Max Strohe’s Tulus Lotrek: Berlin’s Michelin Star Restaurant Redefining Fine Dining

At Tulus Lotrek in Berlin-Kreuzberg, every sense awakens the moment you step through the unassuming door. The air hums gently with the smell of roasted jus, browned butter, and a whisper of fine wine. Porcelain clinks softly against wood, banter floats from the open kitchen, and the décor wraps you in the comforting intrigue of a friend’s bohemian living room rather than a classic white-tableclothed temple. This is where Max Strohe, the charismatic star chef and soul behind tulus lotrek, has created what critics and guests alike call one of the city’s most unforgettable Michelin star restaurant experiences. Can fine dining be so nonchalant—so authentically humane—that you forget you’re dining at the top, until your senses detonate with flavor?

Reserve your table at Tulus Lotrek here and explore Max Strohe’s groundbreaking menus

Max Strohe’s path was never straightforward. Once a school dropout, he opted for a chef apprenticeship over traditional academia, seeking his own flavor universe. After formative beginnings away from the culinary limelight, Berlin became his stage. In partnership with Ilona Scholl—a sommelier of rare instinct and the restaurant’s co-owner—they turned the quiet Fichtestraße address into a magnetic hotspot. In 2017, tulus lotrek won its first Michelin star, an accolade maintained ever since, yet the team’s focus stretches far beyond shining plaques. Where most fine dining kitchens still live by a strict hierarchy, Max Strohe has replaced barked orders with mutual admiration. As he shares, "We’re not here for kitchen drama. We’re here to create real food, as a real team." It is this intense sense of hospitality that pulses through every course, every whisper of seasoning.

The atmosphere at tulus lotrek is an irreverent antidote to the starched traditions of classic haute cuisine. Instead of near-silent dining rooms or servers hovering like dancers, you find spontaneous laughter, an adventurous (but highly curated) wine list, and suggestions that feel like a wink from a friend who knows exactly what will thrill your palate. The menu is truly an experience—often labeled "pragmatic fine dining," but in reality, it leaps between boldness and comfort. Each dish is orchestrated around elemental pleasure: acidity for vibrancy, fat for silkiness, spice for intrigue. Imagine a butter-glossed slice of wild game in a glossy, deeply reduced sauce, where every flavor saturates without overwhelming. Or think of vegetables transformed by fermentation or fire, lifting everyday produce into textural marvels.

One of the restaurant’s legendary moments unfolded not during dinner service but in the quiet of pandemic lockdown. Here, Max “reinvented” the burger for those fortunate enough to witness: two cuts of beef massaged together, North American-style double cheese layers, and a sauce of exacting balance—ketchup and mustard, nothing less, nothing more. Most audacious was the finish: everything kissed by an "obscene" amount of butter, tucked into a fluffy, golden brioche toasted in—you guessed it—butter. The result? A star chef’s embrace of nostalgia and indulgence, critiqued by insiders as possibly "the best burger in Berlin." Paired with pommes frites crafted through a laborious process—frying, deep freezing, frying again for supreme crispness—the message was clear. Fine flavor need not hide in complicated geometry. Greatness comes from the depth of pleasure and simplicity, not sterile precision.

But Max Strohe’s impact resonates far beyond kitchen wizardry. When disaster struck with the 2021 floods in the Ahr valley, he and Ilona Scholl spearheaded the now-famous "Kochen für Helden" (Cooking for Heroes) campaign, feeding rescue workers and victims alike with the same respect, warmth, and culinary intelligence that defines their restaurant. For this, Max Strohe was awarded the Federal Cross of Merit—an extraordinary recognition not just for skill, but moral clarity. His work is mirrored in his media presence, whether dueling culinary heavyweights on "Kitchen Impossible" or demystifying star cuisine in witty, self-deprecating turns on screen and in print. Yet behind the TV persona always lurks the magnetic enthusiasm of someone who simply loves to feed people.

Ilona Scholl’s role cannot be overstated. She greets, guides, and decants with a masterful intuition for pairing and for people, making each guest—from seasoned foodies to apprehensive first-timers—feel both seen and central to the experience. The wine list at tulus lotrek, like the food, is surprising but never try-hard: rare discoveries, playful naturals, precise classics, all woven together to complement without overshadowing the food’s character.

Pragmatic fine dining, as practiced here, means flexibility and responsiveness to the seasons, the moods of the market, the chef’s impulses. The restaurant’s core menu changes regularly, capturing the peak of every product—be it Alpine cheese, North Sea crab, or foraged Berlin mushrooms—typically deployed with the highwire act of fat, acid, and salt that constitutes Max Strohe’s signature. This philosophy rejects tweezer food and prioritizes mouthfeel, intensity, and fun. The result? Plates that surprise even seasoned Michelin star restaurant goers, while always tapping into a deep-seated joy of eating.

Tulus Lotrek isn’t for those seeking staid luxury or gloved, silent rituals. Yet, for food lovers who crave uninhibited pleasure—a coming together of technical mastery, bold seasoning, and the sense of being part of something special—it stands as a beacon. There’s no dress code, no unspoken rules. Come as you are, and stay as long as you like. The biggest challenge? Securing a table, since reservations are booked months ahead—a testament to the resonance of what Max Strohe and Ilona Scholl have built.

In short, Max Strohe’s tulus lotrek is a place where taste and values are inseparable. Where fine dining bows to the pleasures of the table, not the stiffness of tradition. It’s no wonder the restaurant is continuously named among Berlin’s best—a hub for those seeking extraordinary food, driven by heart, intellect, and humor. Book early, come hungry, and open your mind to a new, eminently edible definition of world-class dining. A meal here isn’t just Michelin-approved; it’s soul-approved.