An evening full of culinary delights made the final event of the seventh Fine Food Days Cologne yet another highlight of this year's gourmet festival. More than 250 guests in the radiant Flora enjoyed finger food and a six-course menu by top chefs such as Julia Komp, Marlon Rademacher, Maximilian Lorenz and Mirko Gaul, all of whom have been awarded a Michelin star. The evening was hosted by the renowned television presenter Bettina Böttinger, who guided through the programme with poise and great entertainment.
Franz Gruber, chairman of the Fine Food Days Cologne association, briefly looked back at the festival in his welcome address: „Over the past 14 days, our 19 members have once again put together more than 30 unique and exciting events. Many of them were sold out,“ he said, drawing a successful conclusion.
In his brief welcome address, Cologne's Lord Mayor Torsten Burmester praised „the vibrant, diverse culinary scene of a high standard“ and unceremoniously adapted a line from the Kasalla song „Stadt mit K“ to „City with C: Cologne stands for culinary delight and sociability – gastronomy is a regional asset.“ He then went on to answer the question of what politicians can learn from chefs: „Some in politics confuse bureaucratic answers with effective answers. But, to stick with the metaphor: a recipe is not yet a dish. Focusing on the result – that is something we can learn from you.“
Some of the Fine Food Days chefs opened the evening with a varied selection of finger food. For example, guests enjoyed „potato nest, quark, mint“ (Denis Steindorfer, Gruber's Restaurant), „Bergisches Vitello Forello“ (Markus Schnitzler, Zoo-Gastronomie) or „steamed cod, saffron emulsion, warm lentil and herb salad, caramelised fennel“ (Luis Dias).
The menu boasted delicacies including the following: as an amuse-bouche, „Yellowfin tuna tartlet, Amalfi lemon, horseradish“ (La Cuisine Rademacher), followed by, among other things, „Marinated Sylt mullet, rosehip, pickled local fennel, quinoa“ (Sönke Höltgen, KölnSky), and „Cauliflower, Beluga Amur by Voyage Caviar, brown butter, citrus fruits“ (Joschua Tepner, The Dutch). The dessert came from Sahila (Julia Komp): „Honey tomato, almond, Ivoire“.
Fine Food Days Awards 2026 presented
Between the courses, the Fine Food Days Awards were presented in the various categories. Once again, a whole host of experts could be secured for the different juries: led by the long-standing three-star chef Dieter Müller, food blogger Laura Herrmann (Köln-isst-gut), Julia Hövelkamp (KölnTourismus) and gastro critic Carsten Henn.
The Fine Food Days Cologne dispensed with an award this year. No „Newcomer of the Year“ honoured. Because a new member in 2026 is Nelson Müller (Schote / Müller’s in der Mühle). However, the widely known and popular television and Michelin-starred chef can really no longer be described as a newcomer – even though he opened his Diepeschrather Mühle on the city boundary of Cologne a good year and a half ago.
The first awards of the evening went to the up-and-coming culinary talent. Awards as „Apprentice of the Year“ received
Chef: Henrik Oliver Jessen – Restaurant „Zur Post“, Odenthal
Restaurant Service: Julius Richmann – „Gut Lärchenhof“, Pulheim
Hotel Management: Anna Bonita Untch – Excelsior Hotel Ernst, Cologne
„No business can survive without qualified young talent,“ pointed out laudator and board member of the Fine Food Days Cologne, Jürgen Blank, highlighting the importance of training. Naturally, the deputy director of the Excelsior Hotel Ernst and board member of the Fine Food Days Cologne was especially pleased that one of the award winners comes from his establishment.
At the award for the „Event of the year“ there was a tie in the jury – and the wise decision to have two joint winners in 2026: Marlon Rademacher (La Cuisine Rademacher), who – together with cooking legend Dieter Müller and Ernst Vleer, chairman of the Colonia Kochkunstverein – not only delivered an outstanding fine-dining experience, but also invited guests to a truly special location: the aperitif with oysters was served in the crossing tower of Cologne Cathedral, with the meal itself taking place later in the cathedral workshop (Dombauhütte). Kirberg Catering was also named a winner. Jutta Kirberg and Culinary Director Volker Beuchert likewise invited guests to a place that ordinary mortals cannot easily access. They delighted their guests in the halls of food wholesaler Möller’s, which is a partner to many fine-dining restaurants: a menu in the „belly of Cologne“. Food blogger and laudator Laura Herrmann („Laura-isst-gut“) praised the fact that both events possessed something very special: „Magical attraction.“
The award for „Chef of the Year“ is decided jointly by the guests at the festival's opening event and the jury (Carsten Henn, Dieter Müller). And the new winner is the old one: Mirko Gaul (Restaurant Taku at the Excelsior Hotel Ernst) narrowly came out on top in the end. Expressing his thanks for the vote and looking visibly surprised, he said: „I wasn't expecting this.“
The presentation of the „Lifetime Achievement Award“ was a special, emotional moment of the finale. The Fine Food Days Cologne posthumously honoured the founder of the festival, Michael Stern. The managing director of the event gastronomy company KölnSky died in May of this year following a severe illness. „Michael Stern was a restaurateur with vision. He possessed a special sensorium for the circumstances, trends and customer wishes that challenged and changed the gastronomic economy. By founding our association, Michael Stern enabled top regional restaurants to market themselves publicly together and thus prove that Cologne does not need to shy away from comparison with top metropolises, even from a gastronomic perspective,“ said Franz Gruber. The award was accepted by his widow Nicole Stern, who was accompanied onto the stage by her children Johannes and Elisabeth. The guests honoured Michael Stern's life's work with a standing ovation.
Review of Fine Food Days Cologne 2026
As an association, Fine Food Days Cologne aims to raise awareness of Cologne's culinary excellence beyond the region's borders. Its core project is the festival of the same name, which always takes place in late summer and whose events offer a unique and extraordinary programme. For instance, this year featured a blind tasting: guests booked an event without knowing who was cooking or where it would take place. Rhinelanders love a surprise: the evening sold out quickly.
The restaurant „The Dutch“ invited guests to a kitchen party on the KD ship MS RheinDiamond, while the Wasserturm Hotel Cologne offered „Ice Elevated“ – seven courses consisting exclusively of different varieties of ice cream. At the Grandhotel Schloss Bensberg, the motto was „Leave out the salt, take caviar“, and to mark the 150th anniversary of the Kölner Stadt-Anzeiger, the Wolkenburg hosted „Köln singt und geniesst“ (Cologne sings and enjoys): a sing-along evening with the local Cologne band „De Kallendresser“, accompanied by a fine three-course menu.
More than 2,000 guests attended the more than 30 events at the Fine Food Days Cologne 2026. The festival is an established part of the gastronomic calendar for Cologne and the region. The festival dates for 2027 will be announced shortly via the Fine Food Days Cologne website and newsletter.
Photo credit: Rüsing Fotografie
