Dinner Shows: When the Duck Leg (Almost) Steals the Show from Everything Else
Duck leg season kicks off when the weather turns unpleasant—at least in the classic pre-Christmas version with red cabbage and dumplings. Always first out of the gate: Mirco Meinel, organizer of Dresden’s two major dinner shows, “Mafia Mia” and “Moments,” with a preview of the upcoming season, which kicks off with “Mafia Mia” on November 20. A week later—on November 27—the stars of “Moments” will join the lineup. Both shows will then run concurrently (with just a half-hour time difference) through January 15, 2027, at the dual venues “Ostra-Dome” and “Chapiteau der Träume.”
Dinner shows are called that because food is an essential part of them. And while the basic setup is the same every year, it’s always a little different—and there are also subtle differences in flavor between the two shows. Since the host and his family are performing this time under the theme “Aloha from Hawaii—Alibi in Waikiki,” the dishes (except for the duck main course) are served with a Hawaiian twist. For example, the chicken skewers with pineapple as an appetizer, the sweet potato soup with a coconut flan, and the dessert featuring Hawaiian cheesecake paired with tropical fruits. The “Moments” menu follows the same structure but with different flavors: chicken with teriyaki and tomato-ginger salsa, pumpkin soup, and a dessert featuring quark strudel.
The constant in both menus: the main course featuring duck—honey-roasted duck leg served with fresh cranberry-apple red cabbage and potato roulade stuffed with bread butter. Apparently, there are people who go to the shows just for this duck leg (though the show itself ends up winning them over as well): it’s crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside—exactly as you’d want it, and something you can’t even always pull off at home. The red cabbage served with it doesn’t come from a jar but is made from scratch. The sauce—which is absolutely essential, especially for dipping the potato roulade—tastes great and is served on the side. There are even dedicated sauce servers (m/f/d)! That would be a credit to any home-style restaurant—but here, it’s served at a show with up to 550 guests. And most of the time, there are two shows a night, which means between 1,000 and 1,100 servings night after night. Respect!
During a tasting event with a relatively small group at the Dresden Kitchen Center, attendees got a behind-the-scenes look—complete with impressive statistics: Head Chef Sven Kasimir is responsible not only for the great taste but also for the organization. The interplay of technology and people makes the smooth operation possible night after night: Five modern combi-steamers, which together have a capacity equivalent to 90 standard household ovens, are ready for the chicken legs. Three tilting roasting pans, each with a 500-liter capacity, are on hand for the freshly cooked red cabbage and the delicate soups. Then it’s all about assembly-line precision: six conveyor belts facilitate the portioning of food onto plates. A total of 20 chefs and kitchen assistants work in the kitchen at full capacity. In addition, there are nine dishwashers working in two shifts.
When service manager Janine Bormann takes over, the numbers are no less impressive: for both shows, 13,800 pieces of tableware and 8,800 glasses are prepared each evening. Before you start doing too much mental math—that’s five different plates per guest, plus six pieces of cutlery, as well as coffee cups, bread bowls, and dip bowls, plus the aforementioned sauce boats for second helpings of sauce. So far, so easy. Planning the service staff is more complicated. “Some staffing agencies have stopped providing personnel. That’s why we’ve launched a recruitment campaign for part-time jobs,” explains Janine Bormann. It’s already having an effect, but “we’re happy to accept more applications!” says Janine Bormann. Up to 15 regular waitstaff are on duty per show and per evening, supported by 15 temporary service staff.
27,000 guests attended the two shows last season; this year will be similar. But in plain language, that also means: we must guarantee ingredients for 27,000 servings across the two menus. Mirco Meinel reports that major changes are generally being observed among suppliers—freight companies are closing, goods aren’t available in sufficient quantities, or don’t meet the required quality standards (small drumsticks? No problem. But the good, big ones—hmm). “It was a nail-biter, even though our head chef has been working hard since February. We’ve reworked the menu four times to ensure we can serve it reliably from the first show to the last.”
Info: dinnershows-dresden.de
