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The restaurateur’s motto: “Shut up or change something.” © private
Thomas Bublat gives up the privileges of a large corporation and becomes his own boss. A portrait by Shulamit Rittwagen.
From the outside, it looks as if Thomas Bublat has “made it”: in 2016, he has already been employed at Procter & Gamble, a large consumer goods company, for more than two decades. Bublat has a secure, well-paid job: 14 monthly salaries, 30 days’ vacation a year, a subsidy for share packages and a company pension. But Bublat is dissatisfied and annoyed. For years. A large company, a lot of bureaucracy – too much for him. The flood of emails, the slow decision-making processes, little room for maneuver, the everyday office life.
When the frustration became too great, he took action and quit in February 2016 – after more than 21 years. “Shut up or change something – that was always my motto, so I wanted to stick to it myself,” says Thomas Bublat.
Switching to the catering industry was “in my blood”
Today, eight years later, he never actually finishes work – but he is credibly happy. The now 56-year-old has realized his dream and started his own business at the age of 48: at the end of 2016, he opened a restaurant in Frankfurt’s Gallus district, the Talbub. True to the restaurant’s motto “unique, sensible, regional”, visitors can expect a gastronomic gem. A mixture of wine bar, café and restaurant with offerings ranging from brunch and lunch to dinner and events.
It is no coincidence that Thomas Bublat decided to set up his own business in the catering industry: his mother ran a traditional restaurant in Offenbach, where he himself worked as a young man. “It’s in my blood, I’m good with people,” he says. As in his old job, his empathy is also useful in his new one. He learned everything else he needed in terms of knowledge and skills autodidactically.
Bureaucratic madness of the authorities in Germany is causing problems
So he left the frustration of working in the office behind him. But also security, an above-average income and a regular working day. He gained autonomy and a new attitude to life: he alone can decide what happens next.
But the path to this was anything but easy. After resigning from Procter & Gamble in spring 2016, Bublat traveled to Zanzibar with his son for a break. Then, back in Frankfurt, the exhausting search for the right location began. He found a place in Sachsenhausen, made plans, and had visions for the design.
But the city thwarted his plans. Many requirements and regulations prevented the planned renovation. Withdrawal. He searched for months without success. He was close to giving up and had no more desire, he says of that time today. Until, on a walk, he spotted a sign in the window of a shop on Frankenallee. He immediately contacted the estate agent, met the owner and – a few days later – received the approval and long-awaited opportunity.
A fresh start in the late 40s – but what should the name of the restaurant be?
And the name of the restaurant “Talbub”? That was the only thing missing in the end, says Bublat. He meets with friends from the marketing department for brainstorming, flip charts included. Nothing is really convincing.
Then Bublat decides casually: “Never mind, I’ll just take my last name backwards now.” First astonishment, then agreement. Why not? An architect friend developed a design and created a logo. She still helps with the creative side of things today. In general, he had a lot of support from friends and also a financial cushion, which made it easier for him to embark on his new path in his late 40s.
After a bumpy start that required a lot of effort, things are going well for Bublat. The self-proclaimed name dyslexic quickly developed the ambition to know all the regulars by name. So he learned a method and has been greeting all familiar faces by name for years now.
Then comes Corona: Without state Corona aid “I would be out of the picture now”
Then in 2020 came the bitter setback: the pandemic. Like the entire industry, Bublat is under extreme pressure. He sells lunch “to go” from the door. But the 30 to 40 meals a day that he sells are not enough to keep the shop running. “Without the Corona aid, I would be out of business now,” Bublat explains. He is very grateful. And that despite the obstacles that the authorities have repeatedly put in his way.
Actually, he tells us, he would have wanted to do much more with the outside area of the shop. But the public order office imposed strict regulations on Bublat for flower pots and the like. He didn’t let that stop him and implemented everything he could in accordance with the regulations. Bublat’s path does not end with an obstacle, but always with an opportunity.
“It’s never too late for change” – Does he regret the new start?
How do you get to that attitude? “A lot of work,” says Bublat, and: “It really took a few years, but I’ve worked a lot on myself – and I’m not going to stop,” he explains, grinning. Courage and self-confidence are the ingredients for daring to step out of your comfort zone: “It’s never too late for change.” Today he knows that he can do anything if he really wants to.
Does he sometimes doubt his decision? Yes. He only reached this point last year and considered selling the store. Some of his old colleagues from Procter & Gamble are already in early retirement, which makes him a little sad. But for now, Bublat is carrying on. “And who knows, maybe in two years I’ll be working part-time in the office again and at a bar in the evenings.” The rule is: keep your mouth shut or change something.
