The Culinary Revolutionof 1789

Tobias Finkbeiner opens a tavern for thirsty lumberjacks, charcoal burners, resin gatherers, and teamsters. The original guest room of the "Traube" becomes the later Bauernstube, which has been preserved in its rustic charm. His son, Ludwig, becomes a baker and expands the business by adding a bakery. In 1812, he joins 24 other recruits from the Tonbachtal in Napoleon's Russian campaign—returning as the only one. He becomes known as "Napoleon's Baker" in local history. His grandson, Johann Georg Finkbeiner, dedicates himself to spirits, acquires the distillation rights, and begins distilling potatoes, turnips, pome fruits, wild cherries, and blueberries in the cellar.

Great-grandson Friedrich serves wine alongside beer and cider for the first time. He brings it in by ox-drawn cart from the Baden region. His attempts to cultivate vines on what is now the hotel property are unsuccessful. He sets up a cider press, which is also made available to other residents of Tonbach.

Ururenkel Heinrich vermietet auf Anregung eines Heidelberger Professors, der sich während einer Schwarzwaldwanderung hierher verirrt hatte, das erste Fremdenzimmer; bis 1939 baut er noch 14 weitere aus. Seine Frau Franziska kocht für die Gäste, die von den Söhnen Heinrich, Albert oder Willi mit dem „Leiterwägele“ oder dem Schlitten vom Bahnhof in Baiersbronn abgeholt werden.

During the war, the guesthouse, which had been confiscated by the "Mother and Child" organization and later by the French occupying forces, is reopened. It quickly becomes known as far as Karlsruhe and Stuttgart: At the "Traube," one can eat their fill.

The Schwarzwaldstube is inaugurated, and the crème de la crème of haute cuisine arrives: Paul Bocuse, the Haeberlin brothers, Jean Troisgros, Eckart Witzigmann, and other prominent chefs attend the opening. In 1980, Harald Wohlfahrt becomes the head chef.

The Traube Tonbach joins the restaurant association "Les Grandes Tables Du Monde - Traditions & Qualité" with the Schwarzwaldstube.

Great-great-great-grandson Heiner Finkbeiner takes over the management of the estate from his uncle Willi.

Opening of the completely redesigned spacious pool area.
With a seawater pool, various saunas, an ice igloo, pool bistro, a fitness room, and a wide range of massage services, it invites you to relax.

The conference rooms and the Eichbergstube located in the main building are refurbished and renovated, equipped with the latest technology.

In the presence of Prime Minister Günther H. Oettinger, the Traube Tonbach Court is opened. The converted tennis hall now offers space for children, a cooking school, and conferences, primarily serving as a paradise for our younger guests to play and let off steam. However, the Court also provides a unique setting for large family celebrations.

The Traube Tonbach wine cellar is opened under the leadership of Stéphane Gass. Through his wine journeys, he has managed to find passionate winemakers for our guests. The Traube shopping arcade is expanded, and the Traube Lädle is given more space.
Matthias and Sebastian Finkbeiner, the sons of owners Renate and Heiner Finkbeiner, continue the family tradition and join the management team at Traube Tonbach.
In November, Traube Tonbach commissions its combined heat and power plant. With this, Traube Tonbach makes an important contribution to climate protection and energy efficiency. The plant, consisting of two modules, has an electricity generation capacity of 434 kilowatts and an additional 770 kilowatts of waste heat, which is used for hot water production. The system generates 2.5 million kilowatt-hours of electricity and 3.75 million kilowatt-hours of heat annually, covering about 65% of the hotel’s electricity demand. The CO2 emissions are reduced by approximately 1,400,000 kilograms annually compared to conventional energy supply methods.
 

Heiner Finkbeiner is awarded "Hotelier of the Year 2011" by *Der Große Restaurant & Hotel Guide*, also known as the Bertelsmann Guide.

The main entrance of Traube Tonbach is redesigned, and the Spa & Resort undergoes expansion and renovation. Nine luxurious treatment rooms are created, including a spa suite, inviting guests to indulge in top-to-toe pampering.

Voted Europe's Best Food Hotel by *Geo Saison* magazine. Restaurant Schwarzwaldstube again ranks #1 in the Hornstein Ranking.

The acquisition of Schlosshotel Monrepos in Ludwigsburg near Stuttgart as a tenant. The castle hotel, with its tavern, 77 rooms and suites, and 10 event rooms, is part of the Monrepos Domain – an expansive park surrounding the Baroque Monrepos lakeside castle, built in the 18th century by the Württemberg dukes. In addition to the lakeside castle, which offers banquet rooms for prestigious celebrations and events, the area also includes a 27-hole golf course and a modern equestrian facility. The domain is also home to the Herzog von Württemberg Winery.
On January 1, 2014, the Black Forest National Park was inaugurated. It is an important contribution to nature conservation and biodiversity, allowing our visitors to experience the nature of the Black Forest up close.

