Award-Winning Restaurateurs in Saxony
To mark the end of the 2025/2026 testing season, Gusto—which is regarded by chefs, restaurant owners, and foodies—alongside the Michelin Guide—is considered Germany’s most authoritative restaurant guide, will award plaques and certificates in early October, as it does every year, to nearly 1,000 anonymously tested restaurants. At the same time, the guide will announce its special awards. For example, Sebastian Obendorfer of Restaurant Eisvogel in Neunburg vorm Wald, Upper Palatinate, has been named Chef of the Year. Saxony is represented three times among the special awards: Ronny Pester of the Ratsstube in Limbach-Oberfrohna was named Rising Star of the Year. Sommelier of the Year is Claudius Unger (St. Andreas, Aue)—and Hosts of the Year are siblings Nicole and Marcus Blonkowsi from the Genuss-Atelier in Dresden.
Sommelier of the Year: Claudius Unger
Given the limited competition, it almost goes without saying that Claudius Unger is likely Saxony’s best sommelier. But in our view, this personable and highly knowledgeable wine expert and hotelier is now also among the very best nationwide. In addition to an exceptionally large selection of Rieslings, Burgundy is also represented in his passionately curated lineup with some of the best and most interesting producers—at very fair prices, mind you, and in some cases with a remarkable depth of vintages. In addition to the magnificent bottle wine list, however, the selection served by the glass to accompany the menu from his brother Benjamin’s kitchen was once again a key factor in our decision. It’s not uncommon to find impressively great wines here for surprisingly little money—for example, sparkling wine from Christmann & Kauffmann or Auslese from Klaus-Peter Keller for under 10 euros a glass.
Hosts of the Year: Nicole and Marcus Blonkowski
For over ten years now, siblings Nicole and Marcus Blonkowski have been flying the flag of good taste high in Dresden and, as friendly and approachable hosts of their gourmetstudios beneath the charming sandstone vaulted ceiling of an Art Nouveau villa near the Waldschlößchen Bridge, they have made a significant contribution to the democratization of fine dining. With their cheerful, laid-back manner and the lively atmosphere it creates in the stylish dining rooms, they lower the barrier to entry and instantly dispel any reservations their guests may have about fine dining. Not least because of a cuisine that, despite its high standards, is extremely approachable, entertaining, and—on top of that—hospitably reasonably priced, offering not only a four- to eight-course menu but also a lovely selection of à la carte dishes, thus giving guests complete freedom of choice.
Rising Star of the Year: Ronny Pester
Anyone who, like Ronny Pester, makes such a rapid ascent from an absolute hidden gem to the top ranks of Saxony’s culinary elite—all while flying under the radar of the broader gourmet public—is a worthy “Rising Star of the Year” for Gusto. The dishes on his astonishingly high-class gourmet menu—which he serves at the unassuming-sounding Ratsstube in tranquil Limbach-Oberfrohna— the focus is on clean flavors and time-tested ingredients, built on a classical foundation and showcased with intelligent, modern touches. The precision with which every single course is presented here has drawn enormous attention over the past one —which is all the more astonishing given that, on the one hand, there is no sponsor or hotel backing the restaurant, and, on the other hand, Ronny Pester does not cook in one of Germany’s wine and culinary strongholds or glamorous vacation regions. This makes it one of the biggest surprises of the past testing season!
(Text: Gusto press release)
