A rarity in the palaces of Baden-Württemberg and beyond, as well as a monument to technology: The palace kitchen of Bebenhausen, installed at the beginning of the 20th century to prepare royal banquets, still remains preserved in its original state today.
After every hunt, the royal couple sent out invitations to a banquet.
Since the beginning of their reign in 1891, King Wilhelm II and his wife Charlotte regularly visited Bebenhausen Palace. Every year in late fall, when the mating season of the deer began, the royal couple met with relatives, friends, officers, and select guests at the palace. For two weeks, festive banquets crowned every day of hunting. Three courses, a total of nine individual dishes, and the right wine to complement each: That was the kitchen's evening schedule.
The new kitchen was ten times larger.
At only 26 square meters, the old palace kitchen was much too small to appropriately serve large court parties. During the extensive renovations beginning in 1913, the kitchen area was expanded ten-fold. The different work areas were divided within the space. In 1916, the furniture and equipment were finally delivered and the large, modern stove from the Darmstadt company Roeder, which has been preserved almost unchanged, was installed.
![[Translate to Englisch:] Kloster und Schloss Bebenhausen, Schlossküche, Speisenaufzug](/fileadmin/_processed_/b/2/csm_10_bebenhausen_innen_schlosskueche_speisenaufzug_9e2463cf65.webp "[Translate to Englisch:] Foto: Staatliche Schlösser und Gärten Baden-Württemberg, Ortsverwaltung Bebenhausen")
[Translate to Englisch:] Mit dem Aufzug gelangten Speisen nach oben.
The palace kitchen is in the lower story of the Kapff Building. The cooling chamber, pantry, and two storage rooms are on one side. A long hallway divides them from the washing area, the silver chamber, and the scullery and leads directly to the lower pantry. From here, a dumbwaiter transported meals directly to the upper pantry, an antechamber of the Green Hall. There was even a kitchen office, connected directly to the lower pantry and the great kitchen.
Dumbwaiter in the lower pantry.
The staff arrived with kitchen equipment and crockery.
The palace kitchen staff arrived from the residence in Stuttgart with their own kitchen equipment and crockery during the hunting season. In 1915, there was a kitchen administrator who oversaw shopping and food supplies. A head cook led the kitchen and the royal confectionery. There were also four trained cooks, up to four apprentices, two servants, and a maid.
