One for all. All for one.
Alexander Zimmer
Our favorite boss – a self-employed entrepreneur since 2005, before that he had worked at Bayer AG for ten years, mainly in the Animal Health division. He was the mastermind in developing the concept of Marienburg Monheim with all its offers. All areas bear his mark and he can be found everywhere- because he prefers to be at the barbecue and spend time with our guests. He tries to be “the best dad in the world” for Henri and Mimi. He has been crazy about basketball since the age of six, loves animals and nature, is passionate about cooking and barbecuing for family, friends, customers and colleagues, is an enthusiastic gardener and is an independent entrepreneur with heart and soul.
Niklas Trebels
He joined us in the summer of 2014 after successfully completing his master's degree in economics. After a long trial period, he simply "stuck" with us. Sometimes, it's not so important why people find each other. It’s important that he is here. Niklas was versatile right from the beginning, and his work behind the bar at weddings remains unforgotten. Since Tim Berg's departure at the beginning of 2021, Niklas has had full responsibility for business customers, and we trust him to handle this great task with his calm and balanced manner. Furthermore, he is by far our most popular colleague, but we can't reveal why here.
Jakob Norf
We are so lucky to have recruited such a great young man. Here's the wohle story: Jakob, who was studying to become a teacher at the time, started with us in 2021 as a part-time tester in the test center. Even then, he proved that he could take on responsibility and be relied upon. When we stopped testing, we offered him — and others — the chance to stay on the team and explore the hotel and catering industry — as a part-time job. There, too, he was eager to learn and quickly mastered new skills. More importantly, he grew tremendously on a personal level thanks to the many guest interactions with people from all over the world and our large team. When he approached our boss one day and asked for an apprenticeship as a hotel specialist, you should have seen the smile on Alex's face. We are sure he will never regret his decision.
Celina Uebber
Celina joined us at the beginning of 2024 with an impressive professional portfolio. She enriches our team with her clear and direct personality, as well as her versatile gastronomic experience in event management and beyond. Celina is distinguished by her calmness and clear-headedness — even in hectic moments, she always maintains her composure. She is a true decorating ace and adds a special touch to every event with her creative flair for details. She is an invaluable asset to us, and her commitment ensures that every event is a complete success. We are very happy to have you here, Celina!
Nina Buschenhofen
We got to know Nina when she suddenly rang the doorbell as a neighbor at the Kutscherhaus during the first corona lockdown and wanted to support us by buying homemade grilled sausages. As a freelance photographer and designer, she only worked for us sporadically at first. When the boss was looking for a new assistant manager, her unique and convincing application arrived minutes after the request was posted online. She was “not challenged enough” by working for the boss and took over the management of private customers and, above all, all weddings at the end of 2021. Marketing and social media also remain in her hands. A huge gain for our team and a big relief for the boss.
Joanna Lachnit
Since January 2012, she has been entrusted with ever-changing creative or culinary tasks on a part-time or full-time basis. Thanks to her significant commitment in the early years, we have grown in the culinary field and at wedding events, reaching where we are today. As a sommelier, she passionately manages the wine cellar at Marienburg Monheim. Born in Krosno, Poland, she came to Germany for love in 2000. She has two sons and is passionate about cooking. Currently, she only works with us at barbecue seminars.
Anna Siemieniec
Anna aka Anja. She was recommended to us in 2015, and she has exceeded all expectations ever since. Initial impressions included being "very hard-working," "helpful," "quick to learn," and "simply a sweetheart." The progress she has made since then is remarkable. It's impossible to imagine our service team without her. She knows the details of all the buffets, menus, seminars, and the wine cellar. She knows where everything is. She always knows what the guests have agreed to, and she does everything so charmingly that you melt. All of our grill masters want to work with her because she makes everything work out so well. We can use her anytime and anywhere, but mostly for evening events and weddings.
