Our team at the Kaisergarten

Who is Who

All our talented minds, creative spirits, hosts and personalities here at a glance.

Hotel

Reception

Felix Hanselmann

Rooms Division Manager

…since 2012 the staatl. stamped. Assistant for Hotel Management loyal to the Kaisergarten.

The Palatinate native has traveled a lot professionally, but has returned home after 5 years in Berlin and 4 years in Karlsruhe. What luck for us! In his free time, he still prefers to be on tour: either on his motorcycle or even in Asia.

I am grateful and happy to work in what I personally consider to be the most beautiful hotel in the Palatinate. The Kaisergarten is my passion, and it is important to me to reach guests and employees alike with this feeling.

Stefan Zaczkiewicz

Front Office Manager

…has been part of the team since November 2021 and has been standing behind our two hotels Kaisergarten Deidesheim and Ketschauer Hof with great pride ever since.

He sees himself as a family man. So it’s no wonder that he spends most of his free time with his three girls.
He takes time out for himself by mountain biking in the Palatinate Forest or cheering on FC Bayern in the stadium.

I would check in and/or dine with us anytime. And that's exactly what I do from time to time and I really enjoy it: being a guest in my own home!

Dominik Urschel

Deput. Front Office Manager

…you can rely on him and have done so since his first day at the Kaisergarten in 2013. It is written all over his face that he takes great pleasure in his contact with guests. For him, the Hotel Kaisergarten is one of the most modern hotels in the region.

For him, life is pleasure, and he has hit the nail on the head with the Kaisergarten. Enjoyment is also a top priority for him in his private life. Above all, he enjoys having a good time with his husband, friends and family.

I really appreciate the good teamwork here at the company - this applies to my team colleagues as well as across all departments. This makes the job really fun!

Kim Trang Truong

Receptionist

…was taken on directly after her shortened training and has been part of the reception team at Hotel Kaisergarten since February 2025.
As part of her training, she was able to work in all departments at the GmbH, she says gratefully. This allowed her to realize that she really liked the reception department, and she feels that she has really “arrived” in the job now that she has been taken on.

She loves to travel in her free time, she enthuses. She recently took a train to Koblenz-Trier-Luxembourg and has more city trips on her list.

I can put myself in the trainees' shoes, understand their questions and uncertainties and am happy when I can help the young people.

Marc Bode

Night Manager

…could fill a book with his experiences. And not just because he has been with us since 2014, but also because something special always happens in a hotel at night. The regional daily newspaper “Rheinpfalz” recently came to the same conclusion and conducted a really entertaining interview with him on the subject.

During the day, our “Nighty”, as he is known to his colleagues, looks after his two daughters and also impresses friends and family as an amateur juggler.

I can fully identify with our corporate philosophy. I want to offer my guests the best, and that is the Kaisergarten.

Manuel Müller

Night porter

His first contact with our Kaisergarten was a personal hotel stay, and his first impression, especially of the service and cuisine, was obviously a good one. He found out about the vacancy during the check-out interview and promptly applied, despite being a complete career changer.

He has been part of the team since April 2024 and actively supports the Night Manager. Today, he smiles about how working in a large hotel building at night initially felt unusual, a bit like in the movie “The Shining”.
He appreciates the versatility of his job and the guest contact. At night in particular, he receives all kinds of guest requests: another pillow please, champagne in the room, … Ultimately, it was the team spirit and the wonderful colleagues that made it easy for him to switch to the industry.

I am a night person. The fact that I can work here at night suits me and my life situation at the moment.

Lisa Linke

Apprentice hotel manager

…has already got to know several departments as part of her training with us, since August 2025 she is new at the reception in Kaisergarten Deidesheim.
She is pleased that she is gaining a little more confidence every day in the “feeling” with the guests, that she can give the hotel guests more and more information, and she prefers to be there at check-in in the afternoon.

Outside the hotel, dancing is her soft spot. She likes beats, moves, styles and hip hop.

The team gives me the feeling that I can ask any questions. It's a great training atmosphere.

