The Cafe Krönauer in the Langenzeile in Erding is a traditional house. After the Corona crisis, the ice cream and cake are only available on the street.
Erding - Who doesn't know the Cafe Krönauer: a house with a long tradition in the heart of the city. It started with a used ice cream maker made of wood. Otto Krönauer acquired it in 1935. In doing so, he laid the foundation stone for a coffee house, which his son Helmut built from 1978 at today's location on the Langenzeile. Now his son Christoph Krönauer, who has been responsible for the third generation since 1996, is inevitably breaking new ground.
The trigger is the corona crisis. From then on, Krönauer only offered the ice cream, coffee and cake specialties on the street. The coffee house, as Erdinger knew and appreciated it so far, will no longer exist. "We do not see ourselves in a position to operate it in such a way that it makes economic sense," says the 58-year-old pastry chef in view of the Corona requirements for the reopening of the catering trade. The lockdown made Christoph Krönauer think. "In the many weeks of coming to rest there comes the point where you ask yourself how to proceed." Despite all the financial losses, the father of three daughters sees the opportunity to go different and thus new ways.
High financial commitments
"I never thought of giving up. I want to get the ship back on course and realign it. Customers will continue to receive the highest quality coffee, cake and ice cream, ”promises Krönauer. Next to him, the employees in the pastry shop he wants to take care of. Krönauer had registered short-time work for the ten permanent employees he had employed so far. Because: "Although we own the house, we have high financial obligations."
Café Krönauer has had to endure difficult years before. It was at the beginning of the 1990s that gastronomy was changing. The café was open from morning to midnight for a long time, except on Mondays. "The working days were getting longer," says the 58-year-old. In summer, twelve to 16 hours were normal - and the personnel expenditure was enormous. In order to cover the times of low sales, the company began to be present at the flood of senses, the autumn festival and the Christmas market.
"The change that has slowly taken place takes strength," says Krönauer. And the family always had to hold back. "The years simply take their toll - also in terms of health," he admits. A few years ago he decided to close the café in the evening from 7 p.m.
Pastry chef training in the best restaurants
Christoph Krönauer loves his job, is a master confectioner with body and soul and above all an ice cream maker. His nickname "Gelati" is no coincidence. At home, Krönauer already helped to make cakes and ice cream at the age of 14. He began his training as a confectioner in 1978/79 at the Confiserie Beer, one of the top addresses in Munich. There followed journeyman years at Lake Constance and in Bad Cannstatt.
In the meantime, he received further training as an ice cream maker in Rimini and Bologna. Visiting the ice cream fair in Longarone, always with his father Helmut, was a beloved must every year. Father and son always moved into a hotel in Val Zoldana, the valley of ice cream makers.
Only the dream of a job in Switzerland did not come true for Christoph Krönauer after his training - despite the best certificates. He had introduced himself at the famous Hanselmann confectionery in St. Moritz and at Lindt & Sprüngli in Zurich. "I had many commitments, but the responsible employment office did not have any free quotas for foreigners," he still regrets.
For this, his father needed him in the ice cream parlor in Erding. There he was built up as his successor in 1992, four years later he took over all responsibility. Even under his leadership, the Café Krönauer remained a coffee house in the classic sense, but with a new coat of paint. "I never wanted to modernize so that this philosophy was lost," said the 58-year-old in retrospect.
Even if the café with its long premises and the two outside areas on the Long Line and in the garden behind it could not spatially fulfill the model of old coffee houses in Austria or Italy: “We tried to do that in terms of the goods. Every mass, every dough is made by ourselves. "
Pastry chef Andreas Galler also contributed to this for more than 40 years. "This man has an enormous part in our cake history", emphasizes Krönauer and raves about Gaul's meticulous way of working. "He was a pedant in the most positive sense." Galler also got the saying: "The edge of the cake has to be so precise: if a fliang helps, you have to have a nice break."
Thanks to the loyal customers
The Krönauer continues to work so meticulously, the boss promises, and thanks the employees and customers for their loyalty. He hopes that this loyalty will endure. "I had to make a decision now," says Krönauer. And: "I can comfort the customers with this: You get everything in the usual quality, but only for at home."
Street sales will soon be offered daily. You can also rent the premises for baptisms, weddings, other family celebrations or closed parties - provided that they are allowed again at some point. Krönauer: “Over time we will see what is possible. My thanks go to my family and our longstanding customers. ”