A World of Hospitality

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02.10.2025

Interview with the Head of Hofgut Dagobertshausen

A person in a white shirt and black vest outdoors, smiling, holding a notebook, with blurred chairs and greenery in the background.

Interview with

Christoph Wiegand

Country outings, spring, strawberry, and harvest festivals, and of course our beautiful Christmas market - all these events and many more are organized and executed every year by Christoph Wiegand, who runs Hofgut Dagobertshausen with a lot of passion, commitment, and dedication. But who is Christoph anyway and what drives him? Get to know Christoph in our current interview.

Outdoor patio with tall wooden tables and stools under large red umbrellas, surrounded by potted plants, with a white building in the background.

How did you come to your profession? What did you do before working as the head of Hofgut?

I always enjoyed helping my parents at family celebrations - whether in the kitchen or serving guests. At some point, I did a school internship in a car repair shop. My brother was also learning this profession at the time, but it wasn't really for me. My mother then suggested that I do an internship in a local hotel. I immediately realized that this was exactly my thing!

I then completed training as a hotel manager in 2001, after which I spent a year near Rothenburg o. d. Tauber. Then I went to my second home, beautiful Switzerland, for seven years.

How long have you been working at Hofgut Dagobertshausen?

I started as a freelance assistant. To be exact: that was in September 2011. When I was offered a permanent position, I didn't immediately accept. But I eventually signed, and that was exactly on April 15, 2012.

What was the biggest challenge at the beginning?

I came from classical hospitality, everything was structured and predetermined. Here in the event sector, everything is much more flexible. Every event is different, has different requirements. Today a wedding, tomorrow a corporate event, and the next day a family brunch. It requires good planning to organize all this. Getting into it was the biggest challenge for me.

Smiling person with short hair, wearing a white polo and black zip vest, standing outdoors and holding a tablet; blurred garden tables and greenery in the background.

How big is your team?

That always depends. Basically, I have 24 permanent employees and about 80 student assistants on the farm. At major events, for example at the country outing, I naturally get full support from all our outlets. Then we have around 150 to 170 employees.

Outdoor barbecue scene with a cook in an apron grilling meat on a rotisserie at a wooden counter, while two guests chat under red umbrellas.

What does a "normal" workday look like for you? Does that even exist for you?

That would be terrible! Please no normal workday :) That's exactly why I do this job, because there's no day that's the same. There's always something happening here and always something to do.

What do you enjoy most about your work?

Hm, that's difficult, I would say organizing the major events - that's where the "fire" is. When the event begins and you have to keep an eye on the big picture. These are exactly the days I do all this for.

Portrait of a person outdoors, smiling, wearing a black zip-up vest with a circular logo and the initials CW; green foliage and a blurred park background.

The team at Hofgut is special to me - no one here fakes good mood, that's just how we are.

Christoph Wiegand

Do you need strong nerves for your job?

What does strong nerves mean? You shouldn't take everything personally and sometimes just "tune out". Then it works quite well.

So you are basically an all-round talent. Do all your employees have to be that too?

Absolutely yes. Every employee must be able to do almost everything. It happens that the janitor stands at the bar in the evening pouring beer. Or the service manager mows the lawn. I need flexible employees and not those who just stubbornly do their job. But that's exactly what sets us apart here.

Outdoor restaurant patio with orange umbrellas, wooden planters, and tables in front of a red brick building, surrounded by green lawn and trees.

What is special for you about Hofgut Dagobertshausen?

The team!! Everyone is nice, helpful, friendly. No one here fakes good mood - WE are just like this.

And of course, the ambiance of the farm. Simply fantastic. Especially in the evening when it gets dark. All the candles and oil lamps then immerse our Hofgut in a sensational atmosphere.

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