Chef Ginkel impresses at the finale with a classic herb composition
Darmstadt achieves a surprise victory at the 18th Frankfurt Green Sauce Festival: The Ratskeller restaurant in the science city of Darmstadt won first place at the traditional festival on the Roßmarkt on Saturday, May 24, 2025. Head chef Dieter Ginkel impressed with his classic interpretation of the seven-herb dish and prevailed against strong competition in the final.
A total of 49 restaurants participated in the competition. After seven preliminary rounds, the daily winners qualified for the grand final, where around 650 guests – who also acted as the jury – anonymously tasted the sauces. The green creations were served in traditional style in glasses, accompanied by potatoes and egg. The guests cast their votes by ballot – the result was clear: the Darmstadt version was a complete success.
“That was a real sensation,” said Ratskeller manager Hans-Peter Schlörit. He had registered the Ratskeller for the festival for the first time. “A great success for our team – and a boon for the entire Darmstadt restaurant scene.”
Second place went to last year's winning restaurant "Zum Einhorn" in Frankfurt-Bonames, while third place went to the restaurant "Eselei" in the Nordwestzentrum Frankfurt.
Whether the festival will continue next year is currently uncertain. Organizers Maja Wolff and Torsten Müller are facing financial hurdles – new sponsors would be needed to secure a repeat performance.
However, there is consolation for gourmets: the winning sauce remains on the menu of the Darmstadt Ratskeller. So, anyone wishing to enjoy Frankfurt's most popular national dish at its winning level can easily reach Darmstadt via S-Bahn line 6 – even from the Rhine-Main region.
(DARMSTADT – RED)
Featured image: GSF Finale 2025 Photo: Christoph Müller
