Chefs in Town 2026 in Düsseldorf: Culinary festival wows with record turnout

Highlights of the weekend included the charity dinner at the DOX Restaurant, the kitchen party at Lido Malkasten, the four-hands dinner by Pierre Gagnaire and Yoshizumi Nagaya, and numerous events that local businesses had designed themselves for the weekend.

Why 'Chefs in Town' is becoming increasingly important for Düsseldorf and the industry

The festival once again highlighted the economic, social, and cultural significance of the restaurant and hospitality industries for Düsseldorf. In addition to culinary experiences, the focus was particularly on networking, inspiration, social engagement, and industry exchange.

At the same time, the weekend offered many businesses the opportunity to attract new guests and showcase the diversity of the local dining scene to a broad audience.

Voices from the culinary world: 'The Wacken of the culinary scene'

The organizers, together with their partners, report a positive outcome. The high turnout of restaurateurs and the strong response from visitors — who lined up at many venues — underscore the growing significance of “Chefs in Town” far beyond Düsseldorf’s city limits.

Now in its third year, the festival has established itself as a permanent platform for promoting appreciation and visibility of the hospitality industry. The festival’s patron is the renowned top chef Heiko Antoniewicz: 'Chefs in Town' is the largest European food festival, and we’re proud of that. Everyone wants to go there, and everyone wants to actively participate. It’s something like the Wacken Music Festival for the culinary scene. It has massive appeal!”

This is also confirmed by Cornelia Baumgart, who runs the 'Rubens' restaurant in Düsseldorf and hosted a sold-out JRE kitchen party featuring four top chefs: “In our day-to-day work, we’re all very busy with our own businesses, so there’s often little time to connect with colleagues in the industry. That’s exactly what’s so great about ‘Chefs in Town’: Here in Düsseldorf, we get to talk to one another, exchange ideas with colleagues as well as with our guests. And thanks to the many fantastic chefs who come to us from out of town, we gain new ideas and inspiration.”

Cooking, learning, and helping together: Social projects at the heart of the festival

Michelin-starred chef Alina Meissner-Bebrout cooked with children at the Children’s Aid Center for the second time to help them discover, in a playful way, the joy of fresh ingredients and cooking together.

“I was truly impressed by the enthusiasm with which the kids cooked together and presented our menu at the end. This day showed just how much cooking can bring people together and build self-confidence. It’s precisely these kinds of special encounters that define ‘Chefs in Town’ for me, and I was delighted to once again be part of this industry event, which feels like a class reunion.”

Strong partners set the stage for the future of the restaurant industry

'Chefs in Town' demonstrates what’s possible when strong partners join forces to put the restaurant industry in the spotlight. METRO, the City of Düsseldorf, the Chamber of Industry and Commerce (IHK), DEHOGA North Rhine-Westphalia, and Coca-Cola view the event positively and see the concept as one with appeal that extends far beyond Düsseldorf.

Ivonne Bollow, Senior Vice President of Corporate Communications, Public Policy & Responsibility at METRO AG: “The restaurant industry deserves attention, dialogue, and, above all, a strong voice. That’s exactly what we wanted to achieve together with our partners. With the ‘Chefs in Town’ format, we’ve now brought people together for the third time, set the agenda, and showcased the industry from its strong, positive side. For METRO, this commitment is a matter of course, because we see ourselves as advocates for our customers. Ultimately, their success is also our success.”

Dr. Stephan Keller, Mayor of Düsseldorf, set an example himself by working as a server at the Israeli restaurant 'Die Kurve': “‘Chefs in Town’ brings people together — these are exactly the kinds of initiatives we need right now. It’s about cuisine, but at the same time it’s about so much more, because we’re showing that Düsseldorf is open and hospitable. Furthermore, the hotel and restaurant industries also make a significant economic contribution to the city — for example, as employers of over 14,000 employees subject to social security contributions.”

'Chefs in Town' establishes Düsseldorf as a leading hub for the hospitality industry

This brings to a close a weekend marked by dedication, passion, and good food and drink. Düsseldorf’s hospitality scene can look forward to the coming months with renewed confidence.

For more information, visit www.chefsintown.de.