Just one year after opening its doors in the architectural marvel of Munich’s BMW Welt, THE CLOUD by Käfer has shattered expectations by catapulting straight to Two Michelin Stars in the Michelin Guide Germany 2026. To top off the achievement, it was also crowned Michelin’s “Opening of the Year.”
Taking over the third-level space formerly occupied by EssZimmer, the restaurant represents a massive paradigm shift in fine dining. This isn’t old-school, stuffy pretension; it is an experience rooted in raw craftsmanship, conceptual execution, and precision engineering—perfectly mirroring the automotive birthplace it hovers within.
The Concept: Culinary Nomadism
Led by Chef de Cuisine Jens Madsen, the restaurant operates on a brilliant, evolving philosophy called “Culinary Nomadism.” Rather than sticking to a static regional style, Madsen’s team focuses on a specific region of the globe for an entire year, changing the menu as the seasons evolve like a cloud moving across landscapes.
The kitchen beautifully balances raw global techniques with hyper-local Bavarian ingredients:
- Season I (Nomadic Earth): A brilliant exploration of East and Southern Africa, blending local produce like goat’s milk from Lenggries and char from Kinsau with intense African spices, fire, and fermentation.
- Season II (Whispers of the Rainforest): Launching in July 2026, this next chapter draws directly from Madsen’s recent Amazon expedition, translating indigenous produce and ancient tribal resource management into minimalist, high-impact plates.
“The cuisine captivates with a wonderful clarity that showcases the very best ingredients to perfection — with exciting and harmonious combinations.” — The Michelin Guide Inspectors
Designworks Physics Meet High Gastro
The interior, meticulously penned by BMW Group Designworks, acts as a minimalist, calm canvas that allows the textures of the food to stand entirely on their own.
Suspended high within the cloud-like steel structure of the Coop Himmelb(l)au-designed building, the dining room limits seating to an ultra-exclusive 42 guests. A massive, five-ton stone monolith serves as the live plating stage, while an amorphous, weightless fabric cloud installation floats overhead, changing color via digital projections to mimic the passage of time from sunset to midnight.
Through the expansive floor-to-ceiling glass façade, diners look out across the sweeping lines of BMW Welt, tightly integrating the thrill of mechanical innovation with the focus of world-class gastronomy.
[BMW WELT THIRD LEVEL]
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[THE CLOUD BY KÄFER]
(42 Seats • 5-Ton Plating Monolith • Glass Facade)
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[THE CULINARY ENGINE] [THE HOSPITALITY SETUP]
• Chef Jens Madsen • Manager Mona Röthig
• “Culinary Nomadism” • Sommelier Luigi Pecchia
• Two Michelin Stars • “BMW Welt Signatures”
(7 Series Shuttle & Private Tours)
A Seamless Customer Journey
To match the caliber of the kitchen, the restaurant relies on a powerful front-of-house engine, orchestrated by Restaurant Manager Mona Röthig and Sommelier Luigi Pecchia (recently named among Germany’s top young talents).
True to the brand’s focus on premium utility, the meal can be paired with BMW Welt Signatures—allowing guests to seamlessly lock in a private valet, exclusive guided night tours of the vehicle collections, and a private chauffeur service across Munich in a flagship BMW 7 Series.
By avoiding traditional white-tablecloth tropes and focusing heavily on purity, origins, and technical brilliance, Jens Madsen and the Käfer team have proven that the future of luxury dining is light, fast, and constantly moving.
