Since 1 December 2024, “Beim Struwweltëntert” in Tuntange has been the new meeting place for residents of the Helperknapp municipality. Covering around 400 square metres, the house brings together three functions: a kitchen with a refined bistronomy-style menu, a café designed for uncomplicated meals and a coffee or beer in between, and a small épicerie focusing on regional and high-quality products.
The idea of creating a place for encounters in Tuntange had been around for many years. Once upon a time, there were more pubs here than inhabitants, but that culture gradually disappeared. In 2018, the Helperknapp municipality bought the ground floor of a new building in the village centre to create a venue that would be more than just a restaurant. Following lengthy discussions, council votes and, not least, a significant financial investment of around 1.8 million euros, the project took shape. It is supported by the Coreca cooperative, led by Jacques Hoffmann, Christophe Kremer and Joran Diderot.
The Struwwel-Chef
The heart and soul of “Struwweltëntert” is Joran Diderot, who is there every day, ensuring everything runs smoothly in the kitchen. His ideas and idealism give the place its unique character. He originally studied mathematics but was soon drawn into gastronomy. “I actually wanted to be a baker when I was a child,” he recalls. After finishing his studies, he worked for several years in Parisian restaurants. He never trained formally as a chef – he went straight into kitchen life. Through practice, experimentation and much reading, he gradually developed his own philosophy of cooking.
His cuisine rests on four principles: regional, seasonal, organic – and above all, uncompromising quality. “To put it in Tina Turner’s words: Simply the Best. I want to offer good, honest food – that’s the most important thing to me,” says Diderot. Ready-made products never make it onto the plate: “We do everything ourselves – pickling, fermenting, everything. The moment something is industrially processed, it loses part of its natural qualities. That’s not only nutrients, you can taste it too.”
He works with a carefully chosen selection of local producers. Vegetables come from Legumina in Bissen, Terra vom Eicherfeld, Krautgaart in Steinfort, Biohof Kleer in Elvange and Beschhaff in Lintgen. The latter is run by a friend: “I grew up in Lintgen. A friend of mine started this garden project on the side, and I’ve been working with him from the very beginning.” All producers are also listed on the menu. “They play an important role in my concept – that’s why they should be named.”
Sourdough and seasonal vegetables
The menu always features four starters, four main courses and four desserts, constantly adapted to seasonal produce. “For desserts, we always try to include a vegan option,” Joran explains. “But what really matters to me are the side dishes. I’m fascinated by how much you can create from a single vegetable – that’s what I want to show guests.” Among the starters, there is always a dish showcasing one seasonal vegetable in all its facets. When we visited at the end of summer, it was the “Découverte de l’aubergine dans tous ses états”; at the start of autumn, pumpkin was likely to follow. Another highlight is the homemade sourdough bread: freshly baked, served as a side, a burger bun, or available to take home. Regulars now come by specifically to stock up for home.
A conversation with Joran quickly reveals: he is an idealist who makes no compromises. That such a concept may take time to settle in a rural location is a fact – but for him, it is the only way forward. The Struwweltëntert is therefore much more than just a local meeting place for residents. It remains something of a hidden gem for anyone who appreciates consciously and carefully prepared food. A trip to Tuntange is certainly worthwhile, even for visitors from further afield.
Everyday business with a difference
While the restaurant is the core, the concept also includes a café offering simpler dishes such as burgers, hot dogs, pulled pork or plachas – a relaxed complement to a pint or a glass of wine in the evening. In addition, there is an épicerie with a small but thoughtful selection, focusing on local and quality products. You’ll find fresh essentials such as eggs, milk and cheese, along with pasta, tinned goods or cold cuts. It is not a classic supermarket, but rather a little shop providing what is necessary while fostering a sense of closeness to producers.
Beim Struwweltëntert
1, rue de l’École
L-7461 Tuntange
Tuesday – Friday: 11:00 – 22:00
Saturday: 09:00 – 22:00
Sunday: 09:00 – 18:00
Monday: closed
www.struwweltëntert.lu
