Founder & Visionary of Burgermeister
Cebrail Karabelli is the founder, culinary mind, and creative driving force behind Burgermeister — one of Berlin’s most defining street food brands. His story is also the story of the brand itself: shaped by a passion for honest craftsmanship, a clear commitment to quality, and the courage to take an unconventional path.
In 2006, Karabelli opened his first burger stand in a place that has since become legendary: a listed 19th-century public restroom located directly beneath the U-Bahn tracks at Schlesisches Tor in Berlin-Kreuzberg. From the very beginning, his belief was clear: true quality does not need a perfect setting — it creates one. An exceptional product can elevate the place where it is made and turn it into a destination, an experience, and a story people want to share.
From day one, he focused on consistent in-house production: buns baked by the company, meat freshly ground in-house — a standard that remains the foundation of the brand to this day. What began as an insider tip quickly became a must-visit stop in Berlin’s nightlife scene and eventually a cultural icon, still attracting long lines of Berlin locals and guests from all over the world, day and night.
What started as a small stand at Schlesisches Tor has since grown into an internationally expanding company with its own production infrastructure. Yet Cebrail Karabelli remains the central guardian of the brand’s DNA: closely involved in product development, quality assurance, and strategic evolution. In doing so, he ensures that Burgermeister’s promise remains unchanged, even as the brand continues to grow: house-made burgers of the highest quality, served with an authentic, direct, and uncompromising attitude. Just as it began under the tracks in 2006.
