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Food

Football on the menu

From prolific forward to purveyor of kebabs, Lukas Podolski has always known how to please a crowd says Piotr Koźmiński

Born in Poland, raised in Germany and with clubs including Arsenal, Inter and Vissel Kobe on his CV, it’s fair to say that Lukas Podolski has sampled plenty of international cuisines. But when he felt the urge to move into the food business there was one delicacy that stood out above the rest: kebabs.

The 35-year-old now plies his trade for Antalyaspor, but it was during an earlier Süper Lig stint that he developed his fascination with the ubiquitous doner. “I started my kebab business when I played for Galatasaray,” he says. “My neighbour in Cologne is from Turkey and we decided to work together. We started with a tiny place and a takeaway concept: you come in, get your kebab and go.”

Mangal Döner Bonner Straße 1, 50677 Cologne, Germany


Podolski’s venture quickly proved a hit, so much so that if you buy a kebab in Cologne, chances are that the former Germany striker owns the premises. “It worked out very well and since that time our business has grown significantly. Now we have 11 places in and around Cologne and you can also buy our kebabs in shopping centres.”

Born in Poland, raised in Germany and with clubs including Arsenal, Inter and Vissel Kobe on his CV, it’s fair to say that Lukas Podolski has sampled plenty of international cuisines. But when he felt the urge to move into the food business there was one delicacy that stood out above the rest: kebabs.

The 35-year-old now plies his trade for Antalyaspor, but it was during an earlier Süper Lig stint that he developed his fascination with the ubiquitous doner. “I started my kebab business when I played for Galatasaray,” he says. “My neighbour in Cologne is from Turkey and we decided to work together. We started with a tiny place and a takeaway concept: you come in, get your kebab and go.”

Mangal Döner Bonner Straße 1, 50677 Cologne, Germany


Podolski’s venture quickly proved a hit, so much so that if you buy a kebab in Cologne, chances are that the former Germany striker owns the premises. “It worked out very well and since that time our business has grown significantly. Now we have 11 places in and around Cologne and you can also buy our kebabs in shopping centres.”

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And just in case you’re still feeling peckish afterwards, Podolski has another treat to offer. “After EURO 2016 I also opened ice-cream parlours,” he says. “During the tournament there was a guy in our hotel who prepared desserts for the German national team. It turned out he’s from Cologne as well and I told him, ‘Let’s start an ice-cream business.’”

Together they now own two parlours and even served a few Manchester United players during last season’s Europa League final tournament. “It’s true, they were there,” says the 2014 World Cup winner, who attributes his success both on and off the pitch to hard work. “That’s my main rule. I’m not just giving my name to this business – I’m involved every day. People just see the final result but I put in a lot of effort.”

Mangal Döner
Bonner Sraße 1,
50677 Cologne,
Germany

Ice Cream United
Brüsseler Straße 71,
50672 Cologne
Germany

Born in Poland, raised in Germany and with clubs including Arsenal, Inter and Vissel Kobe on his CV, it’s fair to say that Lukas Podolski has sampled plenty of international cuisines. But when he felt the urge to move into the food business there was one delicacy that stood out above the rest: kebabs.

The 35-year-old now plies his trade for Antalyaspor, but it was during an earlier Süper Lig stint that he developed his fascination with the ubiquitous doner. “I started my kebab business when I played for Galatasaray,” he says. “My neighbour in Cologne is from Turkey and we decided to work together. We started with a tiny place and a takeaway concept: you come in, get your kebab and go.”

Mangal Döner Bonner Straße 1, 50677 Cologne, Germany


Podolski’s venture quickly proved a hit, so much so that if you buy a kebab in Cologne, chances are that the former Germany striker owns the premises. “It worked out very well and since that time our business has grown significantly. Now we have 11 places in and around Cologne and you can also buy our kebabs in shopping centres.”

Football on the menu
Food

Football on the menu

From prolific forward to purveyor of kebabs, Lukas Podolski has always known how to please a crowd says Piotr Koźmiński

Born in Poland, raised in Germany and with clubs including Arsenal, Inter and Vissel Kobe on his CV, it’s fair to say that Lukas Podolski has sampled plenty of international cuisines. But when he felt the urge to move into the food business there was one delicacy that stood out above the rest: kebabs.

The 35-year-old now plies his trade for Antalyaspor, but it was during an earlier Süper Lig stint that he developed his fascination with the ubiquitous doner. “I started my kebab business when I played for Galatasaray,” he says. “My neighbour in Cologne is from Turkey and we decided to work together. We started with a tiny place and a takeaway concept: you come in, get your kebab and go.”

Mangal Döner Bonner Straße 1, 50677 Cologne, Germany


Podolski’s venture quickly proved a hit, so much so that if you buy a kebab in Cologne, chances are that the former Germany striker owns the premises. “It worked out very well and since that time our business has grown significantly. Now we have 11 places in and around Cologne and you can also buy our kebabs in shopping centres.”

