RESTAURANT
The table as a stage

Sustainability. Quality. Creativity. No compromises. These attributes not only apply to Tohru Nakamura's cuisine, they also reflect the star chef's design aspirations. For Tohru in der Schreiberei, hildmannwilke transformed the centuries-old walls of the former Munich Stadtschreiberei into an atmospheric setting.

by Linda Pezzei | 5/25/2023

On three levels, Tohru Nakamura invites his guests to enjoy and, above all, to stay in the heart of Munich's old town: The listed town house from the 16th century offers the perfect setting for a relaxed aperitif on the terrace, a private celebration in the glassed-in wine cellar or a culinary journey where French esprit, Italian temperament and Spanish fire meet the precision of Japan. Upscale and unpretentious cuisine coexist here just as naturally as the theme of sustainability is woven into all processes. Not only do the ingredients come from the region as far as possible, but the choice of socially responsible and ecologically sustainable products was also paramount in the design, the wall paint, the woodwork in the interiors as well as the crockery and every single piece of furniture.

In the course of developing the interior concept for the fine dining restaurant, it quickly became clear that the place should resemble a private dining room with a warm host rather than a purely functional space for guests. In the course of this, the seemingly randomly distributed round tables in the room were each transformed into their own cleverly staged stages. The light of the pendant luminaires, which is adjusted to the table surface, includes the guests as "spectators" in this stage circle only to such an extent that an intimate, protected area is created, which makes it possible to fade out everything else in the room. This also creates a special effect when the host appears from time to time as if from nowhere, enters the circle of guests for a moment together with perfectly staged food and makes enjoyment as a subject tangible with all the senses.

At Tohru in the Schreiberei, the culinary theme is reinterpreted and, in combination with the staging of the space, deliberately stylised into an overall experience. An important aspect of this is the subtle décor. Just like the interior architecture and the design concept, the designs for the furniture, from the service table to the bench and wardrobe to the gueridons, shelves, washstands, window coverings and mirrors, were almost exclusively penned by hildmannwilke and produced by local craftsmen and manufacturers. The fact that the intensive examination of the topic of light and the pigmentation of the wall paint has also paid off is proven by the very first glance into the restaurant. All the small details, colours, shapes and materials form an incredibly successful and harmonious overall picture that makes guests wish from the first moment that they were actually at home here.

5 Questions for Daniela Wilke, Founder and Managing Director of hilmannwilke

Linda Pezzei: How did the project come about and what was the briefing?

Daniela Wilke: Marc Uebelherr, a long-time client and the actual co-founder and partner of the Schreiberei, introduced us to Tohru Nakamura. The briefing was to create a feel-good place for Tohru and at the same time a star restaurant with maximum functionality. Tohru is a very approachable and inspiring client, so it was obvious to design a place that could be understood as a private dining room beyond a guest room. The real challenge was to conjure up atmosphere and a sense of well-being in the venerable and quite massive, listed walls of the former town clerk's office from the 16th century.

What role did the choice of materials and light play?

Daniela Wilke: The materials were carefully selected in relation to Tohru's Japanese origins and his subtle culinary creations. High-quality fabrics with historical patterns, natural materials such as cherry wood, cement plaster, pigments or ceramics and noble surfaces such as brass create an interesting field of tension. The tables are turned into a stage by the focussed and at the same time pleasant light, on which the sometimes very artfully prepared dishes, the drinks as well as the crockery and accessories are atmospherically staged.

How would you describe the style of the restaurant?

Daniela Wilke: There is actually no clearly definable style, it is rather a highly individual made-to-measure suit for Tohru Nakamura, you can't get it off the peg.

The interior has a very atmospheric effect - what did you pay particular attention to in this respect during the design?

Daniela Wilke: Thank you very much. Atmosphere and harmony are created here not only by atmospheric light but also by soothing acoustics and the high-quality materials and fabrics.

A personal favourite spot and why?

Daniela Wilke: The restroom - because it's pleasantly surprising and doesn't necessarily look like a restroom.