Tomek Kuniewicz
He joined us in April 2013. Tomek is a trained hotel manager and a passionate bartender. He impressed us with what we thought was the "best whiskey sour in the world" during his job interview. From that moment on, we knew we wanted him on our team. We have never regretted it. His motto is "Awesome! Horny! Tomek!" That's all you need to know. The changes brought about by the turn of the year 2020/2021 almost led us to losing Tomek. We are all the happier that he stayed.
Mario Nießen
Mario and Alex met in 2007 in front of the castle and had a philosophical conversation about the quality of steak and meat worldwide. The conversation ended with Mario saying, "You're an a…hole!" to Alex. They both grinned broadly. Eight weeks later, Mario placed six perfectly aged T-bone steaks on Alex's desk and recommended them with "warm words." The rest is history, marking the beginning of a wonderful friendship. On June 1, 2016, we convinced Mario to leave his self-employment and become a permanent member of our team. As head griller, head chef, and master butcher, he brings family tradition, energy, and expertise to our team. In addition to his cooking and butchery skills, he enjoys hunting and spending time with is wife and his dog.
Robert Groß
Robert joined us at the end of 2022 and is now the head farmer at our regenerative farm, Marienhof. In the summer of 2021, Alex told him about our plans for the farm, and he was immediately enthusiastic. He left his old job behind and threw himself into the passionate adventure of setting up a regenerative farm with us. Robert played an instrumental role in developing the Marienhof concept, ensuring that fresh vegetables, herbs, eggs, and meat from our farm make their way to the Marienburg kitchen. In addition to farming, Robert looks after our animal roommates, including the flock of sheep, the chicken gang, the pigs, the cows, and the goats.
Robert is almost always in a good mood unless his conceptual dream team of Nina and the boss are driving him on and / or driving him crazy. Otherwise, nothing upsets him easily. With his relaxed manner and enthusiasm for regenerative agriculture — from permaculture to mob grazing — he is a valuable asset to our team. Marienhof has long been more than just a project to him — it's his life's work.
Robert, we are grateful that your path has led you to us, and we can hardly wait to see what else you will accomplish at Marienhof!
Yvonne Lange
Yvonne has more hotel experience than all of us put together. When she submitted her unsolicited application between Christmas and New Year's Eve 2018, it was not yet clear whether we would be able to take her on board. That changed a few weeks later. And the rest is history. There has never been a colleague who is so appreciated by all team members. Hard-working, always on the ball and simply great! It's impossible to imagine the guest house and coach house without her. How wonderful that we were lucky enough to win her over.
Lillino Cieri
As Silvi always says, "Lilloooooo!" He's been one of the most popular men in the castle since day one. Is it because Lillino simply gets everything fixed? He's a jack of all trades and an IT specialist who can even bypass sockets. He came to Germany from Italy at the end of 2017, and he already speaks German so well that many others could learn from him. He only has a hard time when our boss mumbles. We can no longer imagine the castle without him. And to all the happy ladies: Lillino is in good hands.
Katrin Zimmer
At Marienburg Monheim, we don't just feel like a family — we actually are one. As we've mentioned, some of us are related by blood. Katrin is also related by blood to the boss himself. Whether it's a curse or a blessing is for the two of them to decide. However, Katrin is much more than just the "sister of..." With 30 years of experience in logistics, she is responsible and attentive. She helps Milena manage the castle and is now responsible for our online store. We are delighted that she is part of our "family." When the blood relatives get nasty, there's popcorn and potato chips to enjoy while watching.
Patrycja Felix
Patrycia came to us from the retail sector, where she was highly recommended by Milena. She is a well-rounded professional who is always calm, thoughtful, and organized. She was in immediate demand in all areas and was able to put her organizational skills to good use at the testing center. We can use her anywhere. Most of the time, however, she works with conference guests in the castle or in housekeeping.
