I’m at the Europa Park in Rust. Almost six million people come here every year, to the largest amusement park in Germany, which has also been recognized as the world’s best for years.
The reason for my visit this time is particularly spectacular: Thomas Mack, one of the managing partners of the park, has invited people to experience his latest business idea – shortly before it is officially launched on November 4th – and speaks in advance of nothing less than a world first. The name of the long-kept secret project: Eatrenalin.
In these times with an above-average number of problems, worries and hardships in the world, I’m happy to escape to the creative Europa-Park world again and I’m very excited to see what the Mack family has hatched and developed again.
On the way to Krønasår Hotel, where I’m staying this time, I pass the huge new Eatrenalin building – the stylish logo reminds me of the 101 brand; the new ranking of the best hotels in Germany is due again at the end of November. It looks somehow mysterious and fits with the curved lines that are attached to the gray facade and are now illuminated in the evening.
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Ann-Kathrin Mack, architect and responsible for the design in the Europa-Park hotels, shows me the eleven completely new suites, from which corridors lead directly to the new Eatrenalin attraction next door. I particularly like the penthouse suite called “Swan” with its futuristic, clear furnishing style. The highlight is the completely silent and jerk-free rotating bed.
Eleven suites were conceived for the new Eatrenaline – with a spectacular design.
(Photo: Europa Park)
The latest “baby” at Europa-Park took five years to develop and more than 20 million euros – around ten times as much as a normal restaurant: Eatrenalin, the 1,600 square meter themed restaurant.
Thomas Mack developed the concept together with his friend Oliver Altherr, CEO of the Swiss catering company Marché International. The two entrepreneurs have been discussing the vision of a restaurant of the future for years, wondering how people will eat in the future and traveling the world. Her bold plan: to reinvent gastronomy. That is, I anticipate, actually succeeded. But one after anonther.
Amuse-bouches are served in the elegant champagne lounge in the entrance area: crispy caviar, Jerusalem artichoke with parsnip and truffle. And a delicious soup with red lentils, ginger and tandoori. Then the friendly recommendation to go to the toilet quickly, because “it’s about to start”.
Eatrenaline in Rust: Carsten K. Rath in Europe’s most successful amusement park
From this point on, everything revolves around an armchair. A chair? Yes, but what kind. The “Floating Chair” is a completely new development and patented by Mack Rides, the sister company. A total of over 2000 (!) individual parts are used in each leather chair, each chair weighs 320 kilos.
Each guest is assigned a seating number for the next 100 minutes or so and a few rules to take with them: During the “ride” it is important not to leave the chair – except in cases of emergency (may) – only beforehand precisely defined rooms may be photographed or filmed. And then it gets exciting. The doors to the Eatrenaline world are finally opening.
Restaurant world novelty for all senses
We drive, no, we float in changing groups of four – sometimes next to each other, sometimes sitting across from each other – joined together, from one culinary theme world to the next. It is a journey through a total of eleven rooms that appeal to the five senses: taste, hearing, smell, sight and touch.
Pablo Montoro from Alicante is the head chef behind the kitchen concept. The Spaniard is a star in his home country and shaped by his time alongside Ferran Adrià in the legendary El Bulli. In three kitchens around is always freshly cooked.
Each of the eight courses is a culinary work of art, combined with multimedia, music, choreography and changing scenarios. Although the concept is experience-oriented, it is also extremely demanding in terms of cuisine.
Pablo Montoro (front left) and his staff work in three kitchens for dinner.
(Photo: Europa Park)
First I float in the underwater world called “Ocean”. Sensual from the depths of the sea. Spherical music, specially composed, surrounds me like a wave. A compartment of my floating chair folds out inaudibly. A shell suddenly appears in front of me as if by magic, filled with seafood, plankton and champagne brew. Delicious. I don’t know where to look first.
Sensory stimuli in abundance, goosebumps included. Magnificently plastic fish, huge jellyfish and colorful corals surround me on the illuminated oversized LED screen walls. A deceptively real deep-sea staging. Meanwhile, imperceptibly and silently, my armchair moves through the room, amazed neighbors around me switch silently and float on. Up to 16 people float through a room in their armchairs.
