Käsewerkstatt

Enter the Käsewerkstatt

One morning earlier this year, I woke up and realized I had a space problem.

I'd been trying to build out a workshop to tackle increasingly complex woodworking and plastic fabrication projects. After yet another disagreement with my girlfriend following my repeated violations of the "No-Sanding-and-Linseed-Oiling-Policy" in our living room, something had to change.

I'm based in Berlin, where the housing market has gone completely haywire (quick shoutout in solidarity with Deutsche Wohnen und Co enteignen). The reality: I won't be able to afford renting even a small workshop anywhere near Berlin anytime soon.

As you'll notice in some of my other projects— Autoimmunitaet, Commoning Cars, or Dreams of Cars—I'm quite opposed to the idea that parking private cars on public urban spaces should be considered normal.

The Idea: Reclaiming Space

So the concept was born: reclaim that space as habitable zone, take back usable space from parked cars. I would install a mobile workshop inside a trailer—lockable, with enough standing and working space.

As it turns out, food trailers fulfill these criteria quite nicely. I set out on a quest to find the cheapest food trailer available in Germany.

Six weeks later, I found one near Munich, hauled it back to Berlin, and immediately started renovating it.

From Workshop to Food Truck

Due to parallel developments, I was invited to sell food at the official premiere during Bergfest—a weekend format in Brandenburg an der Havel, initiated and organized by Zirkus Creativo. Many thanks again for the invitation!

I spent several afternoons renovating and outfitting the trailer, did my first-ever shopping at Metro (a local B2B foodstuffs market), navigated all the paperwork, and completed the necessary food safety courses and certifications.

The Menu

For my debut, I chose raclette on fresh bread—a Swiss dish that's quite popular in Germany. Looking ahead, the trailer will tend more toward vegan offerings, but as a first test, I also sold a bruschetta combo. This turned out perfectly: the weather was hot, the bruschetta provided a light and refreshing option, and I could use the same bread for both dishes.

The event was fantastic and started paying off the trailer investment (at least partially!).

Looking Forward

We received lots of positive feedback, and I'm looking forward to the next event. The trailer continues to serve its dual purpose: mobile workshop when needed, food truck when the opportunity arises.

Want a food truck at your event? Get in touch! Contact: käsewerkstatt@petau.net