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Bratwurst King 2024 again from Nuremberg
Dirk Freyberger and his butcher shop successfully defend the title of Bratwurst King at the Franconian Bratwurst Summit (May 12, 2024) in Pegnitz and become the first king in the history of this event to win the crown for the second time in a row.
The Franconian Bratwurst Summit takes place every year in Pegnitz. Butchers from Franconia compete for the crown of Bratwurst King. This year eight butchers are taking part. There are various categories for the participants: the classic Franconian Bratwurst, the creative Bratwurst and the audience award. At the last summit, the Freyberger butcher's shop took home all the trophies and was crowned. Now they are entering the creative award as defending champion with a new Bratwurst creation. The Käsespätzle Bratwurst. The Freybergers are not changing anything in the classic category .
A bitter blow for the king
In contrast to last time, the Franconian bratwurst of the nobility came in second place. "The competition is consistently strong and the jury also has a new constellation every year," explains Dirk Freyberger. Meeting the taste of the committee is not easy and you need a bit of luck, adds the butcher.
The creative bratwurst also missed out on gold by just one point. "Especially with the creative bratwurst, you have to be prepared for anything. The competition is really tough and it's incredibly hard to stand out," says the master butcher. For this reason, Freyberger is preparing very well. In advance, the butcher's customers were able to vote between different creative bratwursts. The winner storms the summit.
The subjects remain loyal to their king
In contrast to the other categories, the people vote for the audience award. All visitors to the Franconian Bratwurst Summit can vote for their favorite bratwurst using a ballot paper and are thus independent of the committee. The cheese spaetzle bratwurst convinced the majority of the more than 10,000 visitors. "We didn't expect that. Knowing that the audience was on our side again exceeded all our expectations," the king explains.
From Silver to Gold
Even a second place can win the crown. The Bratwurst King is always the participant with the highest total score. This means that all rounds are decisive and it remains exciting right up to the end. "It always depends on how you do in the individual categories. It is important to constantly achieve the highest possible score," says Dirk. This makes it possible to make a royal comeback even if you are initially defeated, the heir to the throne continues.
Butchers should leave the castle cellars
Dirk Freyberger accepts the crown on behalf of the butcher's shop and has clear words for the future of the craft: "I am disappointed that more butchers do not show off their art here. We need a presence - the connection to high-quality food and the craft is becoming increasingly lost, which is why more butchers finally need to come into the light of day."
The King's Knights Bring Victory
The entire Freyberger butcher shop takes home the title. "I only represent my team, but without my employees I wouldn't win a single prize here, let alone the crown," the Nuremberg native announces. After all, it is always the king's knights who go into battle and ensure the survival of the kingdom, announces the Bratwurst King.
