Tattersall, Charlottenburg
• Hokey Pokey, Prenzlauer Berg
• Johann Bakery, Schöneberg
• La Maison, Kreuzberg

Berlin bar culture 2025:

• Dustin Franke (Mausi, Torte, Bar Nonno, Bademeister Bar and many more)
• Fox & Hare
• Hildegard Bar
• Pluto
• Truffle Pig

The richness of Berlin's gastronomy scene is reflected in this shortlist. In 2025, it will continue to surprise with new ideas, bold concepts and a tangible desire for change. More and more kitchens are breaking new ground, reinterpreting classics and surprising with fresh, unconventional ideas. Particularly pleasing: this year's nominations include not only established addresses in the trendy districts, but also outstanding restaurants and bars in the outer districts - a sign of how far culinary quality in Berlin now extends. At the same time, creative hotspots are emerging in new locations - from innovative neighbourhood restaurants with great appeal to bars that are redefining the culture of indulgence. This year's nominations show just how lively and polyphonic the city's culinary scene is - and make us curious about what's to come.

Jury chair Tina Hüttl: "Never stand still - in a metropolis like Berlin, survival is even more cut throat than anywhere else. Gastronomy in particular is facing major challenges this year, and we on the jury are once again thrilled by the amount of energy, creativity and love with which the city's chefs, restaurateurs, hosts and artisans are shaping the upheaval. The fact that a lot is currently happening, being readjusted, rethought and sometimes even completely revolutionised is noticeable in all categories. This is also reflected in the nominations: The master chefs and rising stars of the year 25 are by no means just the usual suspects from fine dining and Michelin-starred gastronomy. The nominated names stand for the balancing act from the low-threshold wine bar concept with masterful plates for 10 euros to creations with caviar. Overall, it is clear that Berlin's gastronomy has become even wilder, more diverse and also more youthful. As difficult as it is to summarise this diversity, it was also difficult for us 12 food journalists to agree on the nominees. Thank you therefore also to the wonderful teamwork and joy of discussion in the jury!"

Dr Stefan Elfenbein, chairman of the jury: "The die is cast, the jury has decided. A total of 170 candidates in six categories were thrown into the ring by the jury members this time. They spent half a day discussing and voting. A total of 24 up-and-coming chefs and 26 potential master chefs were put forward; there were important changes at the cooker at the Lorenz Adlon Esszimmer, Faelt, Macionga and the PARS restaurant on Savignyplatz, for example, while the kitchen teams at Orania and Billy Wagner's Nobelhart & Schmutzig were unanimously agreed to have got it absolutely right. And yet: this year, a group of young, innovative chefs passed them all by, symbolising the blossoming of a new Berlin restaurant culture, i.e. new feel-good places that - as in the past - nourish the heart and soul and where everyone - and especially now! - feels understood and cared for. At the top: Hannah Cooper Borchardt in Neukölln's Schillerkiez neighbourhood, Antonio di Santo in his 'Zum Heiligen Teufel' and Markus Kümmel with the Bollenpiepe on the leafy outskirts of Pankow. Charlottenburg's Diener Tattersall, nominated as a neighbourhood champion, has also been a real hotspot for eighty years when it comes to cohesion and neighbourhood culture. The Luna D'Oro in Clärchens Ballhaus, sensitively staged by 'Babylon Berlin' set designer Uli Hanisch just in time for its 111th birthday, made it into three categories. And thanks to Tim Raue, who since last Wednesday has been broadcasting the much-needed message to the world from high up in the TV tower that Berlin is still worth a visit."

The expert jury consists of the following members:

• Dr Stefan Elfenbein, Chairman of the jury, correspondent for the magazine "Der Feinschmecker"
• Tina Hüttl, Chairwoman of the jury, Berliner Zeitung
• Felix Denk, editor of the Tagesspiegel
• Prof. Dr Dieter Großklaus, "Chaîne des Rôtisseurs" (Honorary President)
• Lorraine Haist, freelance journalist and author for various newspapers and magazines
• Stefanie Hofeditz, freelance journalist, B.Z.
• Alexandra Laubrinus, Managing Director of Berlin Food Week
• Clemens Niedenthal, editor of Tip & head of the food department
• Nikolas Rechenberg, Gourmetwelten
• Annika Schönstädt, Deputy Editor-in-Chief of Travelzoo Germany
• Dr Erwin Seitz, freelance journalist, author and food critic
• Jan-Peter Wulf, specialised journalist and founder of nomyblog