Housekeeping

Gregor Macek

Head of Housekeeping

…the external service provider and managing director of Tip-Top is a trained hotel specialist. He is pleased to keep in touch with the hotel industry through us. He knows the Kaisergarten like the back of his hand, having already cleaned sample rooms on the construction site in the early days of 2012. Over the years, he has grown fond of Kaisergarten as a reliable business partner and appreciates the loyal and long-term cooperation. One of his core tasks at our hotel is to release cleaned rooms to reception for the next check-in. He also schedules our special requests for basic or special cleaning.

In addition to his job, he volunteers for projects at the animal shelter. Animals, and dogs in particular, are his passion. Time and again, he takes older four-legged friends with him, lovingly nurses them back to health and gives them a home in their final years.
He also loves meeting friends, going out to eat together and traveling.

Thank you, dear Gregor, for your loyalty, which is anything but self-evident! You and your team are part of the Kaisergarten!

I am happy to see happy guests, I want to fulfill their wishes and have nice conversations. I like the interior of the Hotel Kaisergarten, which radiates warmth and comfort despite its modern furnishings. I get on wonderfully with all the departments in the company and feel like I "belong", which is why I've been here for so long.

Daria Krawczyk

Housekeeper

…has been with Tip-Top since 2015 and has been the property manager at Kaisergarten since 2017. She therefore takes on the classic position of housekeeper in our hotel. A reliable housekeeping team of 6 to 14 employees is needed for a total of 85 rooms. Most of the tip-top ladies have also been at the Kaisergarten for many years, so they know the ins and outs of our hotel.
In her role as housekeeper, Daria Krawczyk sees herself as the “interface” between her tip-top team and our hotel reception. She carries out the final inspection of the cleaned rooms; everything has to be spotless before a guest enters the room. The curtains are gently plucked back into shape, newspapers are laid out symmetrically, water bottles are aligned exactly with the label facing the guest… A lot of detailed hand movements that guests notice with appreciation as they enter. And all this has to fit into the daily schedule so that guests can enter their room on time at 3 p.m. and promptly feel at home

It is important to her that her job allows for a healthy work-life balance. She has found that in her job, she says, she can combine her work with her private life/family. In her free time, she enjoys reading books and keeping fit with sport.

Although I am employed by Tip-Top, I feel part of the Kaisergarten team. I want our guests to have an unforgettable stay - my part is to prepare a feel-good room for you.

Restaurant RIVA

Service

Julian Berkhemer

Restaurant manager

…has been at RIVA since 2020 and heads the service team there. In addition to his role in operational service, he sees himself as the first point of contact for his team. He coordinates the services, the people and everything around them, preferably after 10 o’clock.

His passion is not just his job, but first and foremost his son.
And when he does find time for himself, he prefers to spend it playing with blocks, audio books and computer games.

The RIVA inspires me. I love the daily challenge and the people in my team.

Dominik Blanke

Deput. Restaurant manager

…has not only been part of the team since 2022, but also Julian Berkhemer’s reliable right-hand man. What his lively colleague brings to the table in terms of openness and creativity, he makes up for with experience and composure.
Simply a strong team together!

He has a soft spot for the wine list. He will soon be hosting a “wine battle” at the RIVA restaurant. There are still places available – join us!

He finds a balance to his job with his family and with strength and endurance sports.

This company successfully combines the history of our wineries with the modern atmosphere of the Hotel Kaisergarten and the RIVA restaurant. My tasks are varied and the division of responsibilities with the restaurant manager is really harmonious. This makes work fun!

Dorothee Kuhlmann

Chef de Rang

…is the loyal soul in the team, now for over 10 years – details that speak for themselves. 😉

In her free time, she enjoys meeting friends and visiting her two children and grandchild. She also enjoys eating out and reading a lot.

I appreciate the high-quality products I get to work with at RIVA. The most important thing for me is the good cooperation in our team. And: we have the best restaurant manager ever here!

Vincenzo Zavatta

Chef de Rang

…has not only been part of the team since April 2021, but above all an “experienced bunny” who means well with everyone. With his experience, it is important to him to create a trusting working environment, especially for young employees. On the other hand, he wants to offer guests excellent service and specialist knowledge.
When he’s not in the restaurant, he’s there for his family. There he sees himself as the contact person for all his loved ones’ concerns.

For me, the Kaisergarten Deidesheim is THE address in the Palatinate! The professional expertise and warm working atmosphere of our team motivates me in my work every day.

