Anton Schmaus is giving Storstad a new look

REGENSBURG. Storstad, the Michelin-starred gourmet restaurant in Regensburg, is ushering in a new era. After more than a decade of fruitful collaboration, head chef Josef Weig is leaving the restaurant to take over his parents’ business. Owner Anton Schmaus is using this departure as an opportunity for a radical fresh start: from 1 July 2026, Simone Kubitzek (32) and Hella Eggers (33) will take over overall culinary responsibility for the restaurant. The new co-head chefs’ first joint menu will be served from 4 August.

For Anton Schmaus, this step marks a deliberate break with the past. “After eleven wonderful years with Josef Weig, it was clear: we need to reinvent ourselves,” says Schmaus. “I wanted a noticeable change – in our management style, in the visual language of the dishes and in the energy of the restaurant.” With Kubitzek and Eggers, Schmaus is bringing two female chefs to Regensburg who have already been working together at top-class establishments for several years. Both worked at the three-star restaurant Aqua under Sven Elverfeld and subsequently moved together to Marcobrunn by Tristan Brandt. After a year and a half, they are now taking the next step as a team once again – this time to Storstad in Regensburg. “Simone and Hella bring technical precision to the table, but also a great enthusiasm for change. Their cuisine is clear, powerful, aromatic and close to the guest,” says Anton Schmaus.

Greater freedom through à la carte and blurred boundaries with Aska

Hand in hand with the personnel changes, a conceptual reorientation will take effect from 1 July. Anton Schmaus wishes to be more present as a host at Storstad in future – together with his wife Anna, who has played a central role in service and team management for years. Both want to be more visible and consistently present for their guests. As the owner, Schmaus sets the overarching conceptual framework and is devoting more of his time to the further development of his restaurants. The culinary direction of Storstad lies with Simone Kubitzek and Hella Eggers: together, they are responsible for the menu, dishes, operations and the further development of the kitchen. Under their leadership, Storstad aims to return more closely to the original concept of a cosmopolitan cuisine with a distinct flavour profile of its own.

At the same time, Storstad is opening up its structure and moving away from the traditional set menu. During the week – from Tuesday to Thursday – the restaurant offers guests the option of dining flexibly à la carte. The concept is aimed at guests who want to enjoy excellent, uncomplicated dining on weekdays without necessarily having to book a set menu. There will also be a greater focus on non-alcoholic accompaniments. At the weekend, the set menu remains the centrepiece, but is presented as a five-course option.

Another new feature is the closer link with the Sushi Bar Aska, which has also been awarded a Michelin star. In future, guests at Storstad will be able to incorporate individual dishes by Master Atsushi Sugimoto from the neighbouring sushi bar into their Storstad experience. This brings the two Michelin-starred culinary worlds within the restaurant closer together, without them losing their individuality. “Storstad is set to return more closely to its original concept,” says Schmaus. “We always wanted to bring the big, wide world to Regensburg. That is exactly where we are picking up the thread again.”

The new driving forces

Simone Kubitzek (32) initially trained in the hotel industry, but quickly discovered a passion for cooking. After completing her chef’s training at the Hotel Leicht in Biebelried, her career path led her into haute cuisine. Kubitzek worked at Hotel Schloss Elmau for five years, most recently as demi-chef and chef de partie at the gourmet restaurant Luce d’Oro** (now Ikigai). She then moved to Aqua*** to work with Sven Elverfeld, where she most recently served as junior sous chef. Her cuisine is characterised by Asian flavours, carefully selected spices, fermentation and a clear focus on ingredients. For her, it’s not about striking visual effects, but about depth. “I’m fascinated by just how diverse Asian cuisine can be,” says Kubitzek. “A spice, a sauce or a stock mustn’t just sound interesting. They have to give a dish its direction.” At Storstad, Kubitzek will combine these flavours with a strong understanding of service. Thanks to her training in the hotel industry, she views the kitchen and service as a unified whole. “We want to welcome guests with open arms, talk to them, explain our cuisine to them and, in doing so, create an atmosphere where nobody has to put on a front.”

Hella Eggers (33) began her career with an apprenticeship as a chef at Jacob Restaurant** under Thomas Martin in Hamburg. Further roles followed, including at Se7en Oceans*, at Courtier** and at Vendôme*** under Joachim Wissler. At Vendôme, she rose to the position of head pastry chef. Eggers later moved to Aqua as a patissière, where she worked side by side with Simone Kubitzek for several years. As a trained chef, Eggers deliberately breaks down the boundaries between the different stations. “I see no distinction between dessert and the kitchen,” she says. “Every course is about balance, texture and pure emotion.” Kubitzek and Eggers are further developing Storstad’s cuisine and share culinary responsibility. Their signature style combines French craftsmanship, Asian depth, clean lines, sauces and stocks as the backbone, deliberate acidity, precisely applied heat and a direct exchange with guests.

Four strong women at the helm

For Anton Schmaus, this fresh start is also a commitment to nurturing young talent and fostering a modern, diverse leadership culture. With Simone Kubitzek and Hella Eggers in the kitchen, sommelière Simone Eberhard on service and his wife Anna as hostess, four strong women will be at the helm of the restaurant in future. For Schmaus, this is not a statement but a logical development: “Good gastronomy flourishes where people are allowed to take on responsibility – regardless of age, background or gender.”