From May 29 to June 1, over 300 members from all over Germany and the world gathered to celebrate the 101st Grand Chapitre in Cologne.

The Bailliage of Mittelrhein, represented by Bailli Ulla Heyder, organized a diverse and engaging programme:

The first evening, the “Soirée de Bienvenue”, took place in the Wappensaal of the renowned “Früh” brewery, famous even beyond Germany’s borders. Under an impressive glass dome and with Cologne specialties, the Grand Chapitre was officially opened.

Those who registered in time could choose between eight very different excursions on Friday morning. These ranged from cathedral tours (some participants even had to climb on foot as the elevator was out of service!) to creating a personal perfume at the famous 4711 Fragrance House. There was something for everyone.

In the evening, there were five member establishments from which to choose. This made the decision extremely difficult:
- Austrian kitchen party at Gruber's Restaurant
- East Asian fine dining at Taku
- French cuisine at either La Cuisine Rademacher or La Société
- A global culinary journey at Sahila.
All restaurants represented their Bailliages at the highest level - thank you!

On Saturday, May 31st, the Induction Ceremony was held at the Grand Hotel Excelsior Ernst. A luxurious 5-star hotel with a rich history dating back to 1863, located directly next to the UNESCO World Heritage Site Cologne Cathedral. It provided a perfect setting to promote or induct over 80 members into the Chaîne. A warm welcome once again to all the new members. The Induction Ceremony was led with great charm and joy by Thomas Kuhn, Member of the Conseil d’Administration from Switzerland where he is Bailli Délégué.

A particularly special moment followed: our Bailli Délégué Klaus Tritschler, passed on the baton after 15 years as the head of the Chaîne in Germany to Peter Peters, who is henceforth the new Bailli Délégué of Germany. However, Klaus will continue to have close ties to the Confrérie.

Klaus has accomplished much for our association and will now focus on his international work. It is impossible to capture in a few words all that Klaus Tritschler has done and how tirelessly he has served. Thank you, dear Klaus. Thank you for continuing to support our brotherhood and the Bailliage going forward.

Immediately after the Induction Ceremony, we headed to the Flora Palace in the Botanical Garden for the Grand Gala Dinner. Exactly 161 years ago, the Flora was inaugurated in Cologne under the patronage of Queen Augusta of Prussia. The garden, designed by Peter Joseph Lenné, was inspired by French Baroque, Italian Renaissance, and English landscape gardens. At its centre stood a glass palace modelled after the Jardin d’hiver in Paris and the Crystal Palace in London. It has hosted exhibitions, concerts, and celebrations. Its history was turbulent, including near-complete destruction and slow reconstruction.

In this festive hall, nearly 300 Consoeurs and Confrères celebrated the “grand gathering” one final time. Many surprises awaited the guests, including an acrobatic performance by Lilly Paul Roncalli. Even the dessert was a spectacle! Ulla Heyder dramatically slashed through a paper wall veiled in mist with a sword, unveiling the dessert buffet, which was then rolled into the hall.

A very special honour was presented that evening to Klaus Tritschler, now Bailli Délégué Honoraire, for his extraordinary commitment to the Chaîne. Klaus deservedly received the highest international award from the President in Paris, namely the Gold Award of the Chaîne!

To support the Chaîne Foundation Germany, a unique timepiece was auctioned off by our national cooperation partner Wempe Leipzig, represented by Peter Peters. The foundation and thus the next generation of gastronomic talent can look forward to a donation of €9,000. A heartfelt thank you to the generous donor.

High praise goes to the Bailliage of Mittelrhein! True to the spirit of the Chaîne, new friendships were formed and unforgettable memories created.

Thank you and vive la Chaîne!

Karin Deißner
Chargée de Presse

Photos: Luis Rüsing