Silvia Galanti
Silvia has worked for us since 2011. She's an experienced waitress and a real lucky charm. Now, she's the last active staff member who helped build everything up. Once you've had breakfast with her, you'll never want to leave! She is the soul of the house and a hot-blooded Italian who can communicate in all languages — even with her hands and feet if necessary — and loves to sing and dance. You have to experience Silvia! It's also entertaining to watch her bicker with Lillino or Alex. Wow! It's quite a spectacle. The boss claims that no one wears him out more, but they love each other very much.
Jutta Vanhauer
A member of our team since 2017, she spontaneously found her way to us from the aviation industry by simply asking at reception. Others describe her as a team player and very independent! We can deploy her anywhere and if the roster isn't varied enough, the boss gets a slap on the wrist. A dream as a colleague and as a person. Jutta likes to do yoga in her free time, and she also radiates a relaxed atmosphere with our customers when she's whirling around in the “lucky charm team” (our name for our service team). We can only be glad that she had the courage to just walk in here.
Patrick Volpe
He grew up in beautiful Monheim and joined our team in July 2015. As a trained retail salesman, he always seeks opportunities for customer interaction and personalized service. The boss met him while shopping for gardening supplies and was impressed by his friendliness, reliability, and commitment. He has since found his permanent place with us, and, as with most of us, he has various responsibilities. You can meet him at the reception desk, where he works as a MOD. In the background, he takes care of many areas of purchasing. However, you will most often find him in the evenings at various events or working as a bartender at weddings.
Carina Frank
These days, it's not always easy to find a young person with the right attitude for the job. So, when Carina joined us as a trained hotel manager in the midst of the pandemic, we were amazed. Because of the challenging circumstances in the hospitality industry, she had been working in a hospital. It took a long time for her boss to bring her back to her favorite industry, but now she works for us full-time. After starting in housekeeping, she now makes conference guests and wedding couples happy.
Albakri Seifalnasr
Albakri has been with us since the summer of 2024, and he always brings good cheer to the team. In the kitchen, he ensures that everything is spotless—and he does it with an infectious smile! Even when it's snowing outside, he rarely wears more than a T-shirt. Who needs a jacket when you're so radiant all day? He also works his magic at home as a passionate cook, and sometimes we get to taste his creations. We look forward to seeing what other tasks he takes on in the future.
We are very happy to have you with us, Albakri!
Aslihan Ünlü
Since March 2024, Aslihan has enriched our team by providing temporary assistance at events and in service. With her positive energy and adaptability, she always lifts the team's spirits, no matter what's on the agenda. She is a ray of sunshine who spices up every event with her charm and energy. Our dear colleague Silvia recommended her to us, and she fit in perfectly right from the start.
We are delighted to have you on board, Aslihan! Your warm personality is the perfect addition to our team.
Asma Elouati
Since February 2024, Asma has ensured order and cleanliness in our housekeeping department. With her calm and relaxed manner, she gets everything in top shape and creates a pleasant atmosphere on the team. Her unassuming nature makes her a real asset, and we appreciate her dedication and reliability.
It's great to have you with us, Asma!
Brigitte Zeller
Anyone who knows Brigitte knows that she is everywhere and can make anything possible! Although she was originally hired for the event sector, she has quickly become a jack-of-all-trades and, above all, an egg princess. Many of you have seen her in action at external catering events or our own events.
However, her heart especially beats for our Marienhof project. She is in her element here, whether she's planting, moving sheep fences, or lovingly stocking our market box (sometimes even several times a day!). She lives and loves it!
As if that weren't enough, we also have her to thank for our legendary egg liqueur, a real highlight at Christmas and Easter.
In short, Brigitte brings energy, passion, and heart to everything she does!
Carl Calsbach
Carl is impossible to miss or ignore! At just under two meters tall, he is the man for all occasions — especially when something needs to be brought down "up there."
Since joining us in spring 2024, Carl has developed impressively. We specialize in motivating young people and offering them prospects, and this has worked for Carl so far! We are especially proud that he will soon start training to be an event manager.
