From the Jungle of Costa Rica to Berlin in Germany, HiR Fine Dining is spreading its wings
2025 has been worse than COVID for HiR Fine Dining.
All our social media accounts were banned overnight a few months ago and HiR Fine Dining is in the middle of nowhere, therefore social media wasn't just a marketing tool; it was our primary lifeline to patrons, our window to the world. Its abrupt removal was akin to severing a vital artery. Yesterday Meta admitted their error and that our accounts had been hacked.
The confirmation of this targeted attack with malicious intent cleared my paranoia but did nothing to heal the wounds inflicted.
The immediate aftermath of the social media blackout was devastating.
HiR Fine Dining, a place built on passion, precision, and years of dedication, was plunged into an operational and financial abyss.
Bookings evaporated. The vibrant hum of a busy dining room faded into an unnerving quiet. The financial strain was immense and swift. All personal savings were depleted in a desperate attempt to keep the business afloat and meet obligations. Beyond the business, the personal toll was profound. It was a period of intense pressure, uncertainty, and the painful realization of how vulnerable a passion-driven enterprise can be to external malice.
A glimmer of hope and the reception of an unreasonable offer
Just as the shadows seemed to be at their longest, an unexpected email arrived from a former client saying “I would be very interested, if you come to Europe. How about Berlin?”
Berlin is a city I had visited a few times in my teens and twenties, but it wasn’t anywhere on my radar. From the 40+ countries I’ve visited, it’s a city I had never contemplated living in, especially not from the depths of such a crisis.
To my surprise, my fiance who’s Costa Rican got excited by the idea of moving our family to Berlin. As partners in life and business, her enthusiasm opened a door in my mind.
This client's belief in HiR Fine Dining even in its darkest hours, combined with my fiance’s enthusiasm, inspired me to start researching the possibility of opening the restaurant in Berlin.
In the 1920s Berlin got known as “Sin City” due to its vibrant and unconventional culture
The idea of transplanting HiR Fine Dining to Berlin, initially a surprise, quickly blossomed into a vision filled with immense potential. Far from being a random choice, Berlin presents a confluence of factors that make it an extraordinarily exciting and strategically sound destination for the evolution of HiR Fine Dining.
A Stage for Global Recognition
Berlin is a global culinary capital, a city that breathes innovation and appreciates artistry. Crucially, it's a city where culinary excellence is recognized and celebrated on the world stage. The German capital boasts a vibrant Michelin Guide presence, with 20 restaurants holding coveted stars as of the 2024 guide. This includes establishments like Rutz, the city's only three-Michelin-star restaurant, which also holds a Green Star for its commitment to sustainability, and Nobelhart & Schmutzig, a one-star restaurant celebrated for its radical local sourcing and unique dining philosophy, which also achieved the remarkable feat of being ranked #17 on The World’s 50 Best Restaurants list and winning the Flor de Caña Sustainability Award.
This contrasts significantly with Costa Rica, where the Michelin Guide does not have a specific selection or coverage. For HiR Fine Dining, an establishment already demonstrating exceptional quality, Berlin offers the "bigger pond" where its talents can be measured and achieve these highest echelons of global culinary awards. The success of unique concepts like Nobelhart & Schmutzig, which views eating as a "political act", signals a receptive audience for restaurants with a distinct vision.

Berlin offers a significantly larger and more diverse market than the remote jungle of Costa Rica. This larger, more dynamic audience provides a broader base for HiR Fine Dining to build a loyal following and achieve sustainable success.
The Bedrock of Belief: Nine Years of Unblemished Excellence
Confidence in HiR Fine Dining's potential to thrive in Berlin is not based on wishful thinking; it is anchored in a nine-year track record of consistent, unblemished excellence. In an industry where reputations are fragile and diner expectations are sky-high, HiR Fine Dining in Costa Rica achieved something truly remarkable: an almost perfect record of customer satisfaction, with no bad reviews over this extended period.
This claim is substantiated by comparative analyses of TripAdvisor reviews, detailed in below. When HiR Fine Dining's performance is benchmarked against all the 3-Michelin-star restaurants in the USA and Spain, it ranks #1 with 98.89% "Excellent" (5-star) reviews, with an astonishing 0.00% in the combined "Average," "Poor," or "Terrible" (3, 2, or 1-star) categories. This is the highest percentage of excellent reviews and, critically, the only instance of zero negative reviews among all the highly lauded establishments in that comparison.
Similarly, when placed within a comparison of 3-Michelin-star restaurants in Germany, based on the 182 reviews of HiR Fine Dining, this performance outshines all of Germany's top-rated establishments in terms of overwhelmingly positive feedback and the complete absence of significant dissatisfaction. For instance, the esteemed Rutz in Berlin, with three Michelin stars, had 62.97% 5-star reviews, and while ES:SENZ achieved a 100% 5-star rating, it does from a much smaller base of 43 reviews despite its 3 Michelin Stars and high visibility (5,230,000 results on Google vs 384,000 results for HiR Fine Dining).
