At the beautiful closing gala held at Cologne's Flora, Dieter Müller received an award for his lifetime achievement. Franz Gruber (owner of Gruber's Restaurant and board member of Fine Food Days Cologne) delivered a highly personal laudation for „culinary legend“ Dieter Müller (Schloss Lerbach). Dieter Müller's career is truly unique: „1988: 19.5 points in Gault Millau, plus Chef of the Year and among the 16 best chefs in the world.“ For many years, Müller's skill was awarded three stars annually by the Michelin Guide. In a brief acceptance speech, he expressed his „immense joy over this award“ and, in particular, that during his time at Schloss Lerbach (Bergisch Gladbach), he had succeeded in „luring Cologne residents from the left to the right bank of the Rhine.“ Gala attendees acknowledged Dieter Müller's life's work with a standing ovation.

Koch/Köchin des Jahres was, just like the previous year, Julia Komp (Sahila – The Restaurant, Yulia Mezze Bar). Guests at the opening event voted using ballot papers and crowned the Michelin-starred chef the winner once again. Sebastian Späth, Editor-in-Chief of the German gourmet magazine „Falstai“, presented the award, stating: „Julia Komp's secret to success goes far beyond her impressive technical perfection. What makes her so special is her open-mindedness and her insatiable curiosity for the cultural diversity of cooking. Her dishes are an impressive testament to how valuable open-mindedness is – especially in our current times, when some find it difficult to maintain this broad-mindedness.“

The businesses participating in the Fine Food Days Cologne support and promote young talent in the hospitality sector. Jürgen Blank, a board member of the association and deputy director of the Excelsior Hotel Ernst, stated: „Currently, 130 young people are in training at the Fine Food Days businesses. This is a strong statement. We, as restaurateurs and hoteliers, are challenged to offer a modern and attractive training environment.“ The Fine Food Days Cologne and its participating businesses, through their passion and creativity, demonstrated how inspiring it can be to work with dedication. „We are thus offering a strong role model for the young generation of trainees, who value meaningfulness and personal development.“

At the gala, the following were recognised for being the best in their vocational training practical examinations:

Hotel Industry: Mr Janusz Emanuel Kernenbach (Marriott Hotel, Cologne)

Restaurant sector: Ms. Michele Szkudlarek (Restaurant Astrein, Cologne)

Mr Georg Haep (Caritas – CBT-Residential Home Peter Landwehr, Bergisch Gladbach)

The FINE FOOD DAYS COLOGNE team congratulates all winners.