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German
Spaetzle at the Canyon - 18.10.06
If stupefaction had a face it would look like the guest
from southern Germany who stares at the buffet in total
disbelief. He has been driving for hours. Through vast
stony plains, past tall mountains with little vegetation,
across shallow dry riverbeds. And here, at a lodge on
the other side of the globe, he finds a bowl of piping
hot spaetzle next to the antelope steak. Spaetzle just
like at home in Stuttgart... |
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Before
spaetzle made it to Cañon Lodge, the lodge
went to Germany. More precisely: chef Theresia
Kapenga. During four weeks spent at two of catering
entrepreneur Kurt Paiser’s companies in
southern Germany she gained insight into the refined
art of cooking (including traditional specialities)
and work routines in the kitchen. Theresia even
featured in the local newspaper: "African
chef makes cabbage fritters".
A total of four leading staffers from the Gondwana
Desert Collection’s accommodation establishments
were able to take part in an exchange programme
with German catering |
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'The African chef' Theresia Kapenga with traditional
cabbage fritters. In the back, restaurant owner
Kurt Paiser (second from left). Photo: Verena
Treischl, SZ Schwabmünchen. |
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businesses. The programme became possible
when paper industry expert Claus Palm decided during
his holiday at Cañon Lodge in 2005 that he wanted
to support Gondwana’s four-year-old Education
Centre. Through his contacts in the catering trade in
southern Germany he arranged traineeships; Air Namibia
joined in with reduced airfares. |
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The second candidate was Lydia Goagoses,
head of guest relations at Namib Desert Lodge. Maritza
Swart, assistant manager at Kalahari Anib Lodge worked
at Landhotel Miethaner (35 rooms) in the Bavarian Forest
east of Regensburg. "In the evening I was quite
clapped", she smiles. "But I had a great time
and gained valuable experience." Simon Andreas,
assistant manager at Cañon Roadhouse, also got
a taste of the frantic pace in Germany’s gastronomy.
He completed his internship at the historic 'Alte Post'
hotel in Mindelheim in the Allgäu area. "First
of all I had to learn about all the different beers
and all the drinks that we don’t have in Namibia",
Andreas recalls. "But it only took me three days
and I was in control of the bar." |
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Maritza Swart, wearing a Bavarian dirndl, with her hosts Astrid (l) and Andrea Miethaner. |
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Simon Andreas at 'his' bar. |
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The most important
aspect of the programme could well be the opportunity
to look beyond the end of one’s nose. This also
applies vice versa. The first return visit was paid
by Esther Palm, the daughter of Claus Palm. She came
for a practical stint at the lodges in the Kalahari,
at the Canyon and in the Namib. Next, Andrea Laab (with
service management at Partyservice Paiser and the 'Zum
Hirschen' restaurant in Scherstetten) worked at Cañon
Lodge for two weeks. There she passed on her own experiences
but also picked up many new ideas. "I have learnt
new techniques for folding serviettes which here, back
home, I have already applied with great success",
she writes by email. "I have also brought a little
of the Namibian calm with me and now don’t get
stressed so easily any more". Asked about the merits
of the Cañon Lodge cuisine she simply says, "I
have put on 5 kilos during my stay!" Thus it is
probably no coincidence that a culinary Namibia Evening
will be taking place in Scherstetten in January - with
Andrea Laab in charge... |
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Trainee Esther Palm with Lydia Goagoses in the
office of Namib Desert Lodge. |
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Andrea Laab, sporting the Gondwana look, with
her host Theresia Kapenga. |
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