Dennis Straubmüller wins the Rudolf Achenbach Prize

FRANKFURT AM MAIN: Dennis Straubmüller, an apprentice at Posthotel Alexander Herrmann (Wirsberg), has secured first place in the prestigious Rudolf Achenbach Prize 2025. In an exciting final, the 24-year-old second-year trainee beat Moritz Range (23) from Hotel Traube Tonbach (Baiersbronn) and David Stadler (21) from Brenners Park-Hotel & Spa (Baden-Baden) - both of whom also performed impressively.

The final of Germany's most traditional competition for young chefs in training took place on 12 and 13 May 2025 in Frankfurt - and was marked by the anniversary year: the German Chefs' Association (VKD) and Achenbach Delikatessen-Manufaktur have been working together to promote young talent for 50 years now. Six budding professionals had previously qualified via an online application and semi-finals in Aschaffenburg and Cuxhaven. For the first time in the history of the competition, trainees in their second and third year of training were admitted.

On the first day, the theoretical knowledge of the two female finalists and four male finalists was tested before the practical part of the competition began on the second day: the preparation of a three-course menu and finger food - all within six hours under the watchful eye of an expert jury. The challenge: the shopping basket with compulsory ingredients such as aubergine and dried plum (starter), rabbit and beetroot (main course) and kafir lime, white chocolate and honey (dessert) was not revealed until the final cooking competition. The spoon finger food with scallops and Granny Smith also demanded creativity and precision. For the first time, the food was cooked in a confined space in stylish food trucks installed in Frankfurt's Naxoshalle.

At the evening award ceremony followed by a culinary MEET & grEAT with guests from the industry and many former award winners, all finalists were delighted to receive staggered prizes and non-cash prizes provided by partners from the catering industry. Dennis Straubmüller received the main prize of a voucher donated by the German Hotel Academy (DHA) for further education and training programmes worth 4,000 euros, while the runners-up each received 2,000 euros.

"The Rudolf Achenbach Award has been an important part of the VKD tradition for 50 years and we are just as proud of this as we are of the young talents who have been bringing it to life ever since," says Daniel Schade, President of the German Chefs' Association. "With the new concept, we are putting them even more centre stage - their craft, creativity and commitment are impressive. Anyone who makes it to the final has already achieved great things - that deserves recognition and respect. These young chefs are the future of our industry and they will help shape the cuisine of tomorrow with their ideas." Katrin Achenbach, Managing Director of Achenbach Delikatessen Manufaktur, also associates the anniversary above all with the drive to strengthen young talent and further develop the competition: "Even after 50 years, the Rudolf Achenbach Prize impressively demonstrates how much passion, skill and future there is in our young talent. This anniversary makes us particularly proud and with the fresh, modern 2025 concept, we have given the competition an additional boost to make it even more contemporary and attractive for future generations."

The final menu 2025 by Dennis Straubmüller

• Scallop with Granny Smith apple, celery and allspice
• Oriental aubergine with prune, onion and crème fraîche
• Rabbit with beetroot, harissa and Parisian gnocchi
• Kafir lime with white chocolate, honey and peanut

The finalists 2025:

1st place: Dennis Straubmüller | Posthotel Alexander Herrmann (Wirsberg)

2nd place: Moritz Range | Hotel Traube Tonbach (Baiersbronn)

3rd place: David Stadler | Brenners Park-Hotel & Spa (Baden-Baden)

4th place: Jula Fenella Kutsche | Maritim Hotel (Cologne), Isabelle Lorenz | Hotel Telegraphenamt (Berlin), Jonas Tamm | Maritim proArte Hotel (Berlin)

The jury:

• Marvin Böhm | The Ritz-Carlton (Wolfsburg)
• Matias Uhlig | Culinary Director at Capital Catering (Berlin)
• Hans-Peter Achenbach | Managing Director of Achenbach Delikatessen-Manufaktur (Sulzbach)
• Bernd Zehner | Owner of Kochwerkstatt (Wiesbaden)
• Mira Maurer | Self-employed pop-up chef private/event/show/TV (Freiburg)
• Dominik Wetzel | CEO at redRockcooking (Bad Münster)
• Isabelle Lorenz | Hotel Telegraphenamt (Berlin)
• Jonas Tamm | Maritim proArte Hotel (Berlin)