She is an actress, owner and landlady. Jennifer Mulinde Schmid probably never imagined that she would once find herself owning a restaurant. But now she stands behind the counter of the "Schwarze Heidi" in Berlin-Kreuzberg, where she serves her guests Swiss specialities. The passionate actress and restaurateur talks about how this happened, what challenges she faced and how she mastered them with the help of digital technologies.
As an actress and stand-up comedian, Jennifer Mulinde-Schmid spent several years on the stage of the Quatsch Comedy Club, appearing in productions like "Tag und Nacht" ("Day and Night") and "Die Standesbeamtin" ("The Registrar"). As a Swiss woman with African roots, she serves her guests modern Swiss cuisine at her restaurant "Schwarze Heidi". Everything she personally likes is featured on the menu.
It all began with a side job as a waitress in the Röschti Bar. She fell in love with the place. But when her favourite restaurant in Berlin Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg threatened to close its doors, the Swiss woman decided to take over. Without knowing the first thing about gastronomy, without knowing what she was getting into. And all that at a time when she lost everything that was important to her.
Now she is the face of the restaurant. Guests visit "Black Heidi" from the other end of Berlin and many other places, but not only for the kitchen. She always takes the time to greet the guests at the table with a smile. It makes her feel like an actress during her performance.
Digital tools help her control the ups and downs of gastronomy more easily, organise employees, keep an eye on expenses, increase efficiency and maintain stability. Thanks to digital tools, she can also make room to dedicate more time to her second passion as an actress again.
Jennifer Mulinde-Schmid, restaurateur, actress and stand-up comedian, Swiss with African roots, opened, the "Schwarze Heidi" in Berlin Kreuzberg in 2016. Before that, she ran the "Helvetia Röschti Bar" together with a partner for five years at the same location. In her restaurant she serves Swiss specialities with a modern flair. For example, this summer she serves Schwapas, Swiss tapas. In the winter months, her fondue cottage on the Haubentaucher site is known to offer one of the best cheese fondues on this side of the Alps. Her restaurant slogan is: If you visit our restaurant, you will go home happier then when you arrived.