A large playground is being built on the roof of the Kids Court. Surrounding the traditional crafts of the Black Forest, such as rafting and rope-making, the children of Traube can have endless fun here.
Gault Millau honors Heiner and Renate Finkbeiner with the title "Hoteliers of the Year." In their justification, industry experts praise the entrepreneurial creativity and culinary passion of the Finkbeiners as exemplary and forward-thinking for the German hotel industry.

The Tonbacher spring water is connected to the system. In the freshly renovated outdoor pool, you can experience the natural water quality up close.

The internationally experienced, young top chef Torsten Michel becomes the new head chef of the Schwarzwaldstube. This charming exceptional talent began as a Commis de Cuisine in the Schwarzwaldstube in 2004 and was promoted to Demichef de Partie in February 2005. In February 2007, he was appointed Chef de Partie, and since May 2007, he was responsible as Souschef.  
During this time, he continually honed his culinary signature and also had the opportunity to work in the kitchens of renowned colleagues—such as Heston Blumenthal at the "Fat Duck" in Berkshire, René Redzepi at "Noma" in Copenhagen, and Jean-Georges Klein at "L'Arnsbourg" in Baerenthal.
For the 26th time, the Schwarzwaldstube receives three stars in the Michelin Guide. This highest honor from the famous French restaurant guide is confirmed in both 2018 and the current 2019 edition. The Schwarzwaldstube is thus the only restaurant in Germany that has consistently been awarded three stars for more than two decades.
The prestigious restaurant ranking "La Liste" names the Schwarzwaldstube as the best restaurant in Germany. "La Liste" evaluates more than 550 restaurant guides such as Gault Millau or the Michelin Guide using an algorithm and also considers popular review platforms by guests. With a score of 98.75%, the Schwarzwaldstube ranks 5th among the leading restaurants worldwide. In 2019, the Schwarzwaldstube reaches 4th place with 99.00% and is again recognized as the best German restaurant.
The elegant hotel lobby, bright hallway, and cozy bar area undergo a gentle modernization. The new interior design combines traditional and fresh ideas harmoniously.

In the future, the culinary powerhouse Traube Tonbach will unite four of the coveted Michelin stars under one roof. Not only does the Schwarzwaldstube maintain its highest rating of three Michelin stars, but for the first time, the young team led by Chef Florian Stolte is also awarded a star for their culinary excellence at the Köhlerstube restaurant.

In the night of January 5th, a fire completely destroyed our historic main house, which housed the à la carte restaurants Schwarzwaldstube, Köhlerstube, and Bauernstube, where Traube Tonbach began. However, our hotel operations continue as usual.  
The Köhlerstube and Schwarzwaldstube restaurants are set to be revived as soon as possible, independently of the planned reconstruction of the main house. The planned opening of the interim restaurants is scheduled for April.
To ensure we can still offer you a diverse selection of culinary delights following the devastating fire of our main house, Chef Florian Stolte's Köhlerstube temporarily finds a new home at the Silberberg restaurant starting in February 2020. A separate guest area has been set up where we will proudly serve you the Köhlerstube menu.
Our Michelin stars were lost in the fire. The restaurants Köhlerstube and Schwarzwaldstube, destroyed by the fire, are not included in the Michelin Guide for the first time. The 2020 Michelin Guide refers to this as a great loss for top gastronomy, but the rules of the guide leave no other option, as the awards are always tied to the restaurant. We deeply regret the undeserved loss of the hard-earned stars by the teams of Torsten Michel and Florian Stolte. However, we hope that pride in their work will prevail. Even though the four stars are temporarily gone, their exceptional cooking remains!
For more information, Our Stars Have Burned – But On the Plate, They Remain the Best Click here
Interim Restaurants in Temporaire: The Köhlerstube and Schwarzwaldstube restaurants are to be rebuilt as quickly as possible and independently of the planned reconstruction of the main house. The planned opening of the specially designed "temporaire" – the temporary home for the two award-winning restaurants – is scheduled for May 2020.
Award: Torsten Michel is named "Chef of the Year" by the culinary guide Gusto. For the first time, he achieves the maximum rating of 10 pans with a bonus arrow for Schwarzwaldstube.

The stars were reinstated for the interim restaurants in *temporaire*.  
2020 and 2021 were also marked by the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic and the associated regulations. During these two years, the hotel was unfortunately closed for a total of 8 months.

On April 8, 2022, the newly constructed main building of the hotel reopened its doors. After a three-week operational closure, during which the move from *temporaire* was completed, guests are once again treated to culinary delights in three à la carte restaurants. These three restaurants are located in the same area as the former main building, although the culinary concepts of the former Bauernstube and Köhlerstube have been slightly restructured. Florian Stolte's gourmet cuisine continues in an intimate setting at "1789." In the larger room, the "Schatzhauser," guests can enjoy delicacies from near and far in a relaxed atmosphere. The Schwarzwaldstube has found its new home, offering a breathtaking panoramic window view, and is led by Torsten Michel, Stéphane Gass, and Nina Mihilli.