“Alfons is fine”: Ralf Möller visits star chef Schuhbeck in prison

Hollywood star and ex-"Gladiator" Ralf Möller visited his long-time friend Alfons Schuhbeck in prison. The star chef has been incarcerated in the Rothenfeld correctional facility in Upper Bavaria since August 2023 for tax evasion amounting to 2.3 million euros. "It was a good time because I was in Munich anyway. So I was able to see him again yesterday," said Möller on Wednesday shortly before his departure for Los Angeles, where the 66-year-old actor has lived for more than 30 years. "Alfons is fine. I have to say, he looked fit for his 75 years." Schuhbeck is coming to terms with his life in prison and was in a good mood.

Nevertheless, he is looking forward to August - by then the chef, who will be 76 in May, will have served two of a total of three years and two months in prison. However, there is another hearing scheduled for June. This time, according to the public prosecutor's office, Schuhbeck will have to answer to charges of subsidy fraud, delaying insolvency, fraud, attempted fraud and withholding and embezzling wages before the Munich I Regional Court.

"But he is in good spirits and hopes for good leadership and so on," said Möller on Wednesday. The actor hopes that everything will turn out well for his friend. "I have known him for so many years." The actor and the chef have been friends since 1986. Schuhbeck worked for many years as a chef, cookbook author, restaurateur, TV chef and entrepreneur. The Upper Bavarian native also cooked for the FC Bayern soccer team. Ralf Möller said he always saw him working a lot. Schuhbeck also never lived "in a magnificent palace or a villa." "I also told him: There are tax and financial advisors," said Möller. How could it have come to this? "It's all incomprehensible to me."

But now it's over and Schuhbeck has to look ahead. "I hope that he'll get out at some point, earn money and be able to pay off his debts." Until then, Alfons Schuhbeck is keeping himself busy as best he can. He spends a lot of time reading and writing. He's training in prison and keeping fit. Schuhbeck is also continuing to work on his spices. "The days can be long, you have to make the most of them somehow."