Late last year, Ludwigs Biergarten, a German beer garden found in Mountain View at 383 Castro Street, changed ownership, falling into the hands of owner Gisela Qasim. While the name remained unchanged, the new business owner decided to slightly alter recipes and menus, including introducing schweinebraten.
Ludwig’s Biergarten in Mountain View brings a vibrant European beer garden experience featuring 20 premium draft beers from around the world. The menu offers authentic German dishes, including family recipes and Munich Biergarten-inspired favorites. Its lively atmosphere makes it the perfect spot to enjoy hearty meals, refreshing drinks, and great company in a warm, communal setting. What Now Media Group recently caught up with Qasim to learn more about her journey and how things have been going since taking over the beer garden.
Q: How did you get into the industry? Did you always know you wanted to own a business?
A: Taking over Ludwig’s Biergarten is kind of a destination point for me in my transition from tech to trades. I have worked as a technical program manager for large industrial projects in electrical and software engineering in Germany for most of my career. I picked up tasks that were not the most sought-after, like quality assurance for software projects. That was how I got into the projects with the still prevailing disadvantage of being a woman. It made for a nice career. This did not work as expected coming to California, so I took up another task that seemed necessary: producing authentic Northern Bavarian sausages (“Fränkische Bratwürste,” to put in a lot of Umlauts). They are, in fact, authentic and tasty, so I sold them for lunch at Ava’s Downtown Market in Mountain View and catered to Corporate Oktoberfest parties in the Bay Area. So when the previous owners of Ludwig’s Biergarten were looking for a buyer, and I happened to be friends with the German one, they thought of me. This was the opportunity that came my way, like during most of my career, so I took it. I’ve never actively wanted to own a business, but I’m finding out that this is where I thrive.
Q: Where did the idea for the business come from?
A: While selling the sausages, I asked Nicole (Jacobi, my friend and previous co-owner of Ludwig’s), which is located across the street from Ava’s, if she felt it was awkward that I was setting up shop there; she was very generous, pointing out it would rather be “the more, the merrier,” and she was one of the first customers for my sausages. Later last year, when they got an offer that would transform Ludwig’s into a Mexican restaurant, they talked to me about taking Ludwig’s over so it could stay the very good German restaurant and Biergarten that it is.
Q: How have things been going since you have taken over ownership?
A: Taking over, I went all in, as I tend to do in a new project. I basically lived at Ludwig’s, trying to take in as much information as possible. After three months of 24/7 at Ludwig’s, I felt I was learning and picking up how things were going. I had help from my previous project, the Creative Collective of Silicon Valley, in the form of my COO, Janina Dunstone, who has a background in the Beverage Wholesale industry in Germany, and my CFO, Kerstin Holmes, who holds down finances tightly, and who both do what is necessary at any given time. We’re all very hands-on; one of my major tasks when I’m at the restaurant now is bussing tables – esp. if my staffing wasn’t the greatest. This is a great opportunity to connect with guests and take in the atmosphere and vibes. Most guests like the opportunity to activate whatever German they have learned, and I enjoy every conversation. So, I’d say things are going well.
Q: What’s the most challenging part about opening a business?
A: The most challenging part of taking over Ludwig’s Biergarten is the sheer amount of money I need to make and spend to make things work. Especially since it’s a Biergarten consisting mainly of an open patio, the winter is not the easiest. I’m getting in touch with the City of Mountain View about making the patio flexibly rainproof for the next winter/rainy season – but I’ll need to earn that money first, too. So that will keep me up and busy for the next – hopefully dry and good – months.
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