Hello Mr Schwarz, hello, I’m delighted to see you today.
Hello.
How are you?
After 13 days of Oktoberfest, I’m doing very well, yes, things are going very well, we’re very satisfied.
There’s no reason to complain or grumble, everything is fine. The team is still healthy and motivated.
Service, kitchen and support staff, everything is good.
Great, that’s how it should be.
How many people are you rocking Oktoberfest with, Mr Schwarz?
With 55 employees, our people work in various departments in the kitchen and work every day from
six in the morning, not continuously, of course, we take turns, we have rotating shifts from six in the morning
until 10 p.m. The kitchen is very busy and cooking is in full swing, as I said, with 55 employees in the kitchen.
And what is ordered most often?
I would say, or I think, as in most other large tents, chicken, beer and chicken are still the best
sellers in a large Oktoberfest tent.
Do you already have an overview of how many litres or hectolitres of beer have been drunk so far?
No, I haven’t yet, but that’s a secret of the Reinbold family. However, I have heard that it is similar to last year.
It always depends on the weather, and when there are few rainy days, as was the case this year,
the garden is naturally full and beer sales are higher than when there are many rainy days, so it always varies,
but the bottom line is that we’re happy with it.
You’ve been with the Reinbold family for a very long time, haven’t you?
I’ve been in the Schützenfestzelt for 21 years now. I worked as a chef for many years and have
been the tent manager for four years now, which means that from March onwards, I organise the whole
Oktoberfest and everything to do with setting it up, including staff recruitment, supplier negotiations,
sub-tenant contracts and dealing with the authorities. You’re pretty busy until everything is done, yes.
I believe so. When do preparations for Oktoberfest begin?
Our reservation, Mrs. Köster, begins in February. Reservations start
on 1 February, and I usually start on 1 March. The most important thing is recruiting the team,
which now takes the longest. That’s what I start with: getting the team together, whether it’s kitchen staff,
service staff, cleaners or dishwashers, and then sending out the contracts.
Yes, sensational, so I imagine that’s a lot of intensive detail work that has to be done?
There’s a lot to do in the months of office work, lots of little things, including all our certifications,
GQB-certified quality in Bavaria, or our organic products – we have three organic products on the menu –
which always requires a lot of paperwork to submit the applications, apply for certification, then the audit,
where you are inspected. It all takes time. That’s all the stuff that guests don’t see in advance,
that you have to do before we can start. Even when the interior work in the tent begins,
when the kitchen is being installed, I’m constantly on site coordinating everything to make sure it all runs smoothly.
What are the biggest challenges, Mr Schwarz?
The biggest challenges are actually the same as every year: producing quality –
through our employees and simply ensuring guest satisfaction. We have certainly proven over the last
few years and decades that we can do this, because the Schützenfest tent is one of the most popular
tents on this site, and I can say that with confidence. We have invested a lot in this and are now reaping
the rewards, so to speak. But as I said, the biggest challenge is always to keep people motivated every day.
Motivated employees produce quality, and as I said before, at the end of the day,
it’s the satisfaction of the guest that counts.
And what are your personal highlights for Schwarz?
Oh, my personal highlights are perhaps when I finish work in the evening and drive home and can take a shower. (Joking)
No, personal highlights too, that when things are running smoothly, when there are no problems and
everything is going well, that’s actually my highlight. We have lots of great guests, including celebrities,
but I don’t do anything special there. What’s really important to me is the big picture, and when the
big picture works, then I’m happy, that’s my highlight, yes.
That’s wonderful.
Mr Schwarz, I wish you many more wonderful days at the Wiesen, that everything continues to run
smoothly until Sunday evening, and that you have many lovely guests and lots of fun.
Thank you, I wish you all the best too, and let’s get on with the last three days. Thank you.
Thank you too, bye.
Have fun! Susanne Panhans
All Pictures, Texts and Videos are Copyright by Susanne Panhans
