Celebrity chef in trouble

Automatically saved design

Restaurateurs are finding it increasingly difficult these days. The famous TV chef Steffen Henssler has now felt the effects of this. As reported by "Wirtschaftswoche", several of his sushi restaurants have filed for insolvency at Frankfurt District Court.

Bad news for one of the most famous chefs in Germany: Steffen Henssler's sushi restaurants have run out of money. The companies "GO by Steffen Henssler Delivery & Events GmbH", "GO Sushi & Delivery München GmbH", "GO Sushi & Delivery Frankfurt GmbH" and "S&M GO GmbH" are affected by the bankruptcy.

In November 2023, Henssler already had to close two restaurants ("Happi by Henssler") in Bremen. At the time, it was said that the concept of the Southeast Asian menu had "proved unsuitable".

Henssler polarizes
The celebrity chef has repeatedly made headlines in the past. During the coronavirus pandemic, for example, Henssler called for a flat-rate energy fee. At the time, the chef announced on the website of his restaurant "Henssler & Henssler": "We cook with gas and electricity, we heat with gas and consume water. To avoid having to pass on the high and rising energy costs to our prices, we will be charging an energy surcharge of 1.50 euros per guest from October 1, 2022." The surcharge was met with incomprehension by many customers. 

The chef told the Kleine Zeitung newspaper at the beginning of May: "I think it's a very difficult time for everyone right now. Customers are becoming more and more demanding, employees less and less productive. This is absolutely an issue that we are also dealing with." He is particularly concerned about staff shortages.

Lawyer now examining options
Now parts of his restaurant empire are bankrupt. A provisional insolvency administrator, Andreas Kleinschmidt, has already been appointed. He wants to "get an overview and examine the restructuring options", the lawyer announced in "Wirtschaftswoche".