He creates a great atmosphere not only in the team but also at our evening events. With his incredible sense of humor, he makes guests and colleagues laugh alike. When it comes to fine wines, he delves deeper and deeper into the subject — but he still never says no to Baileys!
Carl, we are delighted to have you with us and look forward to everything yet to come!
Caro Wojtas
Caro also came to us through the testing center. We are so fortunate to have her and many of these young people. Caro can be deployed anywhere. She assists us with service in all areas and occasionally helps with housekeeping. Since May 2022, she has also been actively supporting us with marketing and communication tasks. She is very talented artistically and will certainly find success and happiness in the media and design field. Until then, we are happy to have her with us. For example, during the 2022 Easter vacation, Caro organized an art workshop for all company children and the children of our Ukrainian refugees.
Dominik Gödden
Dominik has been part of our team since the summer of 2024, and, as is often the case, he was referred by one of our employees. In fact, Nina first tried to recruit him back in 2020. After years of persuasion, it finally worked out. Sometimes, good things take time.
Dominik brings just the right mix of competence and composure to the table as a temporary service assistant, contrasting with his regular job. While others work up a sweat, he remains calm, organized, and reliable—a real asset to our team!
Dominik is indispensable!
Fekrije Muslija
Fekrije, or rather Vicky joined our team in the fall of 2017. She was recommended by a team member and has greatly strengthened the housekeeping team. She is so powerful that we are happy to have her with us. Her energy probably comes from the sugar she puts in her coffee—preferably six cubes per cup. She is now almost exclusively used in the service team — our lucky charms. She comes alive at night, soaking up everything she can about our delicious food and drinks. She has taken a great path with us. We can only take our hats off to her.
Fatima Fassal
Fatima is an absolute sweetheart. Her children have grown up, and she wanted a new challenge. She came to us in the middle of the Coronavirus crisis, but the boss wanted to look to the future with optimism, so he brought her on board immediately. She started in the kitchen, but it quickly became clear that she was better suited to working with our conference guests. Now, she can usually be found there, making our guests happy with her caring and reserved manner.
Feline Wendler
In a way, Feline is already an "old hand" at Marienburg Castle, even though she started working with us in 2024 and is actually the youngest in terms of age. However, thanks to her family's close connection to the Marienburg team, she has known the castle and its surroundings since childhood.
Last January, she interned at Marienburg and realized that she wanted to complete her hotel management apprenticeship there and help out on the farm whenever possible.
She started in the summer of 2024. For the first six months, Feline mainly worked in the castle, demonstrating her versatility. No matter the task, she is a professional when it comes to the castle and conference business. She always maintains her smile and positive energy.
We look forward to welcoming her to the Kutscherhaus team and assigning her many exciting tasks.
Feline is truly a great addition and an excellent trainee!
Frederike Wiegers
Freddie has been a valuable member of our team as a professional temp since 2021, impressing us with her professionalism! With her years of experience in the event and catering industry, she knows exactly what's important. She is not only the perfect person to ensure smooth processes, but she can also handle the toughest jobs. If there is no bouncer available, she can easily take his place with her determined manner!
No matter where the fire is, she tackles it. With her warm personality, she is a real go-getter and someone you can always laugh with. She also takes care of the service.
Freddie, we're glad to have you on board!
Gülsüm Can
Gülsüm came to us like a knight in shining armor. We have been very happy to have her on board since March 2015. With over ten years of catering experience, she has improved our team tremendously and always smiles quietly to herself. It feels as if she has always been with us! Because of her family background, she usually works at the Kutscherhaus with our breakfast and lunch guests. She is always happy to help with weddings, housekeeping, and most recently, she has been supporting our kitchen team—our MaMo, the ultimate all-purpose weapon! She changes her hairstyle every week, delighting all her colleagues. No one is that versatile.
