Kochstall is a cooking school in a stable built in 1751, surrounded by vineyards in Gächlingen, in the canton of Schaffhausen. Organisers book it for team cooking events of 12 to 16 participants, for cooking seminars and for banquets of 20 to 46 guests on two floors. The kitchen is open to the guests, and the cooking is led by a professional cook.
Seminars and company events
The Kochevent is the main format for companies. A team, a staff group or a practice cooks a menu together in small groups under guidance, and then eats it at a long table. The event lasts four to five hours, and the guests are 12 to 16 people who cook. The site gives examples: an evening cooking session after a day of strategy workshops, a team event for engineers, physiotherapists, a medical practice, electricians, teachers, trustees, companies and clubs, and a cooking seminar. Extra guests can be served at the event without cooking, so a team of 14 can bring partners or colleagues to the table. The room holds 46 people in total. Cooking courses, which run for about four hours, are another format, and a larger group can send a detailed brief to get a quote.
Weddings and receptions
The Kochstall does not present itself as a wedding venue. Its festival offer, called Feste und Bankette, covers round birthdays, confirmations and company anniversaries. For an organiser who plans a family reception, a christening lunch or an anniversary dinner, the format is a catered banquet for a minimum of 20 people and a maximum of 46.
Rooms and capacities
The Kochstall has room for 46 people on two floors. For banquets the minimum is 20 guests. The cooking events use the kitchen loft, which the site describes as perfectly equipped, and the events are served at a long table. The open event kitchen lets guests watch the food being prepared while they raise a glass. Hire of the room has a fixed fee, and an extension after the police hour is available per started hour, so a party can run late with advance agreement.
Catering
Catering is a central part of the offer. In the festival format, the kitchen team prepares the food in the open event kitchen while guests celebrate. The cook can serve Thai or Italian dishes, and she helps with planning, decoration and the choice of menu or buffet. In a Kochevent the price includes the documentation, the food and mineral water and coffee, while soft drinks, beer and wine are charged separately. Additional guests who are served at the event pay a set price for the menu.
History and setting
The building dates from 1751 and has been a labour of love since 2017. The cooking style is described as open to the world, authentic and local at the same time, with dishes such as tagine and salt-preserved lemons. The setting is the vineyards of Gächlingen. The Kochstall also offers a service called Störküche, and a programme of cooking courses for the coming year.
Getting there
The Kochstall is at Schulstrasse 16 in Gächlingen, in the north of Switzerland near the German border. The site has a directions page and a contact address for enquiries. It does not describe train or bus access, so ask the host before planning transport for a group.
