Kaufbeuren - Harriet and Joachim Budjarek, the founders of “Lebenskonzepte Budjarek” in Marktoberdorf, ventured into another unique project: the former St. Anton monastery in Kaufbeuren became the café and tapas bar called Ikigai and a holiday complex. The aim is to create a multigenerational place, jobs for disabled people and future prospects for young mothers with their children. Once a cowshed, caring relatives and the whole family should also be able to draw strength here. And all café guests should feel comfortable, if not a little at home.
The Ikigai restaurant opened almost secretly and very quietly at the beginning of September. The construction work was finished, but one or the other machine was still missing in the kitchen. Everything should actually be ready last March, reports Joachim Budjarek. But now they didn't want to wait any longer. Because at Ikigai, people with limited performance get a chance. Joachim Budjarek knows from his work in the Marktoberdorf project “Life Concepts”: “For example, there are many subsidies for disabled people who work on the primary labor market. For our group of people, however, there is only Hartz4. It's something we don't want to accept. ”For the Budjareks, it's not work, it's passion. “This is our life,” both say without thinking.
For this reason, the couple made a conscious decision not to run the project with Ikigai Allgäu GmbH as a non-profit company.
Which means that “you have to pay for everything yourself”, says Budjarek.
He and his wife want to show that their special employees can also be in the black.
The children of their employees are also very important to the Budjareks.
"This is how the little ones see automatically: There is more to life than picking up Hartz4 once a month."
The term Ikigai comes from Japanese and literally means worth living in.
“First of all, we see who is suitable for what and who has the confidence to do something.” The company's kitchen is a protected space.
"With a cake, pride and self-esteem grow," reports Harriet Budjarek.
Finding out that home-baked food tastes good, people ask about it and that money can be made with it - that gives these people personal ambition, ”says the boss.
“I now know what I stand up for,” one of the applicants has already said to Harriet Budjarek.
Just take a stroll around the courtyard in the sun with a table and chairs
The couple are impressed by the reactions of the guests.
In addition to those who tell how they were there as a child and fetching milk, others followed the progress of the renovation with excitement.
They would have read about it in the newspaper and would now be cheering whether everything would turn out well.
Anyone who does not yet know the project can find out what it is about on site.
“We declare that we are not a fast food restaurant and that this is about enjoying things,” says Harriet Budjarek.
There are daily dishes and always something new.
“The guests appreciate our flexibility,” says her husband.
At Ikigai you can too, adds his wife with a laugh.
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Harriet Budjarek (left) and her colleague Angela Ahrends (2nd from left) are happy to announce the two musicians Sassy Holzinger and Astrid Wirtenberger at the opening ceremony.
© IKIGAI
The opening ceremony should be in a nice evening, that was important to the two investors and their colleague Angela Ahrends.
Ahrends is the lead educator for “Life Concepts” and currently works a lot at Ikigai.
She knows the two singers from “Zwoa Voices” from Austria, who provided the background music for the occasion.
For a "hat money" according to Ahrends, artists can now regularly find a stage in the Ikigai.
The Ikigai does not stand on its own.
Guests can also get to know the attached holiday complex.
To “see the whole thing as a unit,” says Joachim Budjarek.
Everyone is welcome to take a vacation in Kaufbeuren.
Above all, however, the holiday apartments are intended for caring relatives.
The whole family and - this is the specialty - the family member to be cared for can spend their holidays together here.
Future vision of a multigenerational place
To make this possible, the Budjareks got the care service “Home Instead” on board (we reported). While the relatives visited Neuschwanstein Castle or went hiking, for example, the family member in need of care is cared for in Kaufbeuren and, depending on the level of care, is included in the hustle and bustle of the former monastery property. “We want to show that all generations belong together. That's what we want to live here. We just want a nice way of life here. ”Visions that Sister Regina from the Crescentia Monastery also designed with you. "At that time she was the Superior General who gave us the bid to sell St. Anton," the couple said.
Eight years passed from the first thought until today.
In March, if the Corona measures allow, the apartments should receive the first holiday guests in Kaufbeuren.
“Home Instead” will design “offer packages” for the care of relatives.
A lighthouse project.
As soon as the time comes, the messenger will report on it.
And information about Ikigai is available online at www.ikigai-erleben.de.
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