Hito Al-Alyas
Hito came to us in the spring of 2022 through his daughter, Ysnaa. Anyone who has been our guest since then or has walked through Marienburg Park is sure to have seen him. He always wears a cap, no matter the temperature, and is on hand for all kinds of special tasks. He particularly enjoys working in our green spaces and ensures that our lavender is harvested at the entrance. He is also responsible for our firewood and the maintenance of the OFYR barbecues. He is definitely one of the people on our team who may not be so "visible," but without whom the whole place wouldn't work. However, we still need to work on not having to look for him every time it's lunchtime.
Jason Sych
Jason, our Canadian newcomer from 2021, is an incredibly good cook and griller. He's a fantastic person, a hobby brewer, a dream colleague, a team player, and a creative artist. He's simply a gift. Jason met one of Alex's former colleagues in a restaurant in Cologne after a bike tour. This colleague knows the Marienburg and our team very well. When they started talking, it quickly became clear that Jason was looking for a new challenge. This colleague, now a long-time guest, customer, and friend of the Marienburg, then told him about Michael's sudden death and how desperately we needed a new chef and grill master. No one could have imagined how well Jason would fit in. Recently, Alex told Jason by the fire: "I want to grow old with you!" Jason replied that he had finally arrived after his long journey through the restaurant business — to a place he wanted to protect and enrich with his skills. That's all you need to know.
Joana Matika-Volgmann
Joana joined us in September 2023 as an assistant to the management team, and she has experienced turbulent times. She has brought new structure to her areas of responsibility and approaches her tasks thoughtfully. She has also taught herself many things in a very wide-ranging field.
What does the boss particularly appreciate about Joana? Her clear attitude and her willingness to speak her mind, even when she and her boss don't see eye-to-eye. Perhaps that is precisely what makes our team stronger and enables steeper learning curves. She helps us develop, which is a real benefit.
Joana is also passionate about sustainability.
Joana, it's great to have you on the team!
Julia Schmiedt
Julia proves that families are a tradition with us. Shortly after her mother, Brigitte, Julia also joined our team as a service assistant. What can we say? She's indispensable on her own and unbeatable in a double pack!
What was her personal highlight? The Bayer Leverkusen sponsor opening ceremony. As a true fan, she couldn't help but let out a few shrieks — and we celebrated with her!
Whether she's working with soccer stars or regular guests, Julia combines professionalism with passion. That's exactly what makes her so valuable to us!
Julia, we can't imagine the team without you!
Klaudia Wojtas
Klaudia is one of our medical assistants, but she has truly flourished in the hotel industry. She was, of course, extremely important for testing and especially for vaccinating. However, her role on the housekeeping and coach house teams is even more important. She is 100% reliable, has no quirks, has a big heart, and dances like a wild woman. You just want her on your team. It's wonderful to have such people join the team during a major crisis.
Lena Fleischer
Lena is one of our working students and supported us in the test center during the peak of the Corona crisis. She is 100% reliable and enjoys the hustle and bustle of our "institution" with her calm nature. She is mostly found in housekeeping due to her studies. If you're lucky, you might also see her working in service or as a lucky charm at a wedding.
Lisa Stallmann
Lisa was the first working student we hired at the testing center. She is a budding lawyer who is very precise and conscientious, yet always cheerful. She loves RIN music and usually gets everyone to sing along. In addition to working at the test center, she has worked in catering at weddings, and she now supports the boss with all legal and labor law issues. She is such an asset to our team! We hope she stays for a long time.
Marcel Kleufer
Marcel could certainly compete with Carl in terms of size, but he's the complete opposite in terms of volume. Marcel is incredibly quiet and hardworking.
Whether he's rebuilding the castle for the next day or vacuuming in record time, without him everything would be half as beautiful. The best part? Thanks to Marcel, the girls don't have to move heavy furniture by themselves.
Thank you, Marcel, for always being there when it matters!
