If you can imagine it, someone in Berlin has done it. You need only spend a few days in this city before coming across the unexpected, the obscene, the grandma throwing that swan into the canal at Admiralbrücke. A few months ago, commuters at Voltastraße got a tale for their Friday evening, first with the smell – not the usual Eau de U-Bahn, but burgers – and then by looking up a young masked man perched on top of a vending machine, flipping patties like it was utterly normal.
Move over, Remy from Ratatouille. A born-and-raised Berliner is making the city his kitchen. Since posting his first video in May, the content creator known as GhostChef has amassed well over 100,000 Instagram followers by whipping up gourmet meals in unusual – but recognisable – Berlin locations. With a background in graffiti, he’s well used to climbing to unusual spots around the city. He’s cooked mussels on the back of a moving moped around the Siegessäule, scaled a crane to grill lobster, seared a steak on top of Block House – bending the definitions of “fast” food and “high”-quality ingredients.
Each of his posts feels like a mini-mission: a “target acquired” sound effect, a green Sims-style diamond bobbing over civilians’ heads, Minecraft health bars, editing that makes the whole thing feel like you’re playing Call of Duty, but with caviar-topped oysters prepared on the Spree. And at the end, the food is always shared: with passersby, the homeless, delivery drivers, whoever’s in the vicinity. The whole thing has a ring of absurdity and delight, which is undoubtedly why his audience eats it up. But for the man behind the mask and skillet, the endeavour is about feeding Berliners something else entirely.
The meals that you cook always look delicious: döner, schnitzel with potatoes, a truffle omelette, Tomahawk steak, to name a few. Have you had professional training as a chef?
My background is in gastronomy. I started training as a chef at 16 and immediately fell in love with the craft. I’ve worked in over 20 restaurants, many of them in the fine dining sector. Unfortunately, the working conditions there are not the best.
Where did the idea for your account, GhostChef Kitchen, come from?
I always cooked for my friends at home and cared for my immediate circle – within the limits of my capabilities. I wanted to communicate the values we stand for to the outside world: community, appreciation and solidarity. In other words, I’m still doing the same thing, only now people can see it and hopefully be encouraged to do something good themselves within their means.
And the name?
[My team and I] made a conscious decision not to use my real name. The name “GhostChef” does not refer to any specific person, it could be anyone.
Why have you decided to cover your face?
I want people to feel like they could be the ones behind the mask. I’m not a star, I’m one of you. I could have been any one of you.
Has there ever been a point where you were mid-cooking and thought, ‘This could all go wrong’?
We approach the shoots very consciously. We are aware of every risk and minimise it as much as possible. Any challenges are there to be solved.
You always share the food at the end of each video. Why is connection an important part of the project?
To show people that we all share the same planet and we need to stick together as a community.
Do people always accept the food right away?
We often offer food to people and they refuse. Many people lack trust. You can’t blame them, in the society we currently live in.
Over a very short period of time, you’ve reached over 100,000 followers on Instagram. How does this success make you feel?
We are very grateful to everyone who supports the project and even more grateful that people immediately understood and shared our vision. Together as a community, we can achieve something great.
What is it about your content that you think resonates with people?
I think people have been longing for authentic positivity on social media. Often, hatred is spread, and everywhere people use their reach for their personal interests, materialism and comparisons with other people. We want to be a refuge for positivity and put a smile on people’s faces. We don’t talk much, we just do.
What’s been the wildest or most unexpected moment on your journey so far?
There have been countless experiences. Every shoot is always very special, because of the locations or the people. We are always thrilled by how positively people on the street react. We’ve also never had any problems with the police or anything like that.
A post shared by GhostChef | vom Bordstein zur Skyline (@ghostchef.kitchen)
If you had to eat one of the meals you have cooked every day for the rest of your life, which dish would it be and why?
Döner.
Out of everyone you’ve met throughout filming, is there one particular person who you really connect
with and who has stayed with you?
The DHL driver I cooked for at the very beginning, actually. He no longer works for DHL and now travels all over the world. Over time, he has become a very good friend of mine.
Many chefs try to carve out a niche for themselves. Are there any other culinary icons, real or fictional, you’ve been compared to?
Many have also compared me to the One Piece character Sanji. All in all, I’m not the type to compare myself to others.
What would you consider to be the ‘final boss’ for GhostChef?
The sky’s the limit. There are countless ideas: places and people I want to cook for. Ultimately, I want to have cooked all over the world and, within my means, made the world a better place.
What would you like people to take away from the project?
Everyone can do something good every day within their means. Whether it’s carrying your grandmother’s shopping, listening to your fellow human beings, or campaigning for certain issues. Even the little things that seem insignificant to you have a big impact on our society. Try to make a difference within your means.
- Follow GhostChef on IG @ghostchef.kitchen
