"It's still a very difficult situation," says Anna Nadenau from the Alexander Restaurant on Duisdorf's Rochusstraße. The restaurant is well frequented at lunchtime, "but there are still seats in the evening," she says. And many guests are keeping an eye on the prices. "People are not ordering as lavishly as they did before the start of the pandemic. People are far too afraid of the future and are holding onto their money," the restaurateur observes.

She says that a major problem in her trade is still the lack of skilled workers. "We have been looking for a suitable cook for months and can't find one. I wonder where the people who used to work in the service industry have gone," she says, shaking her head. However, the Alexander team is not letting it get them down. "We are simply looking forward to welcoming many guests to our restaurant again next year," she says, looking confidently to the future.

Large company parties with up to 100 people are not happening, "but we have many reservations for smaller groups, for example for departmental parties with 15 to 20 people," Martin Stützer from the Bastei in Bad Godesberg replies to a GA enquiry. However, the enormous price increases in produce have long since arrived on the Bastei's menu too. "We are not offering goose this year. Prices are simply too high," says the chef. Instead, the team is serving a larger selection of game and duck dishes on request. Unlike many colleagues in the industry, Stützer does not have a personnel problem. "We are really very well staffed," he says. That is certainly also because there has always been in-house training. There are just a few open positions where new staff would be welcome. "We can always use a good cook," he says.

Although the purchase price has doubled, goose is sizzling in the oven at Haus am Rhein in Beuel. "We have already served about 200 geese so far," says manager Sinisa Slavicek. Nevertheless, his team also senses that guests are choosing carefully now. "Everything has become more expensive," says the restaurateur. Nevertheless, the pre-Christmas business is going "quite well" so far.

"We now have many reservations for smaller groups. Only the really big Christmas parties like in the past are no longer happening," he confirms. A lack of staff is not an issue at Haus am Rhein now. "We are quite well staffed, but we can always use more employees," he says.

At Gasthaus Nolden in Endenich, too, the trend is more towards smaller parties. "The big gatherings haven't happened for years. This trend already existed before Covid," says Sabine Nehrkorn. At Nolden, despite the price trend, goose is also being put in the oven again. "People still like to order it," observes Nehrkorn. Price increases have been passed on "moderately" to the customers. The inn is traditionally closed for the coming festive season. "Our employees have always been able to rely on that," says the boss. That is probably why so many of them have enjoyed working here for decades. However, since some employees have left due to age or illness, she is also currently looking for skilled staff. She now has a Ukrainian employed in the kitchen at the Nolden. "We are very happy about that," says Sabine Nehrkorn.

But a lack of skilled workers is not the only problem in the gastronomy sector in Bonn and the region. "The current economic situation, the huge price increases, energy costs as well as the effects of the Ukraine war are particularly felt by innkeepers," observes Thomas Hindelang of the Bonn/Rhein-Sieg Chamber of Commerce and Industry. "This also affects many other sectors. At the same time, most businesses make a large part of their turnover during the Christmas season. Many innkeepers are reacting to the enormous price increases and no longer offer certain products. " Goose, for example," he explains. In addition, the situation on the labour market is still tense. "Not only skilled workers are lacking, but also workers with low qualifications," says the IHK spokesman.

Original text: Gabriele Immenkeppel

Translation: Jean Lennox

FESTIVE ROAST

Goose scarce and expensive

If you want a locally sourced roast goose this Christmas, you need to plan ahead. Because of avian flu, the supply of birds may be tight this year. Also, increased feed and energy costs mean consumers must expect higher prices than last year, according to the North Rhine-Westphalia Chamber of Agriculture. According to the Chamber of Agriculture, the trend away from frozen goose from Eastern Europe to the NRW pasture-raised goose is continuing, because in contrast to their relatives from Poland and Hungary, free-range geese in this country were again allowed to spend most of their lives on the green meadow this year. img