The Cloud by Käfer

The double-cone steel-and-glass structure of BMW Welt is one of the most photographed buildings in Munich — a 73,000 square metre statement of industrial ambition that opened in 2007 and draws three million visitors a year. Inside, the fine dining floor has occupied the culinary pinnacle for over a decade. For twelve years, that table was the EssZimmer under Bobby Bräuer, holder of two Michelin stars. When Bräuer departed in December 2024, BMW Welt and Feinkost Käfer did not seek a replacement — they sought a reinvention.

The Cloud by Käfer opened in June 2025. The concept is explicit: Culinary Nomadism, with each season exploring a different region of the world through an immersive eight-course tasting menu. Season One — "Nomadic Earth" — plunges into the flavours of East and South Africa, guided by chef Jens Madsen, who was born in Tanzania, raised in Bavaria's Chiemgau, and trained in some of the world's finest kitchens, including Haerlin in Hamburg, Vue de Monde in Melbourne, and the Überfahrt at Tegernsee.

The room itself is extraordinary. Suspended at height within BMW Welt's soaring atrium, the dining space commands panoramic views of the building's theatrical architecture — all swooping steel, dramatic lighting, and the kinetic energy of the display floors below. It is unlike any other dining room in Germany, and its visual drama is a feature rather than a distraction: Madsen's food is confident enough to hold its own against the backdrop.

The eight-course tasting menu tells a coherent story of a landscape and its produce — spice routes, savannah herbs, coastal fish preparations, and the fermentation traditions of the region. Sommelier Luigi Pecchia builds a drinks pairing that moves between the wine-producing regions of South Africa and carefully selected European bottles, all in service of the journey. Restaurant manager Mona Röthig orchestrates a service that is warm, theatrical where appropriate, and precise throughout.

For corporate entertaining, The Cloud at BMW Welt carries a context that pure restaurant visits do not — clients arriving for dinner within BMW's flagship consumer experience understand that their host has secured something genuinely unique. The conversation before sitting down is already exceptional.

Corporate entertaining requires a room that signals something beyond mere gastronomy. The Cloud at BMW Welt signals innovation, access, and taste simultaneously — the kind of venue that tells clients immediately that the evening will be different from any business dinner they have attended before. The architecture is the first statement; the food makes the lasting one.

Private dining arrangements can be made within the space for sensitive business conversations. The building's valet and concierge facilities are seamless. For international clients visiting Munich, dinner at BMW Welt provides a dual experience — the building itself as a landmark, the food as the reason to stay.

"The building alone would make it worth coming. The fact that the food matches the spectacle is remarkable. Jens Madsen understands his room." — A.N., Corporate dinner

"The African tasting menu is genuinely transportive. Not a gimmick — a real culinary argument for a cuisine that German restaurants rarely consider. Fascinating from first course to last." — H.B., Birthday dinner

"EssZimmer was two Michelin stars. The Cloud is its worthy successor — a bolder concept, a more theatrical space, and a kitchen that knows exactly why it's here." — C.W., Regular guest