What exactly do you do at Suppen Cult?

I cook soups and lunch dishes, prepare salads and dressings, and make the orders for the kitchen. On a work day, I am in the kitchen by 4 AM, 5 at the latest. First, I check on the soups that are left over from the previous day and the food I've pre-cooked. I use that as a basis to figure out what I still have to cook for the day. Then I start everything, cook and fry the meat. Afterwards, I write up a shopping list of missing ingredients and contact the buyers. I order vegetables and meat separately. If there is still time, I spend the last hour of my time helping out with sales – I'm done at 12 PM.

What do you find fascinating about this job?

My fascination lies in the variety. In the beginning, soup kitchens were completely new to me. Now I've been working here for eight and a half years. Going from a normal restaurant kitchen to a soup kitchen, it's the amount that needs to be cooked that is the main challenge. Every day is different here. So I always have to adapt to something new. From creating the recipes to ordering the goods to being in contact with our guests – there is never a dull moment. 

Why did you decide on Suppen Cult, a Berlin-based company?

It was the right job offer at the right time. I have a child, and I always dreamed of having enough time for my little family. With Suppen Cult, I have quite simply found the perfect working hours. Working from 4 AM to 12 PM is like a dream come true for me. It's not easy to find such a job in the hospitality industry. Most work in three shifts. I feel right at home here. And Berlin? I moved from Potsdam to Berlin-Spandau. All my friends are there. Coming from Spandau every day to work in Prenzlauer Berg feels almost like a commute. Where I live in Spandau, it's so nice and quiet, almost like a village. Here, it's exciting and fast paced. I love the fact that Berlin has these differences, and yet everything is in a single city.