“This is what Brandenburg tastes like!” — Regional diversity in communal catering

In June 2024, seven institutions in Brandenburg demonstrated just how versatile communal catering can be during the ‘So schmeckt Brandenburg!’ event days. The range of venues stretched from nurseries and schools to hospitals, the state parliament and university canteens. They all had one thing in common: the kitchen teams took part in the ‘Kantine-Werkstatt’ – the canteen consultancy service run by Kantine Zukunft Brandenburg, which supports kitchens on their journey towards greater use of organic, regional and seasonal produce. Together with the kitchen teams, our kitchen trainers devised special dishes that brought the principles of ‘Kantine Zukunft Brandenburg’ to the table: seasonal fruit and vegetables as the main ingredients, the versatile use of grains and pulses, and the consistent avoidance of food waste. The speciality dishes were as varied as the establishments and districts themselves. Whether it was poached eggs with wild herbs, vanilla pearl barley with strawberry and rhubarb compote, or a spicy beetroot and lentil ragout.

There was also considerable interest in the special dishes outside the canteens: the promotional days were covered on social media, and local Brandenburg media outlets such as the MOZ ensured that even those who didn’t join in the meal got a tasty taste of what was on offer.