Igor Stjepanovic

Commis de Rang

…has been reliably supporting the RIVA evening service since 2023. Born in Bosnia, studied sports management in Croatia and after 2 years in Austria speaks such great German – wow!

What he likes about RIVA are the high-quality steaks and the architecturally successful integration of the open show kitchen.

In his private life, he is a sportsman through and through. When he’s not playing sport or soccer himself at , he coaches the first team at FC Hambach.

I feel right at home in the RIVA team. Everyone is there for each other!

Karyna Piskovatska

Service employee

The charming Ukrainian has been part of the company since August 2022 and has recently been working primarily in the RIVA restaurant. Guests appreciate her attentive service and keen intuition.
We are currently supporting her wish to work 30 hours a week so that she can attend language courses and improve her German language skills while working.

I'm pleased that I was able to reduce my hours without saying much. I want to learn German so that I can live and work in this country.

Sebastian Berg

Bar Chef

…has been with us since August 2023 and has been the rock in the surf at the RIVA BAR ever since. With gin and tonic, Negroni and many more cult drinks, he makes the guests at the bar and in the restaurant happy.
For him, the RIVA Bar is THE bar in Deidesheim night after night, for night owls in the region and hotel guests alike.
He finds the interplay between the restaurant and bar teams to be “bombastic”, the first time he has experienced such good cooperation here.

I'm rich in human encounters...that's what my job at the bar is all about for me.

Renata Karolina Trochimiuk

Breakfast employee

…has been a valued colleague in the breakfast team since 2019. With her experience on the job, she knows exactly what guests want in the morning: whether they’re a breakfast speedster or a breakfast connoisseur, they all love to have a warm cup of coffee or tea at the table quickly. Always in a good mood, she gives away her good morning smile at the same time as her cup of coffee and gets even the last morning grouch out from behind the stove.

As a mommy of three, I am so glad that I have a job that leaves me room for my big "family" project. I can combine my job and family well here.

Jennifer Licha

Breakfast employee

…has been part of the breakfast team since March 2024. She is happy to make the daily journey from Ludwigshafen because she has a job with us that allows her to spend time with her school-age child in the afternoon, and there is hardly anything going on on the street at 5 o’clock in the morning.
She feels like part of a family with the breakfast “girls” at RIVA. When asked what our breakfast guests would like from her, she answers: a fragrant coffee and a “good morning” with a friendly smile.
If she were a guest at RIVA herself, she would choose the truffle ravioli from the menu.
In her free time, she likes to fulfill her daughter’s wish to go to the cinema together from time to time.

It's the little things that count with us. For example, greeting guests by name - a small, personal gesture that makes our guests very happy.

Nina Heizmann

Breakfast employee

Nina Heizmann joined our breakfast team at Restaurant Riva in March 2025. She previously worked for 25 years in a hotel in the region as a service employee and deputy restaurant manager.

She enjoys working in the breakfast service and is happy to welcome familiar regulars and many guests from the surrounding area every day.

In her free time, she enjoys cycling, hiking with her dog and discovering new restaurants with her husband.

I feel very comfortable in the breakfast service and am extremely happy with the working hours - so I can relax and look after my dog in the afternoons.

Ann-Marie Krischer

Demi Chef de Rang

After completing her training with us, she was taken on and has been a permanent member of the RIVA restaurant team since July 2024.

She empathizes well with the current trainees and supports the “young chicks” wherever she can or even helps out in the big “chicken coop”.
She loves the RIVA pizza, which tastes fantastic straight from the stone oven.

In her free time, she spruces up the house and garden with her partner. Or she goes on bike tours with her job bike.

The RIVA team is special to me! After work, we also have a lot to talk about in private, we go out together... Real friendships develop here.

Leonie Wieck

Apprentice hotel manager

…discovered us on Hotelcareer, applied and has been our trainee since this summer. She has long fancied working in the hotel industry and worked at the Mercure Hotel for one day a week for a year before joining us. After her apprenticeship, she can well imagine spending time abroad.

In her free time, she goes horse riding, strength training or jogging.

I immediately felt at home here. The colleagues are all incredibly friendly. And I really like the interior of the RIVA restaurant.

