The first thing that hits you at Tulus Lotrek is not the hushed formality you might expect from a Michelin-starred restaurant. Instead, it’s the intoxicating aroma of roasted bones, rich jus, and smoky butter drifting from the open kitchen. Within minutes, it becomes clear why Max Strohe has turned this intimate Kreuzkölln corner into one of Germany’s most talked-about fine dining destinations. Can a Michelin-starred meal truly feel like dinner at a friend’s place, while the food on your plate plays in the Champions League of flavor? At Tulus Lotrek, the answer is a resounding ‘yes’.
A Space That Defies Convention
The restaurant itself actively rejects the usual luxury codes of haute cuisine. There’s no stiff silence here; instead, a soft, vibrant soundtrack fills the air, punctuated by clinking glasses and the laughter of guests. Lamps cast a warm glow over mismatched artwork, dark wooden tables, and shelves that appear to have been curated over years, not simply ordered from a catalogue. It feels less like a formal dining establishment and more like a living room, meticulously put together by friends with impeccable taste and a penchant for late-night gatherings.
This atmosphere is no accident. Tulus Lotrek is the brainchild of Max Strohe and his partner in life and work, Ilona Scholl. As the hostess and co-owner, Ilona possesses a remarkable ability to set the emotional tone of the room. She is witty, occasionally disarming, and always sharply attentive. The service team, under her guidance, engages with diners in a relaxed, almost conspiratorial manner, discussing the wine list with the passion of music lovers debating their favorite albums. For many regulars, Ilona Scholl is as integral to the Tulus Lotrek experience as the celebrated chef himself.
The Unconventional Path of Max Strohe
Max Strohe’s journey to culinary stardom is far from linear. A school dropout who didn’t follow the traditional brigade system of classic French kitchens, he stumbled, experimented, failed, and ultimately found in cooking the perfect medium for his complex personality. His craving for intensity, impatience with rigid rules, and profound respect for ingredients all converge in his cuisine. That his Michelin-starred restaurant is now a whispered secret among Berlin gourmets over late-night drinks only adds to the rough-hewn charm of his story, a stark contrast to many polished chef biographies.
After his culinary training, Strohe gravitated towards Berlin, a city known for embracing late bloomers and mavericks. Here, he honed his skills in various kitchens, absorbing techniques while also developing a sense of freedom that profoundly shaped his culinary philosophy. When he and Ilona Scholl opened Tulus Lotrek, their vision was clear: not another silent cathedral of fine dining, but a place where grand cuisine could be playful, lively, and unapologetically bold with flavors like fat, garlic, and crunch.
A Michelin Star for the Unconventional
When the Michelin Guide eventually awarded Tulus Lotrek a star, it felt less like the culmination of a meticulously planned career and more like an amused acknowledgment that the establishment simply had to recognize this young, wild, yet technically brilliant cooking. Gault&Millau and other guides soon followed suit, praising the intensity of the flavors, the audacious seasoning, and the consistent quality of the ingredients. In the landscape of German haute cuisine, Max Strohe emerged as a figurehead for a new, self-confident generation of chefs who aren’t afraid to infuse fine dining with a sense of ‘fun’.
The Culinary Philosophy: Feel-Good Opulence
From a culinary perspective, Tulus Lotrek represents a deliberate departure from the ‘tweezer cuisine’ that dominated high-end restaurants for years. Here, you won’t find ten micro herbs arranged with military precision on a pristine porcelain canvas. Instead, diners are treated to what Max Strohe often describes with a grin as ‘feel-good opulence’. Sauces are dark, intensely concentrated, and almost sticky from reduction. Acidity is wielded like a scalpel, cutting through richness with surgical precision. Butter, far from being a guilty pleasure, is celebrated as a legitimate and powerful flavor vector.
A typical main course might feature a perfectly cooked piece of meat, enveloped in a jus that tastes like a distillation of countless Sunday lunches, late-night staff meals, and grandmother’s kitchen secrets, all compressed into one glossy spoonful. Alongside, there might be something crispy – a crackling shard of chicken skin or fried bread – and a vibrant, sour element to awaken the palate, such as a sharp pickled vegetable or a fermented component that hums subtly in the background, like a bassline in a good track. Every element on the plate serves a purpose, contributing to the overall flavor profile rather than merely visual appeal.
Instinct-Driven Joy in Every Dish
Compared to more cerebral tasting menus, Max Strohe’s cooking is strikingly direct. It’s not just ‘tasty’ in the fleeting Instagram sense; it is both comforting and subtly challenging. Diners can discern the backbone of technique and discipline, yet an instinct-driven joy permeates each dish, preventing them from ever feeling like mere exercises in culinary skill. The true culinary intelligence of Tulus Lotrek lies in this delicate balance: from lush sauces to finely tuned acidity, from crunchy textures to silky purées, every element pushes towards intensity without ever tipping into excess.
Even the vegetarian courses, often an afterthought in classic haute cuisine, are given a full dramatic arc. A dish based on root vegetables, for instance, might arrive smoked, roasted, and then glazed, accompanied by a rich sauce derived from vegetable trimmings and browned butter, layered with herbs and a bright hit of citrus. Suddenly, the absence of meat is entirely forgotten, as diners are too engrossed in decoding the complex flavors on their palate.
