Every year, millions of visitors flock to Munich for the largest festival in the world – the Oktoberfest. During this time, the festival tent kitchens are a hive of activity. We take a tour with Michael Lorenz, Application Advisor at Rational, the manufacturer of large kitchen appliances.
When the bell rings, Michael Lorenz usually puts on his white chef’s jacket with the blue buttons. But not today, as it is a special day for the Rational Application Advisor it’s the last day of the Oktoberfest. So the chef’s jacket stays in the wardrobe, and instead he puts on his black Lederhosen with the fine green embroidery.
The last day at the Oktoberfest is always a unique experience. A hint of sadness blows over the Theresienwiese grounds, especially when the last song plays in the festival marquees. It is Sunday and Michael Lorenz is taking a walk through the largest festival in the world. He always thinks of the festival hosts, who he supports both during their work at the Oktoberfest, but also year-round at their restaurants. As early as in the spring, they discuss the menu for the Oktoberfest and plan how the Rational appliances will be used. The entire festival grounds have 105 Rational combi-steamers and 10 VarioCookingCenter units, which are in operation around the clock, throughout the 15 days of the festival.
Michael Lorenz stops in front of the Bräurosl, a festival marquee with a very rustic exterior built with wooden planks. Of course he knows the chef there. Pascal Heide-Nigg has spent several years making sure the 12,000 meals that leave the temporary kitchen daily are of the desired quality.
Mr Heide-Nigg prepares the Sauerbraten marinated braised beef, the Knödel dumplings and the Kaiserschmarrn shredded sweet pancake in the VarioCookingCenter, and the roast pork and duck in the SelfCookingCenter. In order to manage the large quantities, he uses the “overnight cooking” function in both units.
6.3 million guests attended the Oktoberfest this year and Michael Lorenz was one of them. Like every year, a visit to the Wiesn, as the locals call the festival, is quite simply a must. Now he has to wait patiently for a year until the kitchens of the largest festival in the world start up again on 21 September, 2019. Except for the preparations, which he will undoubtedly be starting with the festival hosts again very soon.
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