Jan-Erik Oltersdorff

Trainee specialist for restaurants and event catering

… moved from his hometown of Frankfurt to the Palatinate in August 2025 to start his apprenticeship with us. He finds the people here to be particularly open and welcoming – a difference that he greatly appreciates. At RIVA, he is particularly impressed by the variety of the menu and the attitude towards guests: casual without being careless.
He also occasionally supports the team at Restaurant Sushi B. He finds the smaller, personal spaces there and the close contact with guests and staff particularly special.
In his free time, he enjoys cooking, following Eintracht Frankfurt and keeping fit at the gym.

"I appreciate the versatility of my training company: two hotels and four restaurants make my training extremely varied."

Johanna Baier

Auszubildende Fachfrau für Restaurants und Veranstaltungsgastronomie

…ist als jüngste Auszubildende, die im September 2025 bei uns gestartet ist, unser „Küken“. Nach anfänglichem Zögern nach der Schule, wie der Weg weitergeht, hat sie einfach begonnen – bei uns. Wir geben ihr die Zeit, die sie braucht, um anzukommen. Zwischenzeitlich fühlt sie sich angekommen und wohl im RIVA-Team, das sie einerseits fordert und ihr andererseits liebevoll „Welpenschutz“ gewährt.

Im RIVA begeistert sie besonders das Interieur und die lockere Atmosphäre. Dürfte sie von der Karte wählen, würde sie sich für den Caesar Salad entscheiden.

„Ich bin dankbar, dass ich in diesem Team beginnen durfte – ich habe hier eine wunderbare Starthilfe.“

Kitchen

Mike Deuschel

Kitchen Director

Since May 2024, he has been responsible for two kitchens at the GmbH: the “RIVA” at the Hotel Kaisergarten Deidesheim and the “1718” at the Genussresort Ketschauer Hof. The ages of his two teams range from the youngest trainee, not yet of age, to over 60.
“In my large team, a wide variety of human needs arise. I want to listen carefully, otherwise it won’t work. It’s like a big family,” says Deuschel with a smile.

When he’s not stirring the pots at RIVA or motivating his team there, he prefers to be out and about on his bike with his family of five.

I have two families: the Deuschel family and the RIVA family.

Kevin Müller

Sous Chef

…has 9 years of experience on Sylt and has been part of the team since September 2023. He currently holds the position of breakfast chef, but will soon take over as sous chef from head chef Anselmo Basile.

His girlfriend and he are quite an adventurous couple, like to travel to different cities together, see everything there and have a good time together. When time allows, he goes to the gym.

I was really well received here at RIVA and am really looking forward to my job here.

Nico Kirchner

Chef de Partie

…discovered our ad in summer 2024 and then applied directly to us. He is the man in the kitchen who takes care of the menu for conference groups of up to 100 people. He makes his production preparations the day before so that he can “send à la minute” the next day.

He drives to us from Hochspeyer every day and is grateful that he can work here without part-time. He appreciates his chef, who gives him space, lets him work independently and at the same time integrates him into the team.

When he’s not in the RIVA kitchen, Lautern fans can find him at the Betze.

Our menu is clearly structured, you could almost say "simple". This allows everyone, right down to the trainees, to work well together. However, if you look deeper into the details, you quickly discover the subtleties and the level. The devil is in the detail! 🙂

Christian Kirstein

Chef de Partie

After more than a decade working in various kitchens in the Stuttgart area—from large canteens to one-man shows—the native of the Palatinate region is returning to the Palatinate in fall 2024, now with his family. Since then, he has been supporting the RIVA team and, as an entremetier, is responsible for all side dishes. He is incredibly happy to finally be working in a large kitchen again and loves the variety of dishes on our menu. He appreciates that the head chef allows all chefs to contribute their ideas for the new menu.
If he were a guest at RIVA, he would choose the shellfish croquettes as a starter from the current menu and the Challans duck with sauce au vin rouge, radicchio trevisano, and Jerusalem artichoke as his main course.
When he’s not in the kitchen, he spends his free time with his wife and their little son on outings in the Palatinate.

At RIVA, everything is still produced in-house, down to the last detail. I really enjoy cooking here.

Florian Fiedler

Demichef de Partie

After his training at the Maritim in Stuttgart, the Swabian was drawn to the Palatinate – and, luckily for us, to RIVA.
What he likes about the Palatinate is the whole package: the vineyards, the variety of renowned Palatinate wines and, above all, the open, good-humored people.

