Berlin has gained a glamorous hotspot. One wingbeat away from the legendary Bahnhof Zoo, the new restaurant "Papillon" opened on Wednesday evening directly below the railway tracks. In collaboration with the renowned New York interior designer Dan O'Kelly, owner and initiator Felix Brandts created an exclusive location in the style of 70s disco glamour, which stands for modern aesthetics paired with vintage-inspired design pieces and upscale international cuisine . Between dim lights and numerous mirrors, the celebrities met during the Berlin Fashion Week for the big opening party and chatted about the food.
Actress Valentina Pahde (28) raved about her recent vacation in Bali with make-up artist Florian Ferino: "I learned to surf there," she says proudly. She also enchanted the country's cuisine: "I love culinary trips!" Trying out new food and dishes is "one of the most beautiful things in life" for her.
"Papillon" owner Brandts can only agree. His restaurant was inspired by several trips around the world. Ten experienced chefs from six different countries provide a selection of international dishes in a Mediterranean style, inspired by the coastal regions of the Mediterranean, paired with Asian influences.
Presenter Nina Moghaddam (42) had only returned from a trip shortly before the event. Together with 4,000 other demonstrators, she had called for the Iranian Revolutionary Guard to be included on the international terror list in front of the European Parliament in Strasbourg. The 42-year-old herself has Iranian roots. "The people of Iran are looking to Europe and want to be seen, they need our support," Moghaddam said. The presenter has been eating lactose and gluten-free for almost two decades. Fortunately, there is now a wide range of gluten-free foods. "It used to be different. At best, there was a gluten-free bar in the furthest corner of the health food store," Moghaddam recalls. However, the diet is not easy for her: "It's tough, especially when I see the delicious dessert at the next table …" she admits.
The Hamburg actress Yasmina Filali (47) traveled to Berlin for the opening and confessed her enthusiasm for cooking. "I don't want to praise myself", she laughs, "but I can cook really well". Food is her elixir of life: "If there isn't enough, I get in a bad mood!" Her best dish is Moroccan stew based on a family recipe, as well as "Frankfurt sauce" with lots of herbs, potatoes and eggs. She buys her groceries twice a week at Hamburg's well-known Isemarkt: "Everyone knows me by my first name there," says Filali happily.
Natalia Wörner (55) is also a passionate cook: "I just cooked a risotto for my family, a dish that needs so much love, time and care." That would be like a "declaration of love". She herself is "unfortunately far too rarely" cooked and therefore went on a "cook strike" during the lockdown. Wörner complains that many men still can't cook. That's why it's important to her to "get her son to the stove": At Christmas this year, the 16-year-old stuffed the Christmas duck. Her tip: "TikTok - he picked out the recipe and did it well".
"Prince Charming" star Kim Tränka (32), who appeared at the party with a belly-free look, only discovered his love for food as a young adult. "At home I was picky: vegetables and spinach were terrible for me. I would rather go hungry than eat something I didn't like." He is now open to new things, likes to cook and experiment in the kitchen. His specialty: "Stuffed peppers - recently with vegan mince", but he doesn't like onions and garlic in the pan. "I don't like the taste and the smell, biting an onion gives me goosebumps," says Tränka.
The current "Let's Dance" candidate and former gymnast Philipp Boy (35), on the other hand, grimaces at the thought of "liver or tongue". On a gymnastics trip with the national team to Japan, he had to eat it once without knowing it - "and then almost threw up on me". Boy, on the other hand, finds the Israeli cuisine with "hummus, falafel and a lavish mix of fresh vegetables" delicious.
In contrast, the former "GNTM" model Martina Gleissenebner-Teskey (51), who appeared at the opening party with her daughter and "GNTM" winner Lou-Anne (19), does not like oriental cuisine at all. "I don't like it at all. I like Italian cuisine." The daughter admits her aversion to rocket salad: "I always say I have an allergy, then it doesn't even come on the table," she reveals. She used to be even more “picky” about food, but now she can enjoy it: she was particularly fond of sweet potato fries and “chicken mozzarella” based on her mother’s recipe.
Actress Mariella Ahrens (53) loves eating together above all. She regularly cooks for her daughters and friends. At the large kitchen table in her Berlin apartment, everyone comes together by candlelight. "I don't trust myself to conjure up multi-course menus for several people, but I cook a terrific chicken soup," reveals Ahrens. Her own favorite dish is "cabbage roulades according to my mother's Bulgarian recipe".
