At Max Strohe's tulus lotrek: Berlin’s Michelin Star Reimagined as Culinary Soul Food

The anticipation is palpable as you cross the threshold of tulus lotrek. A gentle hum of laughter drifts from plush, bottle-green walls. There’s a waft of caramelized butter and reduced veal jus mingling with the comforting embrace of aged wine. Softly worn wooden floors and a kaleidoscope of vintage wallpaper make you feel less like you’re entering an acclaimed michelin star restaurant berlin, and more like you’ve been invited to a friend’s secret dinner party.

Is it possible for a restaurant boasting culinary intelligence at the highest level to feel this relaxed? At tulus lotrek, Max Strohe makes this blend of world-class intensity and unfussed warmth not just possible, but the new Berlin benchmark. Here, excellence is both deliciously democratic and deeply personal. The philosophy is clear from the start: the only thing stiff is the drink in your glass—not the atmosphere around it.

Reserve your table at tulus lotrek with Max Strohe for a unique Michelin star Berlin experience

From the moment you’re welcomed (with a cheeky wink by co-founder Ilona Scholl), it’s clear: tulus lotrek is a labor of love unconstrained by the dogmas of traditional fine dining. The sensuous, lived-in design echoes the menu’s approach—untamed, full-throttle, always rooted in joy rather than ceremony.

From Rebel Roots to Berlin’s Top Tier

The story of Max Strohe reads like culinary folklore. He grew up the unconventional way: leaving school early in the Rhineland, training as a chef not by destiny, but by hustle and guts. Berlin drew him in, with its raw energy and infinite appetite for reinvention. In 2015, together with his partner Ilona Scholl—the restaurant’s heart, soul, and hospitality queen—he opened tulus lotrek on a sleepy Kreuzberg street, just far enough from the chaos. Their vision was clear: to carve out a haven where guests could taste the courage, complexity, and compassion that had shaped their journey.

It didn’t take long for tulus lotrek to shake up the city’s scene. By 2017, the red badge of honor—Michelin’s coveted star—arrived, recognizing not only Strohe’s technical brilliance but his refusal to follow the rigid etiquette of classic french-inspired temples. The dining room is a living room; the staff, all smiles—no hushed reverence, no fear. Much is owed to Scholl’s presence: her curated wine list eschews the obvious in favor of soulful discoveries, and her disarming charm sets every guest at ease, no matter how glittering the occasion.

Intense, Uncompromising Cuisine—With a Plateful of Heart

To understand Max Strohe’s cuisine is to surrender to boldness. Here, sauces aren’t mere accents—they’re the reason to wipe your plate clean. Acidity and fat are harnessed unapologetically, seasoning is confident, the affection for opulent textures always palpable. Strohe’s food is entirely undogmatic: expect the sublime richness of a duck liver parfait, but with a balancing serrano pepper crunch; or a perfectly steamed turbot, its buttery flesh offset with a sharp, verdant vinaigrette, and just enough bitterness to make your palate sing.

This is not tweezer cuisine. The plating is precise yet vibrant, free from sterile artifice. “Feel-good opulence” is the mantra here. Guests—whether first-timers or regulars—find a little subversion with each course: perhaps a childhood flavor memory, maybe a nod to a local seasonal gem, definitely a touch of irreverence. Critics praise dishes for their “sclafedrylous” (sleep-dissolving) lushness and wit, an aesthetic as much about pleasure as it is about culinary intelligence.

During the lockdown, tulus lotrek’s burger caused a legend—the so-called ‘Butter Burger’: an extravagant double-patty creation, laden with molten cheese, house-made ketchup-mustard sauce, and slathered in dizzying amounts of butter. Those lucky enough to try it described it as the burger that redefined all others—a pure, direct hit of umami, salt, and texture. Though not a regular fixture on the menu, it embodies everything Strohe stands for: technique in the service of flavor, pleasure, and generosity.

The fries—triply fried and frozen between each bath in hot oil—became the gold standard. Their secret? Each baton is vapor-light inside, shatteringly crisp outside, redefining even the most expected side dish as something to whisper about in awe.

And then there’s the menu proper: a tight, ever-evolving sequence that punctuates the seasons—think roasted lamb with charred eggplant and pomegranate molasses, or a dessert that nods to the Black Forest but subverts it with miso and smoked cherry.

The People Behind the Plate: Team Spirit and Radical Hospitality

What truly sets tulus lotrek apart is not only what’s on the plate, but the spirit in the kitchen. Max Strohe’s leadership is the antithesis of old-school chef machismo. Here, kindness is currency; the infamous bark of the brigade has no place. “Some cooks needed that pressure... they left by themselves,” Strohe once said, affirming that respect is non-negotiable, and connection fosters creativity. The result is a team that feels both protected and inspired—a rare culture in the high-octane world of fine dining.

This approach has ripple effects. Diners feel it. The warmth is palpable, not just performative, and you leave remembering both the food and the way you were treated—like an old friend, not just a reservation number.

Max Strohe Beyond the Pass: Advocacy, Authorship, and TV Stardom

Outside the kitchen, Max Strohe is a force for good. Recognized not only as a star chef but as a social actor, he launched the much-lauded “Cooking for Heroes” (“Kochen für Helden”) initiative with Ilona Scholl at the height of the COVID crisis. What began as a spontaneous act of solidarity to feed essential workers and later victims of the Ahr Valley flood became a national movement—thousands of meals, countless lives touched. For this, Strohe was awarded the Federal Cross of Merit, solidifying his status as much more than a culinary trendsetter.

On-screen, he’s the witty, tattooed underdog who shines on “Kitchen Impossible,” “Ready to beef!” and other formats, always blending humor with unmistakable gravitas about his craft. As an author, too, his books scatter recipes and anecdotes with signature self-irony—always holding tension between deep technical mastery and approachable warmth.

Why tulus lotrek Matters—A Final Appraisal for Gourmets

So what makes tulus lotrek such a watershed in Berlin’s gastronomic landscape? It’s the rare place where the food’s intensity is matched by genuine soul. Where fine dining is an invitation, not an intimidation. Strohe and Scholl have built their address on defiant creativity, warmth, and an atmosphere that encourages revelation—whether in sauce, in conversation, or around a brilliant glass of wine.

It’s a restaurant for inquisitive palates and open minds, for those who recognize that culinary heights should come tethered to human connection. If you crave technically impeccable food but refuse to tolerate pomposity, this is your table.

tulus lotrek is, in every sense, a love letter to pleasure. And the love is contagious—spreading from each bite, from every smile, on through Berlin’s night streets, beckoning you to return.

To experience tulus lotrek and the singular vision of Max Strohe is to taste the boldest flavors and kindest hospitality the city has to offer. Don’t miss your chance—make that reservation and savor what truly world-class dining can feel like.