Manfred Krauth and his return to the Oktoberfest at the Hilton Colón Guayaquil

It is a tradition throughout the world where there is a presence of Germans. It is a great party where you drink beer and eat the most traditional Bavarian cuisine. In Germany it has been celebrated for more than two centuries, where local and foreign visitors gather in Munich during September and October for this celebration that is attended by millions of people.

The Oktoberfest has its origins in the wedding of the royal prince, who would later become King Ludwig, with Princess Teresa of Saxe-Hildburghausen, on October 12, 1810. And since 1819 this celebration has been established every year. And Guayaquil is no exception.

It is the Hilton Colón Hotel that has been presenting for 24 years -in 2020 it was not held due to the pandemic- this gastronomic festival visited especially by Guayaquil residents and those who belong to the German colony residing in the city. The tradition began because the founding team with which the hotel was inaugurated (1997) in Guayaquil was German, which at that time was led by the general manager Franz Moser, the manager of AyB Volker Goussas and the executive chef Manfred Krauth.

We were at the Oktoberfest at the Hilton Guayaquil Hotel

One of the endearing characters of this festival and who is considered a friend of the city is the German chef Manfred Krauth, who is no longer part of the staff of the Hilton Colón Guayaquil, but has not definitively broken ties after 23 years of having worked there (years before he had been collaborating with the Hilton Colón Quito). “Since August 2020 I am no longer part of the role of the hotelbut I have continued to be linked with them in specific events”, he says.

The people who attend the Oktoberfest do not miss the opportunity to take photos with Manfred or with the members of the German group Deluxe, equally inevitable visitors at this festival.

We asked Manfred where and how the pandemic happened. “In Guayaquil, at home, together as a family. I dedicated myself to making bread and jam for friends, to distract myself in times of confinement and restrictions ”tells who was the executive chef of the mentioned hotel.

Since leaving the hotel, he says, he has not wasted his time between being in Quito and Guayaquil. “I have been doing consultancies in different companies, playing tennis and enjoying family time. As priority projects I have proposed help gastronomic schools of the country, giving them a bit of my time and my knowledge, as well as giving advice to foundations that are interested in the nature conservation”.

It is also carrying out other activities in Ecuador. “I have projects with the European Union to carry out work with expert retirees in different countries. And I am supporting the German Chamber of Commerce in Dual System projects”. Manfred refers to Dual Training, an educational system with German origin and seal that stands out for its 50% theoretical training proposal (in the classroom) and 50% practical (in a training company), an innovative alternative to optimize professional training in Ecuador.

But Krauth continues to live in Guayaquil. “Together with my wife Diana, with my two daughters: Katrin, who is a biologist, and Melanie, a medical student. And our pet Oliver.”

Have you thought about going back to Germany? “I have lived an important part of my life in Ecuador and we plan to continue doing so. Rather, in the future we would consider partly sharing our time in Germany.”

Each edition of the Oktoberfest is awaited by those seeking the highlights of Bavarian folklore, including food and music. What surprises are there in this new edition? Manfred explains it best: “The delicious and varied gastronomy, which as always includes the traditional and something that is added every year to surprise our visitors. The style of the decoration has also changed, even though it is still set to Oktoberfest in Germany, this time it has lighting and many different details. The tasty German-style sausages cannot be missing, as they delight Oktoberfest lovers and, of course, the music and fun entertainment from the Deluxe group from Munich, without them nothing would be the same!”.

Krauth preserves pleasant moments of the occasions in which the festival has been celebrated. “We are excellent friends (with the members of the Deluxe group). For many years we have shared happiness by celebrating Oktoberfest. It is a party that I have enjoyed a lot every year and from which I keep the best memories”.