In a Berlin studio where creative disciplines blur and the dinner table doubles as a canvas, Studio Schmaus stages edible compositions that celebrate the intimacy of shared meals and the joy of collaboration; a love letter to food, art, and the rituals of gathering. Founded by Amelie and Alan, a culinary stylist with a reverence for ceramics and a photographer-turned-host with deep roots in hospitality, this creative studio was born out of a shared appetite for connection and craft.
What began as a few impromptu dinner nights evolved into a thoughtful, ever-evolving space where seasonal menus meet sculptural plating, and every element, from the vessels to the wine, tells part of the story. With roots in Austria and inspiration drawn from travels through Mexico and beyond, Studio Schmaus is less about perfection and more about presence: long tables, warm bread, and the kind of considered details that turn a meal into a memory.
When Food Met Photography: The Origin of Studio Schmaus
Morgan: Studio Schmaus is such a beautiful fusion of food, art, and experience. Can you take us back to the moment you knew this was something you had to create together?
Amelie: When Alan and I quit our jobs in Vienna, we decided to take a trip to Mexico and then move to Berlin. Before the trip, we hosted three dinner nights in a gallery—now our studio. Those nights were, in a way, the beginning. I already knew I wanted to start something of my own, and during the trip, I convinced Alan to join me. It was also on that trip, in Mazunte, a beautiful small beach town, that we did our first photoshoot together—I cooked, and Alan photographed the plates. I already knew he was talented at photography (and that I wasn’t), and I think that was the moment we realized, okay, this is fun. At the time, he had more or less stopped photographing, but with my food, he finally had a reason to pick it up again.
Morgan: Your roles have evolved since launching in 2023. How has this journey shaped your dynamic as business partners and as individuals?
Alan: Doing this project together has for sure been a wild ride and we had our ups and downs dynamically speaking as partners, but I think we are now finding ourselves at very solid grounds where we both are pretty content with our roles. In the beginning our foundation was that Amelie takes care of everything that is related to the food, menu and the cooking itself and I was in charge of the service. Today these foundations still hold true but there's much more to it. Amelie for sure is the captain of the ship in terms of the vision and seeing the bigger picture and she’s got a passionate fire burning in her. I don’t really have that entrepreneurial drive in me but I like to think that I am a great support and I think that makes for a great yin & yang in our partnership.
The Best Studio Schmaus Dinners Start with Creative Partnerships
Morgan: How would you describe the philosophy behind Studio Schmaus in just three words?
Amellie: Seasonal. Fun. Creative.
Morgan: Amelie, your love for collaboration is so evident in your work. What’s one of the most unexpected or inspiring collaborations you’ve done so far?
Amelie: Before I started, I wasn’t aware that our work would extend into so many different areas and involve so many creative partnerships. But I have to say, I just love ceramics. It feels like a canvas for the food and inspires me so much. So if I had to pick, I’d say working with so many amazing ceramic artists. But I also really love collaborating with great florists and set designers!
Morgan: Alan, your eye for detail brings so much to the experience; from the wine pairings to the table design. What’s your secret to creating an atmosphere that feels both effortless and intentional?
Alan: Visually and design wise the process of doing a table design is mostly a collaborative effort between Amelie and me and I would not want to take sole credits for the table designs. What I can talk about though is about trying to create an atmosphere where people feel welcomed, at ease and good about themselves and the time they are going to spend together. I’ve grown up in a restaurant and I think I’ve got a lot of that through intuition and how my parents raised me in the restaurant.
Food That’s Thoughtful and Always Personal
Morgan: The concept of Venue Report Supper Club explores how food and design elevate the experience of gathering. How do you see food as an art form, and how does that influence the way you create menus and presentations?
Alan: A well thought out and designed space can for sure add something to an experience but you can also have a super nice experience whilst sitting on a plastic stool in the streets of Bangkok where the focus could be more functional rather than aesthetic. In the end I think it is a lot about authenticity - so I guess we just try to utilize things, objects and ideas about design which we personally like and then we try to incorporate them somewhat organically.
Dinner Party Dreams
Morgan: If you could design a dream dinner party with no limits. Where would it be, what’s on the menu, and who’s on the guest list?
Amelie: It would be a long table outside, with all our friends from all over the world coming together for a night filled with good food and wine.
Morgan: What is one dish that represents Studio Schmaus at its core? The kind of meal that feels like “home” to you both?
Amelie: It has to be our Buchteln. It’s a type of Austrian brioche, traditionally filled with something sweet. Alan grew up with it, and I first got to know it at the restaurant in Vienna where we worked together. We served it at our first three dinner nights, where the whole menu was inspired by my time in Austria. But instead of serving it as a dessert, we made it the bread course, served with butter and pickles. It’s served warm, and our guests loved it so much that we’ve kept it on the menu ever since. Now, we often make it with a savory filling; still mostly with butter and pickles, but sometimes also with a hot broth.
Studio Schmaus Gives the Inside Scoop On How to Host a Memorable Dinner
Morgan: So much of what you do is about crafting an experience. What’s one small detail that can completely transform a meal into a memorable moment?
Amelie: For me, it’s the connection to the ingredients, knowing the farmers who grew the vegetables, the person who made the vinegar, or the cheesemaker. When you start to understand how much work and care goes into producing these things, you see them differently.
Morgan: Finally, what’s the best advice you can give for hosting an unforgettable dinner party? Any golden rules you live by?
Amelie: The one rule I always remind myself of: enjoy it! It can be stressful, and you want everything to be perfect, but a dinner party is about having a beautiful evening together. So don’t be too tense or critical of yourself. Enjoy the process instead.
Studio Schmaus is a reminder that the most memorable meals aren’t just about what’s on the plate, but the spirit in which they’re shared, thoughtful, tactile, and full of heart. For more stories like this and a closer look at the world’s most inspiring culinary creatives, keep up with The Venue Report as we uncover the artists, spaces, and experiences redefining the way we gather.
Cheers,
Morgan (Venue Report Editor, Content + Social) Xx
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