€17,000 Donation: A Gourmet Evening to Benefit Culinary Training
Training trips for chefs (or wine journalists, before anyone jumps to conclusions…) are always a demanding mix of learning and fun. And since you meet other professionals there, there’s usually plenty to talk about: gossip and rumors, worries and struggles. In the end, it usually comes down to “Bye, and see you next time!” Most of the time, that is—because during a study trip to Iceland at the invitation of the Selgros markets in Leipzig and Dresden, the three top chefs Michael Bauß (kuultivo, Leipzig), Max Heyne (292 Karangahape Road, Leipzig), and Gerd Kastenmeier (Kastenmeiers, Dresden) didn’t just talk about the quality of salmon and char. Rather, in the “worries and hardships” department, the conversation also turned to the next generation—and what they’re still learning at their vocational schools. Basically, not enough—because there’s no money for hands-on practice. Butchering a deer? Hard to practice without a deer. Filleting a plaice? Pretty complicated when not everyone has one—there was just one (!) for the whole class. “This won’t do!” the chefs in Iceland told themselves—and decided to help.
The trip took place in May, and the support was already making a tangible difference: a charity evening at Kastenmeier’s event venue in the Kurländer Palais raised the impressive sum of 17,000 euros. One hundred percent of the proceeds from ticket sales, donations, and the auction of a painting by artist Jörg Wolke will go to the “Louis Pasteur” Friends Association of the Dresden Vocational School for Hospitality.
The three gourmet restaurants from Leipzig and Dresden showcased selected specialties, including (of course—such an educational trip certainly pays off!) Icelandic salmon and char, which are raised in volcanic-filtered spring water. Bread sommelier Tino Gierig contributed a selection of specialty breads from the Dresden Bakery. The Selgros markets brought ham and cheese specialties from the wholesale markets’ wide assortment and, through Transgourmet, also supported the procurement of goods. Good food goes well with good wine—and that, too, was sponsored: Sales Manager Darius Voisiat from the VDP winery Schloss Proschwitz had put some thought into it beforehand and brought along both the perfect wine to pair with the Asian-inspired appetizer platter (a Riesling Kabinett, not quite so dry…) and selected a special Pinot Noir: the 2022 Kloster Heilig Kreuz dry Pinot Noir from the VDP.ERSTE LAGE Kloster Heilig Kreuz shone in the glass for connoisseurs. Leo “Jack” Hill came from Lake Neusiedl to showcase the winery’s wines—the younger generation is definitely bringing a breath of fresh air to the company! And Johannes Reibold had traveled from the Palatinate. He arrived with his wines—and returned to his hometown of Freinsheim with the Wolke painting: he had won the bid at the auction.
“It’s important that future chefs learn how to prepare high-quality ingredients,” Gerd Kastenmeier concluded contentedly at the end of the evening. Detlef Langner, head of the culinary program at the BSZ for Hospitality in Dresden, attended the event himself with five culinary apprentices—and, of course, the team was delighted to be able to contribute to the success. Especially since both instructors and students (all, as always, m/f/d) will continue to benefit from the evening for some time to come: The wish list for everyday school life included foods such as wines, cheeses, and shellfish for sensory evaluations; expert instruction on meat butchering, particularly of game; specialized equipment for lessons in the teaching kitchen; and training software for inventory management. Some of these items should now be possible…
