From Peshmerga Fighter to Top Restaurateur: A Kurdish Success Story in Munich
Remezan Kocer was born in the village of Bezih near Zakho in Kurdistan's Bahdinin region. He completed only fifth grade before joining the Peshmerga in 1983 at the age of 17. Five years later, the Anfal genocide nearly killed him. Today he owns one of the top 10 Indian restaurants in Germany.
From Anfal to Germany
After surviving the Anfal genocide in 1988, Kocer fled to displacement camps in Diyarbakir. In 1991, he made his way through Greece to Germany, arriving as a young man with nothing. He started from zero, working odd jobs before building a cleaning company with 150 employees that serviced hotels, hospitals, and schools across Bavaria.
What is the Anfal Genocide?
Anfal (Arabic: spoils of war) was the systematic extermination campaign carried out by Saddam Hussein's regime against the Kurdish population of southern Kurdistan between 1986 and 1989. Approximately 182,000 Kurds were killed, over 4,000 villages destroyed, and hundreds of thousands displaced. It has been recognized as genocide by international courts.
Madam Chutney: From Failed Italian to Top Indian
In 2018, Kocer entered the restaurant business. His first venture, an Italian restaurant, failed. Then his Indian friend Prateek suggested they try Indian cuisine together. The result was "Madam Chutney" in Munich, which quickly became a sensation.
The restaurant draws 80 percent female clientele and has been featured in Germany's most prestigious food publications: Suddeutsche Zeitung and Feinschmecker magazine, both ranking it among Germany's top 10 Indian restaurants.
Famous Regulars
The Qatar Consul in Munich is a regular customer. Bayern Munich footballer Serge Gnabry frequently dines at Madam Chutney. Various artists and celebrities from across Germany have made it a destination restaurant.
Expansion Plans and the Kurdish Dream
Kocer plans to expand Madam Chutney to Berlin, Dusseldorf, Stuttgart, and Hamburg. But his biggest dream is something more personal: opening a Kurdish restaurant in Germany. All three of his sons work alongside him in the restaurant. The family, now six children strong, represents a complete arc from the mountains of Kurdistan to the heart of European gastronomy.
Message to the Diaspora
Speaking on Rudaw's Diaspora Program, Kocer offered this message: "Diaspora Kurds should have hope, believe in themselves, and work hard. God willing, they will succeed."