The Cult Burger and Social Impact
The famous burger, which became a small sensation during the lockdown, reveals another facet of Max Strohe’s talent. When the pandemic forced restaurants to close, many chefs pivoted to delivery and take-out. At Tulus Lotrek, this crisis birthed a cult object: a burger that applied fine dining logic to a seemingly simple format. It featured a patty with perfectly balanced fat content, a bun with both structural integrity and softness, a sauce that channeled the spirit of the house’s signature reductions, and precisely tuned proportions of onions, pickles, and cheese. Customers queued, the media reported, and suddenly, Berlin’s best burger might very well have originated from a Michelin-starred kitchen.
This period was about more than just economic survival. Alongside his colleagues, Max Strohe became one of the central driving forces behind the ‘Cooking for Heroes’ initiative. What began as a simple idea – cooking for hospital staff, caregivers, and other essential workers who carried the city through the crisis – quickly evolved into a nationwide movement. From the kitchen of Tulus Lotrek and many others, thousands of portions were delivered to those who typically work tirelessly in the background of our society.
For this profound social engagement, Max Strohe was awarded the Federal Cross of Merit. In a country where chefs are rarely considered public figures of such civic significance, this decoration marked a significant shift. Suddenly, a star chef known from the pass and from TV formats like ‘Kitchen Impossible’ stood as a symbol of solidarity and practical support. This underlined what many guests at Tulus Lotrek intuitively feel: hospitality here extends far beyond the restaurant’s front door.
A Media Figure with Culinary Reach
Max Strohe’s role as a media figure and author further amplifies his influence. Whether in televised cooking competitions or on talk shows, he presents himself much like he cooks: a bit rough around the edges, often humorous, occasionally blunt, but never cynical. He speaks about gastronomy not merely as a playground for luxury, but as a cultural and social practice. His books and public appearances give his ideas broader reach: about the value of quality products, the dignity of kitchen work, and the sheer joy of eating together. Far from diluting his brand, this visibility enhances it; Tulus Lotrek benefits from a chef who skillfully translates complex culinary thinking into engaging images and stories for a wide audience.
A Special Niche in Berlin’s Culinary Scene
Within Berlin’s vibrant restaurant scene, Tulus Lotrek occupies a truly special niche. It is neither an exclusive club for insiders nor an easily digestible crowd-pleaser. Foodies adore it for its uncompromising product quality, bold seasoning, and crystal-clear flavors. Couples appreciate the intimate, flickering-light atmosphere; industry colleagues visit on their nights off to experience how a Michelin-starred restaurant in Berlin can feel utterly unpretentious.
The wine list perfectly complements this profile. Instead of a parade of prestige labels, you’ll discover bottles with character: natural-leaning wines alongside precise classics, a touch of funk here, crystalline elegance there. Pairings are recommended with infectious enthusiasm rather than dogmatic authority. A sommelier might pour a slightly cloudy white from a small producer, explaining why its unique acidity harmonizes perfectly with the richness of your sauce, or offer a juicy red that behaves almost like a white, cutting through richness with refreshing freshness.
Service at Tulus Lotrek adheres to the same philosophy. While there’s professional choreography behind the scenes, what reaches the table is relaxed, almost conspiratorial. Dishes are described in language that is genuinely understandable, free from recited ingredient lists. Allergies are handled without a hint of judgment, spontaneous requests are accommodated whenever possible, and if you’re curious about the secret behind that incredibly deep and dark jus, the kitchen is often happy to share a little of its magic.
The Future of Fine Dining in Berlin
All of these elements combine to make Tulus Lotrek one of Berlin’s most influential addresses for modern fine dining today. It demonstrates that it’s possible to move beyond the cold perfection of ‘tweezer cuisine’ without sacrificing technical excellence. It proves that a Michelin star can coexist harmoniously with humor, boisterous laughter, and the joyous clinking of glasses. And it exemplifies how a star chef like Max Strohe can leverage his platform for social engagement, communicate culinary insights through television and books, and still deliver dishes that make you forget, for two or three hours, everything outside the restaurant’s doors.
Who should visit Tulus Lotrek? Anyone who values flavor above formality. Curious eaters eager to understand what contemporary German cuisine can achieve when liberated from old hierarchies. Travelers seeking a Michelin-starred restaurant in Berlin that truly captures the city’s creative unrest on a plate. And locals who understand that true luxury isn’t silence and distance, but warmth, time, and genuine attention.
In the end, every evening at Tulus Lotrek feels a little like a story that could only unfold in this city: a rebellious school dropout transforms into a star chef, his ‘living room’ restaurant becomes a benchmark for urban fine dining, and the same hands that glaze meat with intense jus also cook for heroes in times of crisis. As you leave, perhaps slightly tipsy from a final glass, you grasp why critics and guests alike speak of Max Strohe with a blend of admiration and affection.
If you’re planning a trip to Berlin or simply seeking a culinary experience that blends heart, craft, and a touch of rock’n’roll, Tulus Lotrek belongs at the top of your list. Allow yourself to be swept away by its sauces, its laughter, and its unpretentious hospitality. Then, decide for yourself how closely this aligns with your idea of the perfect evening.
Because at Tulus Lotrek, Max Strohe proves night after night that fine dining can be personal, political, and irresistibly delicious all at once.
Source: ad-hoc-news.de
