An interview with the new Michelin-starred chefs

(30 June 2026) The launch of the 2026 Michelin Guide Germany at Frankfurt’s Palmengarten was not only a celebration of the new stars, but also an evening marked by a wide range of emotions. Amidst a mix of relief, pride and visible tension, award-winning chefs spoke about new concepts, regained stars and their commitment to further developing Germany’s top-class gastronomy. This is evident in the interviews featured in the latest episode of the Restaurant-Ranglisten.de podcast, which went online today. In total, the 2026 Michelin Guide Germany now lists 339 starred restaurants, including twelve three-star restaurants, 48 two-star restaurants and 279 one-star restaurants. L.A. Jordan in Deidesheim, led by head chef Daniel Schimkowitsch, has been newly promoted to the highest category.

The new three-star chef himself provided the emotional finale to the discussions. Daniel Schimkowitsch was still visibly surprised following the award for his restaurant, L.A. Jordan. “We’d anticipated everything, but not this,” he said. The invitation to the gala had initially sparked a great deal of speculation. They’d run through various scenarios, from a special prize to the Sommelier Award, but hadn’t seriously expected the third star. It was only shortly before the event that the suspicion began to take hold that there might be more to it than met the eye. Schimkowitsch said he still couldn’t quite take the award in. After the gala, he wanted to return to Deidesheim with his team and “rock the Bassermann-Jordan wine cellars”.

For Schimkowitsch, the award is also confirmation of a long-term development process. The second star was a long time coming, but he wouldn’t have wanted to miss that period. It had helped the team find a sense of calm and define their own path more clearly. The head chef said they had learnt not to question everything every evening, but rather to allow staff to express their individuality and to create an overall experience for the guests. It is not about “some sort of personality cult”, but about food, togetherness, celebration and enjoyment. He believes the Palatinate has been further strengthened by the third star: the region has outstanding wineries and many talented colleagues who, together, help to raise the profile of this culinary region.

Furthermore, all the new two-star chefs have their say in the podcast: the city is home to no fewer than two new two-star restaurants: Rausch by Jochim Busch and The Dune by Niclas Nußbaumer. Busch, who had already earned two stars at Gustav, spoke of a special situation, as this time it was his own restaurant. He said there had been hope of achieving the two stars ‘right from the start’. At the same time, he noted that the move into self-employment came with a different set of responsibilities. The accolade also brought financial pressure. They’d got off to a good start, he said, but hoped that in future there would be additional demand during the week and from an international clientele.

Culinary-wise, Busch sees his new restaurant as a further development. Those who know him from Gustav will recognise certain elements, but Rausch is more closely associated with hospitality and warmth. “It’s a rush, a rush of the senses, both for the guest and for us as a team,” he said. At the same time, he highlighted the sense of community within Frankfurt’s restaurant scene. The city has a special dynamism that affects not only Michelin-starred restaurants but the entire restaurant sector.

Niclas Nußbaumer also sees Frankfurt as a multifaceted location. ‘The Dune’ at The Florentin Hotel was awarded two stars after nine months. The reopening was his first venture on this scale, said Nußbaumer. Compared to his previous post at ‘Die Mühle’ in Schluchsee, the capacity had roughly doubled. Alongside the kitchen, leadership has therefore also become more important: it is about leading a larger team and conveying a shared vision. He described Frankfurt as an international and diverse city, whose culinary scene reflects this diversity – from vegan concepts to classically French-inspired and ingredient-focused cuisines.

‘Die Mühle’ in Schluchsee, meanwhile, returned to the two-star category under Fabian Obergfell. Obergfell had only started there in May 2025 and spoke of an intensive year of building up the restaurant. The team had to be reassembled, yet they had already been awarded their first star after just a few weeks. The fact that the second has now followed is a great success. He said that, as a chef, you eventually realise whether a standard has been reached that is both ‘enjoyable’ and sustainable. Guests had regularly indicated to him that there was potential for two stars. He described Die Mühle as “a restaurant with soul”, where staff not only worked but were also keen to learn about the restaurant’s history.

In Munich, The Cloud by Käfer achieved a special double success: Jens Madsen not only received two stars, but also the award for New Opening of the Year. Madsen was still overwhelmed after the gala. “I’m still a bit gobsmacked,” he said. The award was not a solo achievement, he explained, but represented the entire team. The Cloud’s concept is based on culinary journeys that change every year. Following East and South Africa, the Amazon is now set to take centre stage. Madsen explained that, for this, he does not primarily visit restaurants, but rather families and producers. He is interested in stories, techniques, spices, flavours and the feel of a region. These impressions are then combined with ingredients from the Alpine region. “We think as globally as possible whilst still wanting to stay as close to home as possible,” he said. Every change of menu is almost like a new opening for the team, because the music, lighting, crockery and kitchen style all change.

Among the new one-star restaurants, Die Schote in Bergisch Gladbach was one of the emotional comebacks. Nelson Müller and head chef Erik Schmitz reclaimed the star. Müller spoke of relief: “We’ve been giving it our all all year round and, to be honest, we’d secretly been hoping for this.” Schmitz sees the cuisine as a blend of classic and modern elements. He said they juggle classic French cuisine, exciting flavours, regional influences and local producers. Müller emphasised that Bergisch Gladbach has a strong tradition of Michelin stars thanks to establishments such as Schloss Lerbach and Schloss Bensberg. They can now build on that again.

Eatrenalin in Rust also received its first star. The themed restaurant near Europa-Park combines fine dining with a highly staged world of experiences. Peter Hagen-Wiest, who has taken on the role of culinary patron there, explained that putting this into practice is challenging due to the unique setting. Guest chefs contribute ideas and recipes, and the team must adapt these to the technical and theatrical requirements. When asked whether the food itself might become secondary to the staging, Hagen-Wiest said that the overall experience was what counted. When the cuisine and the setting come together, he added, they can reinforce one another.

Cologne’s NeoBiota regained its Michelin star following its relocation and was simultaneously introduced as part of the new ‘Mindful Voices’ category. Sonja Baumann and Erik Scheffler see this as recognition of their long-standing collaboration. Scheffler said they did not yet know exactly how the new category would be defined, but were delighted to be recognised as a voice for change in the restaurant industry. Baumann also addressed the low number of women receiving awards. It should go without saying that women are recognised just as much as men. Scheffler added that the duo had been working together as equals for twelve years and had also had to fight for equality at their previous establishments.

Other speakers highlighted just how diverse the new stars are. Dennis Maier, with The Tourist Trap in Mannheim, has now received a star in a new context for the third time in his career. Following Sra Bua and Emma Wolf, the ship is once again an unusual venue. They had started out ambitiously but had not put themselves under excessive pressure. The key, they said, had been to cook ‘beautifully’ and ‘deliciously’ and to make guests happy.

Thus, the 2026 Michelin Guide not only provided a snapshot of German haute cuisine but also highlighted several developments at once: Frankfurt is visibly raising its profile as a destination; Munich is banking on an unusual, internationally inspired concept with The Cloud; the Palatinate is gaining a new three-star restaurant in L.A. Jordan; and establishments such as NeoBiota and Eatrenalin are broadening our perspective on what contemporary gastronomy can mean today. However, alongside the joy of receiving stars, it also became clear that, for many teams, these awards are above all a confirmation of a longer process – a process involving hard work, doubt, maturation and the attempt to define their own style ever more clearly. (This summary of the podcast episode was generated with the aid of AI)