Podcast “important today”
The deep case of Alfons Schuhbeck: tax evasion in the star kitchen
Star chef of the sad figure: Alfons Schuhbeck before the court in the district court of Munich I.
© Sven Hoppe / DPA
“Alfons Schuhbeck was the golden ticket to star gastronomy,” says Denise Wachter, enjoyment expert at the star. Now the star chef has to answer in court for tax evasion and is faced with the ruins of his life’s work.
Kitchen god, original Bavarian, and – as he himself said about himself in court – rather not a good businessman: that is Alfons Schuhbeck. But it doesn’t quite work out, because anyone who has earned millions with pasta water salt and erotic curry must have understood how to do business. “Schuhbeck has lined up one company after the other,” says star-Editor Denise Wachter in the 386th episode of the podcast “important today”. Schuhbeck had a cooking school, an event theatre, two restaurants (the Orlando and the Südtiroler Stuben) – that’s what tax evasion is all about – an ice cream shop, seven spice shops and a catering service, and was also a long-time chef for FC Bayern. Wachter: “He’s built up a huge empire and maybe it’s gone to his head.”
In the “ginger process”: Schuhbeck as a good speaker and entertainer
At the latest after his confession last week in the mockingly titled “ginger trial”, it is now clear that Schuhbeck is said to have concealed income in his restaurants. It is probably about 2.3 million euros. According to his own statements, he committed the act to “support his children in their education”. He takes responsibility for this alone, but Denise Wachter says in the podcast that we now know that money was taken out of the cash register in his restaurants even on days when Schuhbeck was not there. “Schuhbeck is a good speaker, an entertainer. You can see that in the court proceedings. He then starts talking about the history of ginger, which is sacred to him,” says Wachter. The fact that Schuhbeck speaks at all may help him in the process, but a prison sentence is usually certain for tax evasion of more than one million euros. Schuhbeck himself said last week: “I am aware that I am threatened with imprisonment.”
TV kitchen à la Schuhbeck: the end of an era
If you learned from Schuhbeck, many doors used to be open to you. But the era of star chefs like Schuhbeck seems to have changed, says the culinary expert. At that time nobody dared to attack a Schuhbeck, no matter how rough the tone was. “That would have fizzled out anyway because he was just this great kitchen god.” If you look at TV chefs like Tim Mälzer, Tim Raue or Cornelia Poletto, it’s “a different breed of person,” says Denise Wachter. And not only the chefs are changing, “they are now also in a different gastronomic world”.
Your subscription to “important today”
Don’t miss any episode of “today important” and subscribe to our podcast at: AudioNow,Spotify, Apple Podcasts, deezer, cast box or on their favorite podcast app. If you have any questions or suggestions, please write to us at [email protected].