Kitchen party? Of course. You know this from private birthday parties, when in the end everybody meets in the kitchen. Because it is so cozy.
Exactly. With the kitchen party at the Hotel Weinbergschlössschen in Oberheimbach it works likewise. The only difference is that is takes not only place in the kitchen and that it is quite some work. But the guest can get very close.
It starts at six o’clock. The tables get filled up. The stations are prepared. The wine-growers have cooled their wine or opened it. The receptonists are waiting. The music is playing. Everything is well prepared in the kitchen. The service team is in standby position.
Without any ceremony it starts. You stroll through the different conference rooms and function rooms, through the restaurant and the lobby. And the kitchen – of course. Everywhere there are stations, where somebody cooks or prepares a dish. Starters and main course. Here a soup. There a marinaded deer. Here one frizzles something in a pan. There something cold is put together. There are three stations from win-growers as well so that the whole event won’t get too dry.
So you walk along – a glass of wine in your hand – through the hotel and peak into a pot, watch how a culinary peace of art is formed. If you like you queue. The waiting times are short and as everybody is in a good mood you have a little chat with somebody while waiting. You can here much laughter during the evening. And then you take one or two plates to your earlier reserved tables to enjoy the food.
Some people gave up their fix places and stayed at the party-table right in the kitchen for the whole evening. Anything goes. The tables are cleared by the busy service team and you just stroll on. Whether you start with the soup or a starter or directly try the Main course is up to you. Also whether leave out one or the other course or you get three times the same main course – doesn’t matter!! Each to his own.
People know each other. They come in groups or meet old friends. Locals that walked here meet hotel guest from far away that have booked the weekend all-inclusive. A great mixture.
In the kitchen the chefs fry. Tuna steaks and flank steaks. There is even a charcoal grill in the middle of the kitchen. Guests move inbetween. They can look over the chefs shoulder. They chat with them. They can ask questions. They may taste. When do you get so close to a chef.
Also the wine-growers are present personally and provide information about their wines. Here you can also taste. The wines were selected accordingly. And in the restaurant area a band is playing.
Kitchen party apparently! Like in former times. At the birthday party in the kitchen. But food was different. More like a cheese hedgehog, tzatziki and pita bread.
This one is different. Here some explosions of flavours can be found on the plates. Carefully chosen, tried before and tested. And changed again. Something comes up in the very last minute. For example the idea to offer roasted onions with the ginger-caramel whip. Genius! It is so great that I have to go back and just get a spoon full of the whip… I’m fine. Everybody is so nice here.
And so the evening floats along. And you eat and stroll and drink a glas or two and eat and stroll.
The names of the dishes sound exactly how they taste. Tuna with pumpkin served two ways (a curry and roasted) with green pepper sauce. A dream. The tuna melts on your tongue. The pumpkin tastes sweet. And it goes with the spicy sauce. Or take the spring chicken filled with prawns served with coriander mayonnaise and glass noodles salad.
And the topinambur-primal-carrot. Unbelievable! Let’s talk about the colour! It is so dark purple! And it tastes so good! Every station is a burst of flavours. Each is different. Each is exquisite and just mouth-watering.
A little bit later, dessert is served at two different stations. Again everything runs like clockwork. The sweets are prepared in front of the guests and offered. And also here there are so many different flavours and aromas. Georgeous.
The kitchen party goes on after that of course. The band is playing for a couple of hours and eventually the guests walk home or go onto their hotel rooms or visit the bar. Or – like at a real good kitchen party – get stuck in the kitchen…
Kitchenparty at the Weinbergschlössschen – any time again!!
And here are ALL the photos from the kitchen party – © Waltzing Meurers