Marie Friedrich
Marie also found her way to us through our testing center. She's another all-rounder. Despite her young age, she never loses sight of the big picture and can understand any topic. She is reflective, charming, cheerful, and focused. She is trying out various positions and tasks with us to prepare for her psychology studies. However, our "head of the institution" is still happy to provide professional support.
Martina Buschenhofen
While others retire in their late 60s and put their feet up, Martina prefers to put on her wellies! She also joined us as a family member and is our Marienhof flower officer. These flowers are not only the perfect decoration for the occasional event, but also an important part of the regenerative cycle at Marienhof. Farmer Robert and our vegetable plants are happy about every pollinator they attract with their flowers!
And when it comes to putting the finishing touches to an event? As Nicki's decorating assistant, she conjures up dreamy arrangements for our guests.
Martina, your work makes our farm and the castle even more beautiful - thank you for that!
Marvin Hansen
For almost 10 years, Marvin has been an indispensable help at weddings and events. He is particularly in his element behind the bar - this is where you get the fastest and best beer on tap and the perfect gin and tonic.
And while he's looking after our guests, he's out and about with children in “real life”. The perfect balance? Or exactly the same? (P.S.: Marvin, you'll have to explain that to us!)
Thank you for staying loyal to us for so long - you're a real legend!
Mats Braun
Mats has been with us since August 2024 and is training to be a chef. With his charming personality and dry sense of humor, he brings a lot of color to the kitchen. Even the tough everyday life with shift work, getting up early and some late shifts doesn't upset him - Mats always remains calm and confident, no matter how hectic it gets. A real asset to our kitchen team!
Mats, we are really looking forward to seeing how you develop here and where your path takes you.
Mohamad Kadouh
Just like Albakri, Mohamad has the scullery under control - and with an impressive level of perfection. Thanks to him, there are always enough plates for our guests to try all the delicacies.
But Mohamad can do even more: when he picks up the wooden spoon himself, everyone is delighted! He brings variety and creativity to the kitchen - and we love it.
Mohamad, thank you for your commitment - you are a real talent and your calm manner provides the right balance in the hectic kitchen routine! And our boss thinks that you are the secret mental caretaker of the other “patients” in the kitchen team. He thanks you for sharing the workload.
Patrick Schickhaus
Patrick joined our team in August 2022, during one of our major renovation phases. He is actually a trained media designer, but he longed for contact with people. So he started working full-time in our service team without any catering experience and settled in incredibly quickly and well. Although he was a gastronomy newcomer, he quickly managed smaller events on his own without any problems. He has already proven that he is very reliable, responsible and helpful. Patrick also brings a calm and fresh lightness to the team, which he uses to persuade one or two colleagues to move on to the Monheimer Spielmann after the evening events. We are infinitely glad that Patrick was in the right place at the right time!
Renée Lindloff
Renée is mainly active behind the scenes: she supports the castle team in converting and setting up our conferences. But if you look closely, you can also see her on external catering assignments!
She likes to have her colleagues put together a great big salad at lunch for her shift in the evening, because let's be honest: when the conference guests finish work a little later and the rooms are not yet ready for conversion, you can make good use of the time with your colleagues and a tasty snack!
Her calm and caring manner makes her unmistakable.
Dear Renée, thank you for enriching our team with your relaxed manner!
Sophie Fritsche
Sophie is not only a young power woman, but has also shown an incredible amount of strength in her life. Now she is starting her new career with us as a hotel manager - and we couldn't be happier!
With her radiant smile and caring nature, it's hard to imagine the team without her. She wants to do more and we will support and develop her as much as possible along the way.
Sophie, we are delighted that you are going down this path with us - you are a real asset!
Susi Norf
Susanne, better known as Susi, has been with us since October 2023 and is a real gem in all areas of service: always the right woman in the right place with a soft spot for wines.
She also spent a lot of time lovingly stocking our market box with fresh eggs from our Marienhof farm and also enjoys working in the field herself.
