As of: April 4, 2024, 8:56 a.m
By: Stephan Müller-Wendlandt
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Everything green: Florian Skudlarek (l.) and Marius Wussmann in the Berger branch of “Lil Green Kitchen” on Aufkirchner Straße 1. © Dagmar Rutt
Only vegetarian or pasta: After Starnberg, “Lil Green Kitchen” is now opening a branch in Berg. Such restaurants are still rare, especially in rural areas.
Berg – The “Little Green Kitchen” (originally: Lil Green Kitchen) has gotten an offshoot. After opening his first vegetarian-vegan restaurant on Wittelsbacherstrasse in Starnberg four years ago, Marius Wussmann (35) opened a branch in Berg a few days ago. Although the premiere took place in the middle of the corona-related restrictions, the range of smoothies, bowls and other taste experiences from hearty, hearty, fruity to sweet were unexpectedly well received. This encouraged him to open this branch now, explains the owner of a management consultancy and managing director of the operator GmbH for the green kitchens.
Wussmann slipped onto the catering circuit as an outsider to the industry. Like his childhood friend and business partner Florian Skudlarek, he originally comes from Augsburg. After studying business and economics, Wussmann initially worked for a management consultancy, moved to Starnberg with his family ten years ago and now lives in Berg. There he set up his own consulting company. Skudlarek also comes from a different industry. The 35-year-old completed an apprenticeship in metal construction 20 years ago. Five years later he discovered his love for gastronomy. “Avocado makes you happier than a piece of metal,” Wussmann interjects with a laugh. In Munich, Skudlarek deepened his new love in restaurants and bars. And now he is his friend's partner, is the operations manager responsible for both "Lil Green Kitchen" branches and takes care of the organizational aspects.
“Answer to the nutritional needs of our time and environment”
For Wussmann, “Lil Green Kitchen” is the “answer to the nutritional needs of our time and environment”. He adds: “We want our offer to be a healthy alternative to pizza, kebab, currywurst and rural pub culture.” The concept of offering purely vegetarian and vegan food is well received in rural areas because it is not yet available there or is too common there is little. The catchment area is large and many visitors have already asked about branches. Inquiries have also come from Munich, “but we don’t want to go there,” says Wussmann.
Berg is the right size for the “Green Kitchen” offer. Wussmann believes that the location in the town center with the bakery as a direct neighbor, the pharmacy and the ice cream parlor on the opposite side of the street is optimal. He also has his consulting company in the same building complex. The standard menu includes three smoothies, three breakfast bowls, three salad bowls and three so-called healthy bowls, which are enriched with particularly energy-rich ingredients. There are also three drinks mixed together from vegetables and fruits. According to Skudlarek, the top seller for breakfast is the acai bowl. In addition to the acai berries - a fruit from the Amazon region that is considered a superfood because of its high nutritional content - it contains bananas, dates, almond milk, granola and other fresh fruits and berries. “Buddha” is particularly popular with the salad bowls: rice as a base is topped with chickpeas, cucumber, heirloom carrot, tomato, hummus, avocado and walnuts. If you don't like all that, you can put together your own bowl.
At the Berger branch, location manager Sarah Habdank is looking forward to seeing customers. The 22-year-old lives in the east bank community and went “from a customer to an employee” when she heard about the branch opening where she lives. The green kitchens are open Monday to Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.