To illustrate this starkly:
This consistent, near-universal acclaim over nine years and a significant number of reviews points to an extraordinary level of quality control, meticulous attention to detail, and a profound understanding of guest experience that transcends mere culinary skill. It suggests a deeply ingrained culture of excellence.
This proven ability to deliver world-class satisfaction is the strongest possible foundation for launching in a competitive market like Berlin. It significantly mitigates the inherent risks of a new venture; the core offering has been rigorously tested and validated by the most important critics—the diners themselves.
Untapped Avenues: Beyond the Dining Table
Beyond the core restaurant experience, Berlin's vibrant economy and culture open up multiple avenues for business diversification—a crucial consideration for resilience and growth, particularly in light of past vulnerabilities.
- Produce Sales: There's a clear opportunity to leverage HiR's culinary expertise and commitment to quality ingredients by developing a line of artisanal products or selling unique produce. Berlin has a thriving culture of specialty food shops and delicatessens, such as Goldhahn & Sampson, which carefully curate high-quality regional and international products. This indicates a strong consumer demand for premium food items. Concepts like Infarm, which introduced in-supermarket vertical farming in a Berlin Metro store, also highlight the city's openness to innovative food sourcing and retail.
- Training and Consulting: My expertise as a corporate trainer and keynote speaker for big conferences could be channeled into culinary training programs, workshops, or consulting services. Berlin is a city with a bustling event scene and a strong business environment where professional development is valued, as evidenced by the variety of sales and professional training events regularly hosted.
- Catering and Events: As a major international city, Berlin has a constant demand for high-end catering for private functions, corporate events, and gallery openings. HiR Fine Dining's reputation for quality could translate well into this lucrative sector.
These diverse avenues are not merely supplementary; they represent strategic pathways to build a multifaceted brand, create multiple revenue streams, and deeply embed HiR Fine Dining within Berlin's rich food ecosystem. This proactive approach to business development is a lesson learned, aiming to build a more robust and adaptable enterprise.
Rebuilding the Dream, Together: The HiR Berlin Fundraising
To turn the dream of HiR Fine Dining Berlin into a reality, a collective effort is needed. The vision is ambitious, and so is the undertaking. The aim is to raise €300,000 (+/- $345,000) to lay the foundations for HiR Fine Dining in its new home.
This will be achieved by welcoming many angels, each contributing $10,000 to $100,000 or one sole investor contributing the full amount. These crucial funds will be allocated towards securing a prime location, designing and fitting out the restaurant space to reflect HiR Fine Dining's unique ambiance, covering initial operating capital, and moving our family to Berlin.
For those who wish to support this renaissance in a different way, and to be among the first to experience HiR Fine Dining Berlin, an exclusive pre-sale of dinner seats is being offered. The first 120 dinner seats will be available at a 33% discount, priced at €200. This is an opportunity to become an early patron and an integral part of our founding story in Berlin.
The confidence in this venture is built upon the nine years of proven success and the immense potential of the Berlin market. For investors, the projected return on investment is compelling: the aim is to double the initial investment within five years, and to quadruple it within eight years, with continued growth anticipated thereafter. While all restaurant ventures carry inherent risks, the exceptional track record of customer satisfaction and the strategic advantages of Berlin provide a strong basis for these projections.
Every contribution, no matter its form, is invaluable. For those who may not be in a position to invest or pre-purchase a seat, there is still a powerful way to help: by sharing this story. Share the journey, the challenges, and the new hope for HiR Fine Dining Berlin within your networks. In an age where digital presence is so vital—the very realm that was weaponized against HiR Fine Dining—your voice can amplify this message of resilience and help build a community of support. The power of a shared story can be as impactful as financial backing, transforming the narrative from one of attack to one of collective rebuilding.
All details of the fundraising campaign, the vision for HiR Fine Dining Berlin, and ways to contribute can be found at www.hirwithmercy.com/hirberlin.
A New Chapter in Berlin: Humble, Resilient, Hopeful
The journey has been arduous, marked by betrayal and loss, but it has also forged an unshakeable resilience. The prospect of HiR Fine Dining Berlin is not just about rebuilding a restaurant; it's about transforming adversity into opportunity, about channeling the pain of the past into the creation of a vibrant future.
There is a profound sense of humility in approaching this new chapter, born from the stark reminder of how quickly circumstances can change. Yet, this humility is coupled with an unwavering belief in the quality and spirit of HiR Fine Dining. The resilience that carried us through the darkest days now fuels the excitement for what lies ahead in Berlin—a city that champions creativity, embraces diversity, and celebrates culinary excellence.
The hope is not just to open another restaurant, but to create a space where passion for food, dedication to craft, and genuine human hospitality converge to offer unforgettable experiences. It is a hope to connect with a new community, to share our culinary vision with the people of Berlin and its many visitors, and to build something lasting and meaningful.
Gratitude extends to everyone who has offered support, belief, and encouragement along this path. And to those who are now considering joining this new venture, whether as an investor, a future patron, or an advocate sharing our story—thank you.
You are helping to write a new, hopeful, and exciting chapter in the story of HiR Fine Dining. Berlin awaits, and we approach it with open hearts, determined spirits, and an unyielding passion to create, to serve, and to thrive once more.