As already mentioned, she is a flexible treasure. As a trained nurse, she already has all the necessary internal qualifications for our institution (quote from the boss). Her calm, level-headed and structured manner immediately puts our guests at ease. Her mother-son banter with Jakob during lunch breaks always brings out her dry sense of humor.
With her warm charisma and positive energy, she makes everyone feel welcome. A real centerpiece in our team!
Thank you Susi, we hope you will stay with us for a long time to come.
Ysnaa Al-Alyas
Ysnaa - pronounced Yasmina - is one of our quickest worker bees. She is one of our magic girls who gets the guest rooms up to scratch in no time. She is a very hardworking, conscientious and ambitious woman and we are lucky to have her on board. Definitely one of the people in our team who may not be so “visible”, but without whom the whole place wouldn't work at all.
Zeynep Kilic
With many years of catering experience, Zeynep joined us in 2016 and helps prepare a delicious feast for our guests every day. We say that she makes the most delicious Turkish salads and specialties. She is not only very reliable, hardworking and quick, but also always speaks her mind honestly and works wonders with her housekeeping assignments. When she has a chat with the boss and they have a difference of opinion, it gets funny. Then we like to serve popcorn and drinks. But the boss really appreciates her. In her free time, Zeynep likes to go shopping and occasionally knits to balance out her work.
Nicole Kierdorf
Nicole – “Nicki” – is one of our external partners, but thanks to our close collaboration, she has become an indispensable part of our team. She is a bit like the fairy godmother from Cinderella – because she makes all of our guests' decoration wishes come true, especially those of our wedding couples. Flowers, candles, lighting, and much more—she simply knows what it takes to create the right atmosphere! She is an absolute power woman, and we are proud to have her on our side.
Christel Vetter
Hall of Fame
Christel has been working for us since 2012 and is simply amazing: a young-at-heart racehorse, an all-rounder—there are simply not enough superlatives to describe her, because without Christel, nothing would work, and with her direct, honest manner, she enriched our working days and helped us to recognize and eliminate our weaknesses. Her dedication to her work and her morale remain unmatched. Since 2023, she has been putting her energy to work far away from the castle, but she will certainly remain a role model for the young people there.
Anna Bruker
Hall of Fame
Part of the team until June 2025: Anna, a trained medical assistant, joined us after working at the testing center and is now a working student on her way to becoming a special education teacher. Our boss says that you can't get more practical experience in this field than you can with us! Anna is a staunch believer in the economic principle and is unbeatable when it comes to arguing her case. The best part was when she argued with the boss and her mother admonished her in the background not to talk to her boss like that. It was also always nice when she took important team keys home with her. But we loved her anyway, and we still do.
Domenico Fama
Hall of Fame
Domenico was part of our service team until spring 2025 and was an indispensable member until then. He actively supported us in the dishwashing kitchen and was always happy to help out in the Glücksbringer team. He stayed late into the night and made sure that his colleagues could start their shift the next day without any worries. Domenico used to have his own restaurant and knows the pressure and responsibility that comes with it. Every now and then, you would see him and Alex standing together for therapeutic purposes. We suspect that Alex went there to get advice and cry his heart out. Now Domenico is enjoying his well-deserved retirement.
Janina Dobek
Hall of Fame
Janina—we affectionately call her “Janka”—was part of the MaMo team until September 2022. She was sent to us by a lucky coincidence through an acquaintance. We couldn't have been happier. A power woman and miracle worker for all tasks at hand. After bringing a lot of fun to the housekeeping team in her first few years, she later worked mainly with conference guests at the castle and at wedding celebrations. But actually, she could do everything and was irreplaceable! She charmed our guests and always kept everyone in good spirits (unless the boss annoyed her) – a person you could have a lot of fun with. We wish her and her family all the best for the future and will be delighted every time our “queen of the castle” pays us a visit.
