Sold-out final evening at a star-studded venue in the Old Fountain
With almost 800 guests at the dinner evenings and the culinary safari, as well as a final evening that was sold out since the beginning of January, the Erlangen Tourism and Marketing Association (ETM) draws an all-around positive conclusion from the 2026 Culinary Festival. From March 12th to 21st, Erlangen was once again a meeting place for gourmets and impressively showcased the diversity and quality of the local gastronomic scene.
A particular highlight was the "Cooking with Friends" gala evening at the Alte Brunnen in Marloffstein, which this year featured a Michelin-starred chef for the first time. Maximilian Stock from the renowned Alpenhotel in the Zillertal Valley contributed his alpine flair to an exceptional menu, created in collaboration with five top chefs from Erlangen (Fritz Striegel, Dominic Polster, Zacharias Dengler, Mauro Sindaco, and Santiago Estrada Lozano). These chefs spearheaded the creation of an inspiring menu: from Ajoblanco with prawn medallions and calf's head carpaccio to Savoy cabbage and mushroom cannelloni, a perfectly cooked T-bone steak from their own farm, and a refined goat's milk and thyme dessert, the evening became a culinary experience of the highest caliber.
“The culinary festival has continuously evolved over the past few years – and with the first-ever participation of a Michelin-starred chef, we have taken a very special step this year,” said Christian Frank, Managing Director of ETM. “What distinguishes this festival is the interplay of regional quality, creative cuisine, and genuine collaboration. This was evident again this year at every level.”
In addition to the gala evening, the dinner evenings at the eleven participating restaurants and the culinary safari through Erlangen's old town, with its twelve stops, were particularly well-received. Participating businesses in this year's culinary safari included Guldens Bergstube, Contigo, Australiss, Erlanger Teehaus, Italia Tradizionale, Köstlich & Co., Kernwein'z, die Laufmasche, Wohlsein Weine, decantus, Perlenmarkt, and Bäckerei Pickelmann. The following restaurants provided specially created menus for the dinner evenings: Alter Brunnen, Gasthof Polster, Biorestaurant Muskat, Schwarzer Adler – Uttenreuth, Herzstück, Design Offices, Bayerischer Hof, Grauer Wolf, Santiago's Kitchen, Restaurant Basilikum, and Italia Tradizionale.
The festival once again offered a broad stage for culinary concepts – from regionally influenced to internationally inspired – and invited visitors to rediscover the city in a delightful way.
The 2026 culinary festival was made possible once again by the support of the Erlangen Höchstadt Herzogenaurach City and District Savings Bank, which sponsored the festival for the third time. The Erlangen Tourism and Marketing Association extends its sincere thanks for their commitment and long-standing partnership.