Tim Raue on the gastro crisis
“The politicians only understand it when their Italian is closed”
September 17, 2023, 5:10 p.m
The Corona lockdowns were just the start for the catering industry: acute staff shortages, price shocks caused by the war in Ukraine and the threat of a VAT increase mean that many restaurant owners will now be living on the edge for years. Berlin star chef Tim Raue accuses the government of incompetence, ignorance and a lack of fairness. Gastronomy is important for the economy, explains the star restaurateur in an interview with ntv.de. But politicians viewed “any form of enjoyment as something negative.” Other industries would be subsidized, “the catering industry doesn’t want to leave empty-handed either.”
ntv.de: The catering industry cannot get out of the vale of tears. How are you doing?
Tim Raue: The last few years have been a real challenge. First you were banned from working by the government, then you got off to a euphoric start because people wanted to eat and go out again. And then came the Russian war of aggression on Ukraine and the next turning point. The price increase for food was between 30 and 100 percent, and I don’t even want to talk about energy costs. Because of inflation, people are now very conscious of going out. That means we have a lot of small fires that need to be put out and there is no reason to celebrate.
Apparently there is now also a major loss of trust. Many people criticize the price increases in the catering industry. Reports of suspected rip-offs are increasing. What do you think?
I don’t see any rip-offs anywhere. Of course there are black sheep; there may be ten out of every 100,000. But they are stupid because they are punished directly by the customer. We have unparalleled transparency. If someone on the corner charges 17 euros for a burger instead of 11 euros, the shop will very quickly run out of customers, unless there is a burger that is the best of the best. It always feels like there is only black and white, i.e. rip-off or super cheap. That’s nonsense. There are restaurateurs who are doing very well. Above all, it is those who are close to their guests, raise prices fairly and who offer the guest what gastronomy should offer: in addition to very good food, a place where you can switch off, like on a short vacation.
Aren’t you setting the bar a little high?
We have a big problem in Germany. Since I’ve been involved in gastronomy – and that’s now 32 years – food and drink have not enjoyed the same appreciation as our European neighbors. Politicians view any form of enjoyment as something negative. Saying that we are proud of having great winemakers, fruit wines or strawberries in Brandenburg and Berlin would never come to anyone’s mind. Also not the idea that Berlin, for example, can only grow and exist as a city because of tourism. The government ignores this. The field receives zero funding. We shouldn’t be surprised if the discounter’s lasagne for half a kilo for 0.99 euros contains lousy horse meat from Romania. We’re just not willing to spend more money. We have no pride in our food.
Speaking of enjoyment and recognition. There is a heated debate about forced tipping in America. Are German guests currently good or bad at tipping?
I would rather divide into satisfied and dissatisfied guests. Those who are satisfied give. If you are not satisfied, you give less or nothing. Basically, I believe that we in Germany also have to learn that service is an achievement that should be rewarded in the end. Sometimes that’s what we want it to be. Sometimes we are surprised and sometimes we are disappointed. But that’s life.
From 2024, VAT is to be raised again to 19 percent. How will this affect?
The fact that VAT was reduced to seven percent for food and drink was very good for us. If that is reversed, that is another 12 percent that we will have to factor in in the future. Many companies will not survive economically. Of course, a currywurst with fries costs a different amount than in a fine restaurant. But the general public, who are languishing gastronomically and have no concept, will have a hard time. Restaurateurs who work with concept, passion and passion and who care about the well-being of their guests certainly have less to fear.
Would you describe that as a recipe for success?
Tim Raue is not only collecting Michelin stars, he has also been on a mission with “Raue – Der Restaurantretter” on RTL since April: He helps restaurants that are threatened by the crisis.
My role models are brands that work so well that people really want them. We tried to create that with the Tim Raue restaurant. A place where people are happy to wait to be guests. Regardless of this, we of course try to promote the entire industry through petitions. There are other areas of the economy that are subsidized. The catering industry doesn’t want to leave empty-handed either.
Saxony has brought an extension of the lower tax rate into play. Would that be enough to avert a wave of bankruptcies?
You can’t foresee that. If this happens, politicians will be responsible. We can’t change it because we can’t lower prices any further. The profit margin in the catering industry is normally only between three and five percent, which is why 12 percent is so threatening to existence. Gastronomy is a personnel-intensive industry, and salaries have risen massively in recent years. Completely right. But this burden has to be borne and the federal government doesn’t see that. The politicians will only understand it when they go to their Italian restaurant and the door is locked.
Closed due to a lack of staff, people are already reading on doors more often. With its working hours, the catering industry is now considered very unattractive for employees. How can you make the job more attractive again?
Everyone has probably already tried this somehow. The real problem is that it affects the entire craft. There is a shortage of skilled workers everywhere. And politicians don’t understand that this country needs migrant workers and immigration. What about the refugees in Germany? We are only making very small progress here because we are hanging bureaucratic concrete blocks on our legs. And then we also have the problem that we no longer provide training in Germany; anyone can start a career as a career changer. A three-year dual training course in Germany was and is internationally recognized. And we’ll just push that aside now. As a practical entrepreneur, I can only shake my head.
Could you imagine throwing in the towel at some point?
No. As I said, it’s all super annoying, it’s becoming more and more complicated and that means having to work and achieve more and more, and in the end being punished for it in the form of more taxes and even more regulations. But that’s not why I give up. I am a passionate restaurateur with experience in other countries, from Dubai to Switzerland and four restaurants on cruise ships. Working there was or is much more relaxed and easier. But it is also a fact that my business partner Marie-Anne Wild and I are Berliners and our business is also a life’s work. At the same time, I’m not getting any younger, so of course I’m preparing for the future and investing a lot of time in my work on television – because that makes more business sense in the long term.
Diana Dittmer spoke to Tim Raue