Page 4 - AIT0624_Gastronom

M r. Munkwitz, you currently operate the bars Sattlerei and Paul & George, the L
Café Condesa, the bar and event venue Studio Amore and Ciao Amore Pizza
in Stuttgart, as well as the cafés Jules Geisberg, Jules B-Part and Bravo in Berlin. What
qualities must potential locations have to be of interest to you?
The location has to contribute more than I do. You have to sense what can work in a
space, what may and should be there. I would never impose a concept on a location if
I had concerns about their compatibility. A place only allows for a certain spectrum of
spectacle. Concepts that have been too forcefully fitted into a location often fail. With this
caution, architects and urban planners, as well as landlords, should advocate for their
city and their location. Initially, I had a lot of respect for the Paul & George – the name
is a tribute to the architects Paul Schmohl and Georg Stähelin. However, I had started
renovating the building, which was built in 1887, on behalf of the owners, and when parts
of the old parquet and the walls became visible, my fear vanished. In the case of the
Sattlerei, I stopped the owner’s refurbishment and took over myself to preserve its charm.
But I’m also glad that we were able to implement modern interior design with places like
the Jules B-Part or Café Bravo in Berlin, as these locations demanded it. Advertisements
always focus on location, square metres and so on, but in old or new buildings, the
substance and style must be right.

r How much heart and soul do you put into each project?
Probably a bit too much. In our own projects, we are our own client, and I am probably
the worst of all. I can never decide on colour, materials or furniture, change details on the
construction site and question everything even after years of operation. I give thought to
every possibility. In general, gastronomy requires passion. It’s essential.

r What are the essential parameters that must also be right for a project to be Foto: Manuel Schuller
successful? Or, conversely, what contributes to risk minimisation?
Since we have grown from the temporary sector, it has always been important to me that the
investments match the expected turnover. Working for decades to catch up on renovation Bar und Event-Location Studio Amore in Stuttgart (2023) • Bar and event location Studio Amore in Stuttgart (2023)
investments puts handcuffs on you. Our great strength is still that we can implement
concepts with our team of architects and graphic designers, through our expertise and our
network at a fraction of the usual market costs. I also find it important to communicate
with landlords on equal terms. They should not always give the lease to those tenants who „Wann auch immer wir das Studio Amore
are willing to pay the most or supposedly bring the largest securities but rather to those verlassen müssen, bedanke ich mich bereits an
who can create long-term added value for the building and the surroundings.
dieser Stelle für den Support und jeden Tag der
r What are the biggest cost factors in the catering industry? Nutzung, den uns der Vermieter ermöglicht hat.“
The lion’s share is spent on staff and goods. Other costs, such as rent and investments,
must remain proportional in order to survive in the market over the long term. The Janusch Munkwitz
profitability prospects in gastronomy have been minimised due to increased costs. Even
if a lot of capital is available, it’s a shame if it’s used incorrectly. It’s also crazy how little
of the costs the guest actually perceives. They can see or touch only about 25 percent.
The majority is usually spent on building and catering technology. Leasing and financing Visualisierung für das Jules KaDeWe in Berlin • Visualization for the Jules KaDeWe in Berlin
can help counteract this. Working with poor or unsustainable equipment is definitely the
wrong decision. A combination of all these factors ultimately makes a concept successful.
Multiple locations can compensate sales, weather and seasonal fluctuations. But this also
means more capital and risk.

r In both architecture offices and in catering, teamwork is essential. Who else is
behind Supersupply besides you?
The Supersupply team comprises around 200 employees in Stuttgart and Berlin. Constant
change is the order of the day. When jobs become available, we always advertise them
internally first, and we continuously adapt the profiles to the current challenges of
digitisation, AI and sustainability. Currently, we are working hard to become a training
company in various fields, such as for chefs or restaurant and event specialists. At the
interface to architecture, we have a team in Berlin led by Georgios Albanis. He supported
us conceptually during his studies and has been heading the interior design department
since last year. The individual appearances of the different locations are created under
the creative direction of Denise Amann. We attach great importance to strong visual
communication. That‘s why we work closely with our in-house graphics team on all
projects. We are also happy to cooperate with external partners from architecture, product Visualisierung: Georgios Albanis
design, crafts, set design and all-rounders from all areas. It is important to us to incorporate
new perspectives from different areas. Exciting projects only emerge through exchange.

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