Lode van Zuylen and Stijn Remi open new restaurant in the new Suhrkamp publishing house
Bright light shines through the large window fronts at Rosa-Luxemburg-Platz in Berlin. Lode van Zuylen and Stijn Remi shift the last chairs into place and finally, everything is set. Since the opening of their eponymous fine dining restaurant in Berlin-Kreuzberg, the Dutch-born chefs have become an integral part of the local gastronomy scene. Here, on the ground floor of the new Suhrkamp Verlag headquarters, the two long-time friends will open their second restaurant REMI, designed with the help of Ester Bruzkus Architekten.
"For REMI, we were inspired by the grand cafes of our home, where we used to enjoy eating together. We wanted to create a place where you could meet easily - whether for reading the newspaper, a quick lunch, or an intimate dinner. We want to shine with simplicity and quality ingredients - dishes that are straightforward and fun" - says Stijn Remi.
At lunchtime, the restaurateurs will serve a small selection of changing daily specials such as gazpacho with marinated cucumber or mackerel with kohlrabi salad. In the evening, the duo relies on a seasonal à la carte selection that can be combined into a four-course menu. Starters such as summer salad with peas and lovage meet cod with fennel and grilled peppers in the main course as well as choux à la creme for dessert. The emphasis lies on high-quality products that stem from a close network of local producers and farmers.
In collaboration with Ester Bruzkus Architekten, they have realized their idea of a lively brasserie with the open architecture of Roger Bundschuh's building as a starting point, characterized by exposed concrete, high ceilings and large-format glass fronts on both sides of the restaurant. At the centre of the space is the open kitchen – surrounded by an assemblage of diverse materials: unfinished perforated metal, rough stucco, reddish stained MDF cabinetry, pale blue curtains and a natural deep red granite that combines all the colours of REMI.This setting is framed by overhead rings of lighting, enhancing and unifying the clean and transparent design. The dining area furniture, provided by Studio Coucou, combines custom-made tables by Ester Bruzkus Architects with chairs by Please Wait To Be Seated, upholstered corduroy fabric by Kvadrat and Muller Van Severen wall lamps. A long table in the entrance invites you to linger all day.
"In July 2018 we were approached by Jonathan Landgrebe, the director of Suhrkamp Verlag. He asked us if we wanted to open a restaurant on the ground floor of their new publishing house on Rosa Luxemburg Platz. We were excited and honoured to be offered such an incredible opportunity. Since then we have spent countless hours planning and constructing our vision of what our second restaurant could be. We always wanted to create a Lode & Stijn family, and there really are no words to describe how happy we are that this is now finally happening" – says Lode van Zuylen.
Material Used :
Loose Furniture
1. Remi Tables: Polished Steel Frame,
2. Table Top Birch Plywood & Table
3. Linoleum (Forbo)
4. Light Object: Lumotubo
5. Loose Furniture
6. Wall Lamps: Valerie Objects -
7. Hanging lamp
8. Chair: Please wait to be seated - Bondi
Materials and Finishes
1. Flooring: Weberfloor
2. Walls/Ceiling: Concrete
3. Kitchen Box Wall Covering:
4. Acoustical Plaster
5. Wall Paint Wardrobe: Caparol Icons - Surf´s Up
Built-in Furniture
1. Kitchen/Bar/Service: Red Dyedthrough MDF (Innovus), Granite (Iron Red), Stainless Steel, Perforated Aluminium
2. Benches: Birch Plywood, Fabric
3. Kvadrat (Raf Simons - Phlox)
4. Curtain: Kvadrat - Panorama