And off you go to the next themed room: “Umami”, Asia’s fifth dimension. Sashimi with grapefruit, nigiri with roasted peppers, freshly steamed dim sum are served at a long table by the sympathetic monk Mitsuki after a strong bang on the giant golden gong.
The conclusion of the dinner at Eatrenalin.
(Photo: Europa Park)
From now on I find myself with my fellow travelers in a rocket in space. stars surround us. The black universe. We fly to the moon. My faithful companion, the floating chair, suddenly starts to rumble – we’ve got caught in a solar storm that we’re just about to survive. Incomprehensible.
We have landed on the moon. The doors of the space shuttle open. I float into the next room – called “Universe”. The armchairs group themselves independently around a glossy round table. A huge, bluish glowing 3D globe is floating majestically in the middle. On the menu is now: “Mysteries from space”. There is no astronaut fare, but rather tender beef with edible silver, a monolith brioche and cassava charcoal. Each spot illuminates the plate.
Then the finale in the next room called “Incarnation” approaches, the sweet transformation. Almost invisible service spirits serve the delicious dessert course, prepared by chef pâtissière Juliana Clementz: white chocolate with Tahitian vanilla and Chambord berry liqueur.
The managing partner of Europa-Park and the CEO of the Swiss catering company Marché International developed the concept together.
(Photo: Europa Park)
After almost two hours, which literally flew by, we leave our high-tech armchairs and enter an elevator that – the last perfect illusion – apparently takes us up to the rooftop bar. The pleasure trip in eight acts comes to an end in the futuristic bar. Back to reality. world class!
Eatrenalin: Worldwide expansion conceivable in the future
I’m speaking to Thomas Mack. I am particularly interested in the entrepreneurial vision behind this completely new type of gastronomic event. Thomas explains to me that in the near future he wants to take the Eatrenaline to a successful conclusion in peace and in detail, “until everything is in place”.
But then the concept lends itself to long-term duplication and international expansion. Potential investors would have to make investments in the double-digit millions. According to Mack, there is already interest from New York and other major cities. A big advantage: no matter where in the world, the experience, content and story worlds can be adapted to regional conditions.
I’m still kind of dazed. This amazing variety of optical, sensual and sensory impressions works in me. The last two surreal hours with physical experiences were fascinating, unexpected and amazed me.
The gray facade is decorated with curved lines that are illuminated in the evening.
(Photo: Europa Park)
Eatrenaline will cause a stir around the world, that’s for sure. Not only among epicureans, culinary enthusiasts and creative people. The dining and hospitality industry has a new highlight.
I am impressed by the courage to bring a real world first to life in the middle of one of the biggest crises in our country. The approach of reinventing gastronomy in difficult times is fascinating. The various specialist companies in the group of companies worked together on this project, each adding its special part to the big picture.
One thing is certain for me: Thomas Mack stepped out of the shadow of his successful father and delivered his masterpiece. The Eatrenaline is a real concept for the future – just right for people who are looking for something special and extraordinary.
Rath’s travel rating (current rating in bold)
1. Explicit Travel Warning
2. Better than under the bridge
3. So-so, not oh, là, là
4. Complaining at a high level
5. If only it were always like this
6. Great cinema (!)
About the author: As a former grand hotelier and operator of the Travelgrand.ch travel platform, Carsten K. Rath is a professional globetrotter. He travels to all the hotels he writes about for the Handelsblatt on his own account. Rath is the brain behind the ranking “The 101 best hotels in Germany”, whose partners include the Handelsblatt.
Carsten K. Rath, Rolf Westermann: The 101 best hotels in Germany.
Institute for Service and Leadership Excellence AG
521 pages
34.90 euros
ISBN: 978-3033088719
Rath is also the author of the book on the ranking. The next edition of the book will be published with the cooperation of the Handelsblatt at the end of November as part of the publication of the next ranking of the 101 best hotels in Germany.
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