Ahoi Steffen Henssler restaurant chain insolvency, Digi Mart USA News (Otterndorf, Germany): Restaurants are struggling amid an economic downturn in Germany’s hospitality sector. Four more locations of the well-known restaurant chain “Ahoi Steffen Henssler” have been affected, as operator Elbterrassen GmbH & Co.
KG filed for insolvency for four branches.
Restructuring expert Nils Krause of the firm Ecovis, who is advising the management of the franchisee, confirmed to BILD that the company filed due to impending insolvency. Under insolvency proceedings with self-administration, management remains able to act.
About 80 employees are affected. The restaurants operated by Elbterrassen GmbH & Co.
KG in Kiel, Marina-Wendtorf on the Baltic Sea, Bonn and Otterndorf in the district of Cuxhaven are in insolvency proceedings. The company is headquartered in Otterndorf, Lower Saxony.
The hospitality industry has struggled for years with rising costs, including for personnel and energy, while many consumers are cutting back on restaurant visits. Preliminary administrator Marc-André Borchert of the law firm SBL told BILD that, for now, employees and guests can be reassured: “The businesses will continue to operate without restriction, and so far there have been no terminations.”
Krause said restructuring options are being examined and talks are underway with the franchisor. “Each location is being evaluated for its ability to continue operating.” The franchisor, Ahoi Franchise GmbH, has belonged since early 2025 to the group of Bremen entrepreneur Theo Bührmann.
Borchert said he considers the prospects for restructuring to be very positive.
Celebrity chef Christian Rach, who is returning to television as a restaurant tester and helps businesses in economic difficulty, could potentially assist the Henssler restaurants.
The chain has already lost several restaurants. Early 2025 it had twelve restaurants; since then the Cologne and Hildesheim locations closed, and Grömitz followed in mid-October 2026.
Nine Ahoi restaurants currently remain. Five Ahoi locations in Hamburg, Scharbeutz, St.
Peter-Ording, Travemünde and Wismar are not affected by the insolvency.
TV chef Steffen Henssler and his brother Peter Henssler built up the restaurant chain in 2017. They sold their shares in Ahoi Franchise GmbH at the end of 2024, but the restaurants continue to operate under the “Ahoi Steffen Henssler” brand.