The team spirit is something special about the RIVA kitchen team – “they’re all cool people,” he says enthusiastically.

He has clear culinary favorites: From the current menu, he would choose the flamed tuna “Togarashi” as a starter, followed by a RIVA pizza as a main course.

The young chef prefers to spend his free time with his girlfriend, friends and family.

The glass show kitchen at RIVA is the USP for me.

Sören Kaiser

Demichef de Partie

Training companies in the Palatinate, first cooking stations in the Palatinate – and then, instead of a year abroad, the Palatinate again: namely with us. The Palatinate is not only his home, it obviously won’t let him go. So we are all the more delighted that this young man has been part of the RIVA kitchen team since January 2026.
He is particularly impressed by the fresh cuisine, where everything is made in-house. And the RIVA pizza from the 400-degree oven is “simply mega.” As a Gardemanger, he enjoys working with the trainees. It is really important to him to give young people solid tools of the trade and motivate them at the same time – by letting them taste and try out a lot and also allowing them to make mistakes. Because, as we all know, this is where you learn the most.

He will soon be a guest at RIVA himself and already knows exactly what he is ordering: Game essence for starters and the ingenious RIVA pizza for the main course.

The team is awesome! The people are so funny, we laugh a lot.

Isabell Neubert

Breakfast chef

…joined us in September 2024 to leave behind a period of high professional stress. She greatly appreciates the clear structures and responsibilities at RIVA, as well as the collegial atmosphere.

She loves the early shift and likes to start at 5:30 a.m. with the mise en place for breakfast. This leaves her time in the afternoon for what is important to her: as a family person, she prefers to spend her free time with her extended family and friends.

I received a warm welcome here, and I am delighted that, even a year and a half later, everything is still running exactly as promised at the outset.

Rolf Michael Egger

Breakfast cook

…responsible for breakfast at RIVA since 2021. After several decades as a chef in well-known hotels, especially abroad, he was looking for something “regular” and found it with us. As an early riser, breakfast is exactly his thing at this stage of his life, so he has time to look after his mother.

As a father of two grown-up children, family is still very important to him. He finds relaxation in sport and wellness at the gym.

Our product quality is fantastic. The team fits, the atmosphere here is good. I really enjoy working here.

Filip Slavov

Kitchen gadgets for breakfast

Filip Slavov has been supporting the breakfast team as a kitchen assistant since August 2025. Originally from Bulgaria, he has been living in Germany for seven years. Whether fruit, vegetables, or hot dishes—everything offered at the breakfast buffet first passes through his hands. He prepares the food fresh with great care and ensures that it is attractively presented. In addition, Filip provides important support in preparing coffee breaks for conferences held in-house.

His working day starts at 5:30 a.m. and ends in the afternoon. He particularly appreciates being able to spend the rest of the day with his children and the family dog. This is another reason why he feels very comfortable in the breakfast team and has quickly settled in.

“I like the RIVA team and my job. And it's great that I can improve my German a little bit every day at work.”

Katya Slavova

Queen of Clean

…stands for female power and a gigantic good mood at the dishwashing station. The mother of two has been part of our team since October 2024. She knows how to roll up her sleeves and tackles veritable mountains of porcelain. She likes to laugh and joke with everyone – because she feels right at home in the team.

The family-friendly working hours give her enough space for family life with her children, husband and dog. At home, she spoils her loved ones with Bulgarian dishes from her homeland: dolmi, which are vine leaves stuffed with minced meat, crème caramel or rice pudding.

"I pass on respect, love and solidarity to my children for life and to everyone around me who means well by me."

Ansgar Ehlers

Chef dishwasher

…has been part of the hard core of the Riva kitchen since 2013 and has been in charge on the dishwashing front ever since. It is an important piece of the hygiene puzzle and also keeps the warehouse tidy.

As an absolute culture freak, he loves to travel, enjoys going to the theater and has a knack for learning foreign languages: he is currently learning Arabic!

At Riva, he loves the exquisite menu, the Mediterranean cuisine, the modern-chic ambience and the great working atmosphere.

He has his quote ready in Italian – no wonder, if you know him 😉

Amo gli italiani, la lingua italiana, la musica italiana. Ma soprattutto voglio restare qui.