Jozef Piega
Hall of Fame
Jozef was part of our team from November 2012 to spring 2020 – loyal caretaker of Marienburg Monheim, married, three successful children, always up for a laugh, keeping all his colleagues in good spirits with his humor, and there was nothing he hadn't already done for us. Now retired, his precision and versatility were an example to the younger generation. He has secured his place of honor in our Hall of Fame.
Michael Tursies
Hall of Fame
We say goodbye and are infinitely sad. On Saturday evening, August 28, 2021, our dear colleague and grill master Michael Tursies died unexpectedly of a heart attack. We have lost an always cheerful and unique colleague and friend who enchanted many of our guests with his culinary delights and inspired them at the barbecue. Michael had turned his hobby into a profession more than 25 years ago, most recently developing his own cooking courses, writing recipe booklets and being certified by Weber as a barbecue master up and down the line. In August 2017, his path miraculously led him to us. He was always up for a bit of fun - even at his own expense, he enjoyed entertaining our guests and cooked and grilled for them with a great passion that you could taste. He was bubbling over with new ideas and that was a joy. He had developed a healthy love-hate relationship with Mario, as is often the case among "artists." He invigorated our team. Michael's death has torn a big hole in our kitchen and grill master team, which we won't be able to fill so easily.
Milena Grulkowska
Hall of Fame
We are all one big extended family here, so it's no surprise that our Milena was recruited from within our closest circle. This time from Janka's family. Milena joined us as a Christmas present in 2018. Together with Katrin, she had the castle under control like no other duo we've had. But that wasn't her only role. You could also be lucky enough to see her at weddings, barbecue seminars, or evening events. The boss was afraid of her when she wanted to talk to him about working time accounts, but otherwise she was always polite, always 100% correct, and above all in a good mood (unless she was talking to the boss—as she called him—about working time accounts). What the boss called her when she was done with him cannot be written here...! In search of new challenges, she moved on in the summer of 2024.
Nicky
Hall of Fame
Well, Nicky. “Spanish macho” on four legs and the size of a guinea pig. He came to us from the Andalusian animal shelter in February 2020 at the age of seven. Melanie, the singer from Melarima, had discovered him for us. From the very first day with us, he acted as if he had never been anywhere else. With his sweet face, he melted everyone's hearts and snatched up his treats. Anything really loud made him nervous and he barked along. He followed the boss at every turn. So where Nicky was, Alex couldn't be far away. A heart of a dog.
Unfortunately, we had to let Nicky go on 10.01.25. But we will never be able to imagine our hearts without this “little warrior” and he will always have a place in our “Hall of Fame”.
Renate Meurer
Hall of Fame
Renate has been on board since the Grill Academy was launched in 2012 – at that time as a representative and technical expert for our cooperation partner Camping Meier. In 2017, she joined us permanently. With decades of experience in retail and as a barbecue expert, she helped out in the service team with conference guests and, of course, at all open barbecue seminars. She was also delighted to be with us, describing Alex as “the best boss in the world” and appreciating the family atmosphere within the team. Unfortunately, she had to leave the team in the wake of the coronavirus crisis. Now she has plenty of time in her free time to pursue her favorite pastimes—reading and spending time with her grandchildren and neighbors. She is, of course, guaranteed a permanent place in our Hall of Fame.
Sir Ashley
Hall of Fame
The only one of us who had a formal title was “Senior Vice President of Security and Social Activities”. Some customers allegedly only came to us to have a good cuddle with him. Sadly, we had to let Ashley go on January 28, 2018. We will always miss him, but he will always remain a team member! That is why we are not removing his photo.
Tim Berg
Hall of Fame
From 2009 to 2020, Tim successfully helped set up both the Junior Management School and the Marienburg Monheim as a conference and event location. We certainly wouldn't have come this far without him. But nevertheless, there will come a time to break new ground with PitchYou. We wish him all the luck in the world and the success he deserves. It's like the Eagles sang in “Hotel California”: “You can check out any time you like, but you can never leave.”