Gastro Gründerpreis 2016 awarded at Berlin Food Night                          

A passion for creativity

The 14-strong jury headed by catering expert Christian Rach were impressed above all by food business concepts which displayed a particularly successful mixture of entrepreneurial thinking, creativity and sustainability. Whether craft beer cocktails, fusion hummus creations, broth-to-go or extraordinary "salapes": the quality of the ingredients and the passion for creativity played a decisive role in choosing the award-winning concepts.

Zum Starken August, Berlin:

Berlin’s nightlife can often be like a crazy circus performance. Sebastian Kulka and Marcel Jahn have taken this colorful spectacle to the extreme – true to their motto “People, Beers, Sensations”. Their event guesthouse “Zum Starken August” combines bawdy entertainment with craft beer and unusual craft beer cocktails.

MS Günther, Münster:

“Moin moin and ahoy” is how guests are welcomed to MS Günther! This is where landlubbers can experience culinary pleasures with a twist: guests sail through Münster on a 106-year-old ship while enjoying tasty events such as “Beef Cruises” or “Wine on Water”. Leon Windscheid already announced his plan for the floating gastronomic concept when he appeared on the TV program “Who wants to be a millionaire”. Together with his business partner Oliver Trepper, he not only won over Günther Jauch, but also the jury of the Gastro Gründerpreis.

Bad Ape, Cologne

For the special feel-good creations of Eileen Lehr and Moritz Ochsenbauer, the parsley has to be deep-fried, the tonka bean pudding garnished with redcurrants, the ox breast stewed for 36 hours and the rocket truffled.

Bone Brox, Cologne

Grandma's marrowbone broth is celebrating a comeback in the To-Go Cup. Konrad Kaspar Knops and Jin-Woo Bae let the bones of grass-fed cattle simmer together with vegetables and herbs for 18 hours in spring water. The founders offer their broth in pop-up stores for trendsetters, as well as via their website for online shoppers and soon also via the retail trade for hobby cooks.

Mashery - Hummus Kitchen, Cologne

With their hummus creations, the three college friends Julian Wirtler, Rhaya Ayoub and Vera Prinz want to win the hearts of Cologne’s citizens for Middle Eastern vegetarian cuisine. The idea for this unique gastro concept “Mashery - Hummus Kitchen” stems from Rhaya’s Arab-Israeli roots, Vera’s passion for vegetarian cuisine and Julian's street food experience from Mexico.

Social Award: Restlos Glücklich, Berlin

Edible food in trash cans? The Association for the Appreciation of Food believes this should be avoided at all costs and shows how to do it. In their Restlos restaurant, they are happy to prepare menus for the discerning made from 95% rejected food. A clever concept against food waste for which the jury of the Gastro Gründerpreis promptly created the “Social Award” as their sixth prize.