My first encounter with the Michelberger Farm didn’t happen in the Spreewald, but in Friedrichshain — at the Michelberger Hotel restaurant. Before dinner, a lavish basket of fresh produce from the farm’s market garden was passed around, lovingly grown, and later, artfully presented on the plate. A summer later, I made my way to the farm. Getting there is surprisingly easy: a short ride on the regional train, followed by a few final kilometers by bike — past old fruit trees, cow pastures, and narrow canals. Provisions? Barely needed. The team at Michelberger Farm knows how to welcome guests like few others — and the cuisine nourishes body and soul in equal measure. Since 2018, a holistic ecosystem has flourished here on a historic four-sided farmstead, nestled within one and a half hectares of land. It’s all grounded in permaculture and the principles of syntropic agriculture. For me, the lovingly created forest garden felt like a small miracle. Berry bushes grow beside root vegetables, herbs, and cabbage. Sheep’s wool blankets the soil, keeping it from drying out (and from uninvited guests). The air is fragrant, butterflies dance between the leaves, and birdsong fills the air.

The Michelberger Farm works closely with neighboring farms and the local community — their produce often appears on the seasonal menu. “Celebrating the new old normal,” is one of the farm’s guiding philosophies. And you can truly feel this spirit of togetherness — not only in what’s served but in how it’s shared. In the barn, designed by architect Sigurd Larsen, dinner is served in bowls along a long communal table. The minimalist structure hosts up to 25 guests, with nine rooms that range from cozy to loft-like. Special Easter menus are also available: fresh fish on Good Friday, and regional lamb on Easter Sunday. And if you’d like to pair the feast with a bike ride or a short hike, plan to spend the weekend at the Vierseitenhof. Spring and the holidays are best enjoyed slowly, fully, and here.

Text: Laura Iriondo / Photos: Tobias König

Michelberger Farm

@michelbergerfarm

Working in a small Berlin studio tends to entail juggling many things — creative work, tight timelines, a full calendar. What it usually doesn’t entail? A proper lunch break. With no in-house canteen and few nearby options, food becomes purely functional. Quick, convenient, forgettable. But what if lunch could add something to your day? That’s the idea behind having Yumi cook for us. She’s a private chef based in Berlin, with roots in Japan and a background shaped by time spent living and studying in Italy. She’s not classically trained — her earliest teachers were her mother and grandmother, both home economics instructors. That sense of home, of care, of slowing down and making something from scratch comes through in every dish. Yumi believes that cooking is the foundation of the art of living. She uses fresh, whole ingredients — no shortcuts, no pre-made foods — and focuses on creating meals that nourish without overcomplicating. Her style is intuitive, health-focused, and grounded in the kind of cooking that feels good and does good. We brought Yumi in to cook lunches for our team at the studio — a creative coworking space where different people cross paths in the kitchen or at the coffee machine, but rarely sit down together. Having her cook onsite changed that.

Suddenly, there’s a reason to pause. To meet. To taste. Her dishes are always a surprise — not the kind of food we’d typically make at home or find around the corner. That’s part of the charm: letting go of routine and discovering something new. For us, these lunches have become more than a meal. They’re a rhythm in the week. A moment of connection. A way to care for each other without making a big fuss of it. If you’re part of a small team or creative studio in Berlin — especially one without a kitchen crew or nearby lunch gems — inviting someone like Yumi to cook might be exactly what your team needs. She offers onsite cooking, private events, and catering, and brings with her not just food, but a feeling. You can find her on Instagram or LinkedIn — or perhaps just follow the smell of something delicious down the hallway.

Text: Nina Trippel / Photos: Robyn Steffen & Daniel Pecsi

@yumi_s_tanaka