20 Feb 7 Kitchens, 7 Worlds: Why Munich’s Top Chefs Move Seamlessly Between Michelin-Starred Dining and Izakaya
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You’ve completed your apprenticeship – and now you’re at your station. Every day brings the same motions, the same menu, the same faces. The logical next step? A new job – new establishment, new interview, new risk. Unless you work for a group that offers seven entirely distinct kitchens under one roof. That’s exactly what the Gastro Head Office Group in Munich makes possible.
DROP
- ▸ 7 Restaurants – from Mediterranean fine dining to Japanese izakaya – internal transfers always possible
- ▸ Career Path: Commis, Chef de Partie, Sous Chef, Executive Chef, Restaurant Manager – all achievable internally
- ▸ Sous Chefs in Munich earn an average of €46,000 per year – the highest nationwide, according to the Stepstone Salary Report
- ▸ Two establishments in the MICHELIN Guide – working here means training at the highest level
- ▸ Centralized HR via Gastro Head Office GmbH – professional structures instead of paper-based chaos
The Kitchen Brigade: Your Path Upward
The classic career progression in professional kitchens follows a system pioneered by Auguste Escoffier. The kitchen brigade is no dusty relic – it’s the structural framework upon which every gastronomy career is built.
You begin as a Commis de Cuisine. With three years of formal training behind you, you now learn every station from the inside out: mise en place, foundational prep work, workflow rhythms. As Chef de Partie, you take ownership of a dedicated station – Saucier, Poissonnier, Entremetier. This is your first real responsibility – and your first independent decisions.
The Sous Chef is the Executive Chef’s right hand. You coordinate all stations, schedule staff, monitor inventory usage. In Munich, Sous Chefs earn an average of €46,056 annually – the highest figure in Germany, per the Stepstone Salary Report.
Then comes Chef de Cuisine: menu development, procurement, quality assurance, team leadership. And beyond that: Restaurant Manager, Operations Manager, F&B Director – roles available only within multi-restaurant groups.
Why a Group Makes All the Difference
At a standalone restaurant, there’s just one Executive Chef. To land that role, you must wait until the current chef departs – or leave yourself. In a group with seven venues, the math changes completely.
The Gastro Head Office Group operates seven restaurants across Munich’s city center: the Rocca Riviera (Mediterranean, MICHELIN Guide), the KOI (Japanese, also MICHELIN Guide), The Grill im Künstlerhaus (steakhouse, multiple international awards), OskarMaria (brasserie inside the Literature House), Café Reitschule (tradition since 1927), Ornella (Italian-Japanese fusion), and Moro Mou (modern Greek).
Seven concepts. Seven kitchens. One employer. After two years mastering the robata grill at KOI, if you crave Mediterranean flavors, you move to Rocca Riviera. No job interview. No new contract. No probation period. Just an internal conversation.
Skills That Travel Across Kitchens
A chef who masters Japanese knife techniques at KOI – and then layers on Mediterranean sauce classics at Rocca Riviera – is pure gold in today’s job market. The Gastro Head Office Group makes precisely this cross-kitchen mastery possible.
Knife skills: Julienne, brunoise, chiffonade – in Japanese cuisine, precision is non-negotiable; in Mediterranean cooking, it’s the foundation for sauces and garnishes. Temperature control: Sous-vide works identically for Japanese Wagyu and dry-aged ribeye at The Grill. Mise en place: The brigade’s systematic rigor transcends cuisine – it’s universal. Once mastered, it functions anywhere.
The MICHELIN-level standards at KOI and Rocca Riviera elevate expectations across all seven venues. A Commis spending their first months in a MICHELIN Guide restaurant absorbs quality benchmarks that will define their entire professional life.
What Do You Earn in Munich’s Premium Gastronomy?
Salaries in premium gastronomy sit well above industry averages – and Munich leads Germany outright.
A cook or Commis earns €3,100-€3,300 gross monthly in Munich; in top-tier establishments, up to €6,000. A Sous Chef averages €3,840 per month. Executive Chefs in upscale venues reach €4,780; at the absolute peak, over €7,000. An experienced Restaurant Manager can earn over €54,000 annually.
These figures confirm: climbing the ladder in gastronomy pays well. And doing so within a group operating at MICHELIN level delivers credentials that open doors.
The New Generation Wants More Than Just a Job
According to DEHOGA, over 23,800 new apprenticeship contracts were signed in the hospitality sector in 2023 – a 12.5% increase year-on-year. The number of culinary apprentices rose 9.8% to 7,560. Most striking: the new profession Fachkraft Küche (Kitchen Specialist) surged 166%.
So yes – the next generation is arriving. But they have expectations: structured upskilling, transparent career paths, professional HR support. That’s exactly what a group like Gastro Head Office delivers: centralized administration via its GmbH (Managing Director: Ulrich Springer), a digital HR portal powered by Factorial, and the chance to grow within the group – not switch employers every two years.
Verdict
Q&A After the Show
Do I need a completed apprenticeship?
A three-year vocational training program as a cook (Koch/Köchin) remains the traditional entry point. Since 2022, the two-year Fachkraft Küche qualification has also been available – and enrollment numbers are rising sharply. Career changers are common in gastronomy; large restaurant groups often offer internal upskilling programs.
How long does it take to become a Sous Chef?
Typically five to eight years after completing your apprenticeship – depending on talent, dedication, and opportunities within your workplace. In a multi-restaurant group, advancement often accelerates: more positions exist, and internal transfers are actively encouraged.
What’s the benefit of switching between different culinary styles?
Each cuisine sharpens distinct skills. Japanese cooking hones knife technique and precision. Mediterranean cuisine deepens sauce craft and product understanding. A steakhouse teaches meat aging and grilling mastery. Chefs fluent across multiple styles hold a clear edge in the job market – and are prime candidates for leadership roles.
Which restaurants belong to the Gastro Head Office Group?
Seven venues in Munich’s city center: Rocca Riviera (Mediterranean, MICHELIN Guide), KOI (Japanese, MICHELIN Guide), The Grill im Künstlerhaus (steakhouse, internationally awarded), OskarMaria (brasserie inside the Literature House), Café Reitschule (tradition since 1927), Ornella (Italian-Japanese fusion), and Moro Mou (modern Greek). All are centrally managed by Gastro Head Office GmbH.
Where can I find open positions?
All current openings for the Gastro Head Office Group are listed on its careers portal at gastro-head-office.factorialhr.de. You’ll find roles across kitchen, service, and management for all seven restaurants.
Header Image Source: Pexels / Clem Onojeghuo (px:2403392)
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