Penalty Pedigree

Etiam erat velit scelerisque in dictum non. Dictum non consectetur a erat nam at. Scelerisque felis imperdiet proin fermentum leo. Nibh tortor id aliquet lectus proin nibh nisl. Nulla at volutpat diam ut venenatis. At urna condimentum mattis pellentesque id nibh tortor id aliquet. Leo a diam sollicitudin tempor id eu nisl nunc mi. Dui vivamus arcu felis bibendum ut. Pharetra convallis posuere morbi leo urna molestie. Adipiscing at in tellus integer feugiat scelerisque. In arcu cursus euismod quis. Dictum non consectetur a erat nam at lectus urna duis. Facilisi nullam vehicula ipsum a arcu cursus. At tempor commodo ullamcorper a lacus vestibulum sed arcu non. Ipsum dolor sit amet consectetur adipiscing elit pellentesque habitant. Vitae sapien pellentesque habitant morbi tristique senectus. Eget nullam non nisi est sit amet facilisis. Ipsum consequat nisl vel pretium lectus quam. Elit sed vulputate mi sit amet mauris commodo quis. Pretium fusce id velit ut tortor pretium viverra suspendisse potenti.

Born in Poland, raised in Germany and with clubs including Arsenal, Inter and Vissel Kobe on his CV, it’s fair to say that Lukas Podolski has sampled plenty of international cuisines. But when he felt the urge to move into the food business there was one delicacy that stood out above the rest: kebabs.

The 35-year-old now plies his trade for Antalyaspor, but it was during an earlier Süper Lig stint that he developed his fascination with the ubiquitous doner. “I started my kebab business when I played for Galatasaray,” he says. “My neighbour in Cologne is from Turkey and we decided to work together. We started with a tiny place and a takeaway concept: you come in, get your kebab and go.”

Mangal Döner Bonner Straße 1, 50677 Cologne, Germany


Podolski’s venture quickly proved a hit, so much so that if you buy a kebab in Cologne, chances are that the former Germany striker owns the premises. “It worked out very well and since that time our business has grown significantly. Now we have 11 places in and around Cologne and you can also buy our kebabs in shopping centres.”

Read the full story
Sign up now to get access to this and every premium feature on Champions Journal. You will also get access to member-only competitions and offers. And you get all of that completely free!

And just in case you’re still feeling peckish afterwards, Podolski has another treat to offer. “After EURO 2016 I also opened ice-cream parlours,” he says. “During the tournament there was a guy in our hotel who prepared desserts for the German national team. It turned out he’s from Cologne as well and I told him, ‘Let’s start an ice-cream business.’”

Together they now own two parlours and even served a few Manchester United players during last season’s Europa League final tournament. “It’s true, they were there,” says the 2014 World Cup winner, who attributes his success both on and off the pitch to hard work. “That’s my main rule. I’m not just giving my name to this business – I’m involved every day. People just see the final result but I put in a lot of effort.”

Mangal Döner
Bonner Sraße 1,
50677 Cologne,
Germany

Ice Cream United
Brüsseler Straße 71,
50672 Cologne
Germany

Born in Poland, raised in Germany and with clubs including Arsenal, Inter and Vissel Kobe on his CV, it’s fair to say that Lukas Podolski has sampled plenty of international cuisines. But when he felt the urge to move into the food business there was one delicacy that stood out above the rest: kebabs.

The 35-year-old now plies his trade for Antalyaspor, but it was during an earlier Süper Lig stint that he developed his fascination with the ubiquitous doner. “I started my kebab business when I played for Galatasaray,” he says. “My neighbour in Cologne is from Turkey and we decided to work together. We started with a tiny place and a takeaway concept: you come in, get your kebab and go.”

Mangal Döner Bonner Straße 1, 50677 Cologne, Germany


Podolski’s venture quickly proved a hit, so much so that if you buy a kebab in Cologne, chances are that the former Germany striker owns the premises. “It worked out very well and since that time our business has grown significantly. Now we have 11 places in and around Cologne and you can also buy our kebabs in shopping centres.”

Penalty Pedigree

Etiam erat velit scelerisque in dictum non. Dictum non consectetur a erat nam at. Scelerisque felis imperdiet proin fermentum leo. Nibh tortor id aliquet lectus proin nibh nisl. Nulla at volutpat diam ut venenatis. At urna condimentum mattis pellentesque id nibh tortor id aliquet. Leo a diam sollicitudin tempor id eu nisl nunc mi. Dui vivamus arcu felis bibendum ut. Pharetra convallis posuere morbi leo urna molestie. Adipiscing at in tellus integer feugiat scelerisque. In arcu cursus euismod quis. Dictum non consectetur a erat nam at lectus urna duis. Facilisi nullam vehicula ipsum a arcu cursus. At tempor commodo ullamcorper a lacus vestibulum sed arcu non. Ipsum dolor sit amet consectetur adipiscing elit pellentesque habitant. Vitae sapien pellentesque habitant morbi tristique senectus. Eget nullam non nisi est sit amet facilisis. Ipsum consequat nisl vel pretium lectus quam. Elit sed vulputate mi sit amet mauris commodo quis. Pretium fusce id velit ut tortor pretium viverra suspendisse potenti.

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