Frank Buchholz is stepping down from the boathouse

MAINZ. One of the best-known restaurants in Rhineland-Palatinate is embarking on a new chapter: from 1 September, the catering company ‘cuisyn’ will take over the running of the ‘Bootshaus’ in Mainz’s Winterhafen from top chef and TV personality Frank Buchholz. This marks the start of a new chapter for the renowned restaurant, one that emphasises continuity. With head chef Lucas Kriesel and operations manager Slim Ennakhla, two long-standing colleagues of Frank Buchholz will take on responsibility going forward. Together with cuisyn, they aim to steer the Bootshaus carefully into the future whilst preserving the character that has made it a fixture of Mainz’s top-class gastronomy scene.

What Frank Buchholz has built up will be preserved

Hardly any restaurant in Mainz is as closely associated with a single figure as the Bootshaus is with Frank Buchholz. The Michelin-starred chef, TV personality, author and proprietor – who was once named ‘Most Innovative Chef of the Year’ by Gault&Millau – has shaped the restaurant over many years and made it famous far beyond the region. In 2007, Buchholz became the first chef to bring a Michelin star to the city. The Bootshaus, which he runs together with his wife Susanne, is a major part of his culinary legacy. He has now made a conscious decision to pass the baton to the next generation and is handing over his restaurant – which opened in 2011 and offers a reimagined take on traditional inn and bistro cuisine – to cuisyn. The spacious restaurant, situated in the clubhouse of the Mainzer Ruder-Verein von 1878 e.V. (MRV), quickly became a firm favourite with locals and day-trippers alike. To this day, the Bootshaus remains one of the region’s most sought-after dining destinations.

“The Bootshaus has brought me a great deal of joy over the last 15 years — and that is precisely why I can let go with a clear conscience now. I’ve done everything I set out to do, and I no longer have anything to prove to anyone. Above all, however, I feel that, with Lucas Kriesel and Slim Ennakhla from my team, I have found exactly the right people to carry on, together with cuisyn, what has been built up here. That makes this move easy,” says top chef Frank Buchholz on the handover.

Succession becomes a key issue for the industry’s future

The handover also exemplifies a trend that is preoccupying many successful catering businesses in Germany: generational change. More and more owner-run restaurants will be seeking a succession solution in the coming years. With its concept, cuisyn has specialised in continuing successful businesses alongside their teams in the long term whilst preserving their identity. With the Bootshaus, cuisyn is, for the first time, taking over a restaurant that has been closely associated for many years with one of the best-known figures in German gastronomy. The company is thus demonstrating that its concept can not only resolve traditional succession situations, but also works for gastronomic brands whose identity has been significantly shaped by a top chef.

“The Bootshaus is one of Mainz’s flagship restaurants. It boasts an exceptional location right on the Rhine, high culinary standards and a well-established team. It was this team, above all, that won us over. We are continuing to run the business together with the people who have shaped it, and are developing what already exists with respect. Our aim is to ensure that guests continue to experience exactly what the Bootshaus stands for,” says Markus Langkamm, managing director of cuisyn. Two familiar members of Frank Buchholz’s team will take on operational roles in future: Lucas Kriesel will head the Bootshaus kitchen, whilst Slim Ennakhla will be responsible for operations management. Both were already part of the Bootshaus team and embody continuity, experience and a close connection to the restaurant. Together with cuisyn, they aim to further develop the Bootshaus as a leading destination for fine dining in Mainz, whilst preserving the character that guests have come to value over the years.

Lucas Kriesel (head chef at the Bootshaus since April 2025) comments: “Together with my team and cuisyn, we will continue to create special experiences for our guests. My passion lies in high-quality ingredients, creative cuisine and genuine hospitality.” Slim Ennakhla (who has been working at the Bootshaus since April 2023), who will take over as operations manager from 1 September, adds: “I am a host through and through. For me, what counts is a strong team and a level of service our guests can rely on. The experience I’ve gained from my previous roles as National Operations Manager and F&B Director helps me with this. Ultimately, however, what matters most is the feeling our guests take home with them. We’ll continue to work on this together with cuisyn.”

A model for the future

For cuisyn, this step marks a special milestone: “This is a first for us. Never before have we taken over a restaurant whose identity is so closely linked to a top chef and a well-known figure. This is no ordinary handover, but a special responsibility. That is exactly how we are shaping the transition. We’re looking forward to this task,” explains Dr Rigbert Fischer, founder and managing director of cuisyn.

Succession in owner-managed restaurants is increasingly becoming one of the greatest challenges facing the hospitality industry. Whilst many business owners are unable to find a suitable successor, successful establishments and established brands are often lost. This is precisely where cuisyn comes in: the company continues to run financially successful restaurants in collaboration with their existing teams, preserves the concept, identity and brand, and further develops the businesses from an entrepreneurial perspective. The handover of the Bootshaus restaurant in Mainz serves as a prime example of how a generational change can be achieved without guests having to compromise on the quality and character of a restaurant.