St. Ingbert celebrates culinary triumph: two Michelin stars for Atama!

St. Ingbert celebrates culinary triumph: two Michelin stars for Atama!

In a festive ceremony, the awarding of the Michelin stars was celebrated on June 24, 2025 in St. Ingbert. Also this year the Saarland scored with its culinary diversity and at the same time demonstrated its status as a gourmet country No. 1 in Germany. In total, the region now has 14 Michelin stars, and the joy of the awards was great.

The restaurant "Atama by Martin Stop", which received two stars, stood out. This honor exceeded the expectations of the chef, who originally only expected a star. Martin Stopp, who started his training in Klaus Erfort in Völklingen in 1996 and received numerous awards for his previous restaurants, combined French haute cuisine with creative influences from the Far East and other cultures in "Atama". His joy about the award was unmistakable, as he put himself, and indicates the high quality of his kitchen, which has steadily gained in the past few years. The success of "Atama" is also reflected in other gastronomic strongholds of the Saarland, where there are a total of eight stars buildings, so sr.

a proud culinary community

Another winner of the evening was the restaurant "Midi" in the Rohrbach district, which was able to successfully defend his star from the previous year. Regional products from the Bliesgau biosphere reserve are particularly used here, which increases the connection to the home and the quality of the dishes. Mayor Dr. Ulli Meyer did not miss the opportunity to congratulate the excellent chefs and praise the culinary talent in St. Ingbert. This underlines the importance of gastronomy in the region, which is becoming increasingly worthwhile for gourmets.

But what does the Situation generally look like in Germany? In 2025, a total of 341 restaurants were awarded with at least one Michelin star, which is a record. This is the second year in a row with the highest number of star restaurants in the country. Germany has blossomed into a gastronomic stronghold; This also testifies to Gwendal Pullennec, the international director of the Guide Michelin, who described the country as a "gastronomic powerhouse". The guests come to this high pleasure, especially in the now 12 restaurants with three stars, including the "Victor’s Fine Dining by Christian Bau" in Perl, which takes up the top position in Saarland.

challenges for the top kitchen

The pleasure also has its challenges. Christian Bau, the owner of "Victor’s Fine Dining", pointed out the difficult situation of the top kitchen at the awarding of the stars. Falling guests Despite the increased restaurant quality, the industry presents great economic difficulties. World political developments and warlike arguments have reinforced the influence on gastronomy. These framework conditions could have an impact on the already heavily required companies in the coming years.

The awards in Saarland are not only a reason for joy, but also a sign of the persistently high quality and the will to integrate the local gastronomy. Above all, the commitment of chefs such as Martin Stop and Peter Wirbel shows that Saarland will continue to remain a place for gourmets in the future. Let's hope that the challenges will be mastered and the culinary diversity continues to grow and thrive.