Falco Mühlichen on service, storytelling and the evolution of Rutz

On the 25th anniversary of Berlin restaurant Rutz, maître d' Falco Mühlichen is not only looking back, but above all looking inward. In the latest podcast episode from Restaurant-Ranglisten.de, the restaurant manager of the three-star establishment talks about the development of service, his responsibility as a mediator between the kitchen and guests – and why standing still is not an option in top-class gastronomy.

Mühlichen has been at Rutz since 2011, first as bar manager and, since October 2015, as restaurant manager. He deliberately chose this long period of continuity. The decisive factor was that he was always given the opportunity to take new steps in his development within the company. Over the years, the restaurant has developed through trial and error, without external guidelines and with a great deal of freedom for its own ideas. That is exactly what kept him there.

To mark its anniversary, Rutz is serving a "remastered" menu with reinterpreted dishes from the past ten years or so. The selection was difficult, Mühlichen recalls: "I think we could have written a 30-course menu." The decisive factor was those dishes that remained particularly emotionally present – also because they are inextricably linked to certain phases and people in the restaurant.

Precision, proximity, expectations

The service has also changed significantly in recent years. With growing renown and rising guest expectations, the team has become much more precise – in terms of processes, presentation and language. At the same time, the aim remains to "be close to the guest, be on equal footing with the guest, and help them slow down".

Mühlichen describes what "improving" means at the three-star level as primarily a communicative achievement. The service sees itself as a translator of the kitchen's ideas: "We are the transmitter from the kitchen pass to the table and then into the guest's mind." This is precisely where they have improved over the years.

Narrating instead of explaining

The cuisine at Rutz is complex, multi-layered, sometimes minimalist on the plate, but highly sophisticated in concept. Without accompanying narration, many aspects would be lost. For Mühlichen, one thing is clear: "If you were to simply place one of our dishes on the table and recite three components, a lot of things would be lost."

It's not about telling the guest how something should taste. Rather, the creation process should be tangible. Two or three emotionally charged aspects are crucial – not a complete list of all the ingredients. "Tell them what you feel," he tells his team.

At Rutz, there is no rigid script for announcements. Although there is a framework for the content, a personal touch is expressly desired. "We don't want service robots here," says Mühlichen. Personality is part of the establishment's signature style. At the same time, tact and sensitivity are required. Not every guest wants the same depth of information. Gestures, facial expressions and interaction usually quickly reveal how much information is needed.

Service is also a role that one consciously takes on. Putting on a jacket marks the beginning of a different mode. "What we do is also entertaining," says Mühlichen. Especially in difficult private phases, his profession helps him to switch off. He describes active service time as a state of complete presence – "like flying".

Nevertheless, routine is a danger, especially with long menus. Self-reflection and conscious awareness of the moment are crucial. When he notices that he is already mentally on to the next step, he has to correct himself. [

Values, humility and responsibility

As a manager, Mühlichen increasingly sees himself in a mentoring role. Values are particularly important to him: respect, honesty, modesty and treating people as equals. He tries to exemplify this attitude to his young colleagues – both in service and outside of it.

A career in top-class gastronomy is demanding, with long working hours and a high level of mental presence. At the same time, it offers something special: the opportunity to make people happy directly. For Mühlichen, this is precisely what continues to fascinate him to this day.