Björn Swanson

Chef at Faelt* (Berlin, Germany)

Swanson’s culinary philosophy is simple: dishes that are delicious, different and well-grounded. Everything stands on the pillar of sustainability.

The son of an American, but born and raised in Berlin, in the district of Schöneberg that has strong Turkish and Arab influences, Björn Swanson stumbled into the world of gastronomy by accident after serving in the US army.

When he went back to Germany, cooking crossed his path like a sort of destiny. From then on, he worked in renowned restaurants, such as Fischers Fritz, with Christian Lohse; with Marco Müller at Weinbar Rutz; and at Facil, with Michael Kempf. His first job as chef was at the Relais & Châteaux Gutshaus Stolpe, a five-star resort in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern where he earned his first Michelin star.

A turning point in his career came in 2017 when he returned to Berlin and set up Golvet, a 500m² restaurant with one of the best bars in town. After just six months, Golvet was awarded a Michelin star. In 2020, the arrival of the pandemic allowed Swanson to start anew and he opened what he truly considers to be ‘his’ project, Faelt. Björn Swanson opened Faelt four weeks before the second lockdown in Germany but it was enough time for the Michelin guide to once again award him a star, this time in 2021.