Dinner with a view

Excitement at the jetty in Cologne's historic city centre. Around a hundred passengers wait in the glorious sunshine to board ship for the dinner cruise with 2-star chef Daniel Gottschlich. The Dassen family from the Lower Rhine is among them. The cruise is a special present from the sons to their mother on her 80th birthday. "I'm looking forward to the food and the wonderful views we'll get during our cruise", says the birthday girl, happily.

Premiere on the MS Loreley

Meanwhile, it's all action aboard the MS Loreley. Menus are being adjusted, cutlery inspected and the sequence of events gone over once again. This is the first dinner cruise for the ship and her crew – and on the hottest day of the year, too. Temperatures hover around 40 degrees in Cologne this evening. But the air-conditioned ship and a freshly poured Kölsch beer that greets the guests serve to cool their overheated brows. Once the guests have taken their seats at the white-linen-clad tables, the waiting staff serve an exclusive take on the Cologne classic "Halver Hahn" as an appetiser. The amuse bouche is im me diately  followed  by  today's star chef,  who greets his guests personally. Gottschlich runs the trendy restaurant "Ox & Klee" in the Cologne Rheinauhafen docks and is known, amongst other things, for his "Experience Taste Menu" where the guests only discover what the head chef has created for them when it's served.

His creative cuisine was recognised in early 2019 with a second Michelin star. In contrast to his restaurant, today's guests know what to expect and the evening begins with yellowfin mackerel garnished with gooseberries and a celeriac deadnettle sauce.

Harmonious teamwork

What makes the dinner cruises with master chefs special is the teamwork between the master chef and the KD kitchen staff as well as the menu that's created especially for that evening. And it isn't just the guests who love the concept. There are many repeat offenders within the ranks of the master chefs too. This is the second time aboard for Gottschlich, and this year he has to demonstrate his culinary skills to 160 gourmets in one go. Talking of which – the second course is already on its way: Pork belly on apple, ginger and pea. At the Dassen family table, the thoughtfully chosen accompanying wine receives praise: A Scheurebe from Nahe Winemaker of the Year 2018, Tobias Rickes. "Lush and exotic. The freshness of the wine harmonises perfectly with the tangy spiciness of the ginger", is how son Gregor summarises the family's verdict.

What a backdrop

While the finishing touches are being put to the main course in the kitchen, guests are lured to the open-air deck to take photos against the unique backdrop as the sun sets. Shortly before reaching Porz, the ship turns around and it's time to return to the tables. The waiters bring the main course to the tables in quick succession: Venison with scarlet brambles and tender stalks of puntarelle. The spicy accents are provided this time by Szechuan pepper.

Shortly thereafter, and with spectacular evening views of the historic city centre, the menu is rounded off with a dessert of white beans, nashi pear, jasmine and yogurt. The harmonious combination of sweet and fresh convinces even sceptics about the versatility of the legumes, something long known by the star chefs. The Dassen family heads back home with a lot of new impressions to digest. "The evening went by much too fast", the birthday girl concludes. "Dining on the water is a truly special experience."

Other pleasures to look forward to

Gourmets can look forward to seven other master chefs aboard ship in 2019. When he makes his premiere on the 3rd December, "Der vierte König" (The Fourth King) Jaspreet DhaliwalWilmes will be bringing the fascinating world of Indian flavours on board in Cologne, while Daniel Dal-Ben from the Michelin star restaurant Tafelspitz 1876 will be making his premiere aboard in Düsseldorf on the 2nd of December.

The dinner cruise on the occasion of the year of Jacques Offenbach promises to be a very special highlight. On the 15th October, KD is dedicating a culinary-musical evening to the composer who was born 200 years ago in Cologne. While the Rheinischen Solisten Köln perform well-known Offenbach melodies, the herb king Jean-Marie Dumaine from the "Vieux Sinzig" restaurant spoils guests with a French four-course menu. A pleasure for all thesenses!