Haerlin in Hamburg and Tohru in der Schreiberei in Munich have become Germany's latest Three-MICHELIN-Star restaurants, and with that chefs Christoph Rüffer and Tohru Nakamura are elevated to the dizziest heights of their profession. Our editorial team decided to take a closer look at the Inspectors’ reports on both restaurants and, on the eve of the awarding of the new Stars, spoke to two of the 10 Inspectors who were in Munich and Hamburg during the last editorial year. What makes the comments of these Inspectors in particular so interesting is that they have both eaten at each restaurant several times in recent years, and can therefore give us their personal perspective on how exactly they evolved to reach the Three-Star level.
Over 40 Visits in 10 Years
When you type Haerlin into our database search field, immediately the address, images and readers' letters appear, along with the legendary "dossiers" — this is what the Inspectors' reports are called. For the number of dossiers, Haerlin is labelled "More than five." One click and almost 30 reports from the last 10 years pop up. In the current editorial year, we have eaten at Haerlin six times. Christoph Rüffer has been the chef at Haerlin since 2002. The restaurant was awarded a MICHELIN Star under his predecessor Hans-Peter Engels in late 2001 — a feat that Rüffer effortlessly repeated in the following Guide. In 2012, Haerlin was honored with Two MICHELIN Stars under Rüffer's management. Today, it is one of the best restaurants in the world. There are many Inspector reports that attest to this.“You wish the meal would never end”
Tohru in der Schreiberei, meanwhile, is a relatively new restaurant, but that's not to say that its chef is an unknown. Until 2020, Tohru Nakamura cooked at Werneckhof in Munich, which, on his watch, was awarded One MICHELIN Star in 2014 and Two from 2016 onwards. The first entry in the system for Tohru in der Schreiberei is a note from November 2021: "We have now set December 1, 2021 as the first official service," Nakamura informed the editorial team. Two weeks later, two Inspectors returned from Munich. In the summary of their visit, they noted: "Undoubtedly at Two-Star level. Potential for Three Stars discernible." They mention highlights such as Balfegó tuna, kimizu, radish and poppy seeds, as well as white halibut, mild habanero, encornet, pil pil and artichoke. In March 2022, Tohru in the Schreiberei secured Two MICHELIN Stars right off the bat. Since the opening, our Inspectors have eaten more than a dozen meals there.
The Evolution
The first Three-Star-level dishes at Tohru in der Schreiberei were sampled by an Inspector just a little later, in June 2022: Gamba roja, pea, elderberry, cockles and razor clams; Ozaki Wagyu, pointed cabbage, kombu, yuzu and wasabi; asparagus, koshihikari, sakura, almond and koji — three out of a total of 10 dishes on the menu. The Inspectors then dined here a further five times over the following two years. They were delighted by the food, positively raving about the salmon trout with fermented plum, yuzu kosho and encornet; nanatsuboshi (Japanese short-grain rice from Hokkaido), Royal Belgian caviar, ginger and koji; and nanbanzuke, red mullet, green asparagus and Balfegó tuna, among others. But it was not (yet) enough for that third Star — neither in the 2023 MICHELIN Guide, nor in the 2024 edition.
At Haerlin, meanwhile, the Inspectors visited again the year after it received its second Star in November 2012 — they noted: "Tonight we experienced a very precisely prepared and sophisticated culinary offering that showed subtle signs of a third Star in the making." The menu highlights at that time were the pickled mackerel, North Sea prawns and eel brandade in dill vinaigrette — "a brilliant synthesis of visuals and flavor" — and the plum foam with butter crumble and yoghurt-ginger sorbet. The lobster with tonka bean and yellow beetroot in elderflower vinaigrette also received a rave review in a 2014 report. In the years that followed, Inspectors also sang the praises of the Black Angus beef loin with a nut butter crumb, onion cream and morels (2015); young suckling pig with cucumber, dill and mustard (2017); trout with kombu berry tea, basil and walnut (2019); braised Victoria pineapple with sorrel and coconut (2020); and Heligoland lobster with coconut, verbena and coffee oil (2022). "Rüffer cooks at a strong Two-Star level," is the refrain to be read in virtually every report.
The Next Step: “Be sure to follow up”
EIn late 2023, the time has come. After her meal at Haerlin, an Inspector explicitly writes "be sure to follow up" for the first time. This implies that she found the food better than the current rating would suggest and that further opinions are now required to confirm the leap into the top league of Three Stars. Test meals are scheduled for 2024, all of which come to the same conclusion: Three MICHELIN Stars. Deichlamm (German North Sea coast lamb) in a lemon caper jus with chanterelles & braised shoulder with herb hollandaise; saddle of venison, hazelnuts and Jerusalem artichokes; chestnut tortelli with Jerusalem artichokes, sherry broth and white Alba truffles (2024); and rock red mullet with grilled paprika sabayon, crocus polenta & pastis sauce (2025) are some of the compositions from Rüffer's kitchen that have now unanimously been presented with the MICHELIN Guide Inspectors' highest accolade.In mid-2024, there was also a clear result at Tohru in der Schreiberei. An Inspector ended his report with the words: "For me, the food was worth the trip, a clear Three Stars, for which we should now follow up." Further meals would continue until spring this year, all of which confirmed the top-level cooking. Inspectors from four countries travelled to Munich. The compositions included: Ozaki Wagyu, smoked eel, beetroot, sansho, kefir and blackcurrant wood; carabinero — langoustine, prawns & kimizu (2024); mussel toast, scallop, oyster and cockle; and sweetbreads, kimchi blanche and Don Bocarte anchovies (2025). Each one impressed.
By the end of the MICHELIN-Star meeting, it is crystal clear: Germany will have two new Three-Star restaurants in The MICHELIN Guide 2025. The last time more than one restaurant scaled the culinary summit within a single year was 18 years ago.
Why Now? Two Inspectors on the Decision
We decided to call one Inspector who has been to Tohru in der Schreiberei twice since it opened — in 2021 and 2025. In his last report, he noted that he could identify a very clear improvement on the previous meal. "The ingredients are absolutely top-notch. The compositions are complex, sophisticated and harmonious throughout. This cuisine with French foundations and elements of Japanese gastronomy is now simply outstanding." Over the phone, we ask what exactly the decisive development was. "My last meal cooked by Nakamura was even better than on previous occasions [including meals at Werneckhof]. The ingredients had always been first-class, and a signature style was recognizable early on. In the past, individual dishes were top-notch, but the set menu as a whole was not perfectly balanced. Previously, there were simply one or two ingredients too many on the plate or one or two courses in the set menu that were not completely convincing. Now, though, the balance over the course of the whole evening is perfect!"
There is also a name that appears three times in Haerlin’s dossiers — 2016, 2021 and 2024 — and helps explain the leap in performance. "It's really surprising how pared back the preparations were compared to on previous visits. Definitely my best meal here, clearly at Three-Star level. The quality of the ingredients is outstanding, the technical skill is incredible, the sauces and stocks have tremendous depth and strength; Rüffer now has his own style," reads the latest report.
During the call, the colleague gushes: "Craftsmanship and ingredient quality have been first-rate at Haerlin for 20 years. It's the consistency that has changed. From the first snacks to the petits fours, the level is now consistently excellent across the entire set menu. Rüffer has achieved this by simplifying his approach and now he simply cooks with greater confidence. He now leaves things out. This makes for consistently well-balanced dishes that demonstrate strong personality and clearly defined flavors. The result is that you sit in Haerlin and wish the meal would never end."
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Illustration Image: Restaurant Haerlin, Hamburg © Wim Jansen
