WAGBA White Asparagus Dinner 2023

Celebrating an Annual German Tradition at Juniper & Bay

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On the evening of 25th October, WAGBA members and friends gathered together in celebration of spring for “ein Deutsches Spargelessen”, otherwise known as the German White Asparagus Dinner, at Juniper & Bay, Como. Attended by around 45 guests, the dinner was also attended by the former Honorary Consul of the Federal Republic of Germany and former WAGBA President Bill Hassell AM; Singapore Airlines representative Jacki D’Antonio; as well as Dr. Suresh Letchmanan, CEO of Borussia Dortmund Asia Pacific, as our esteemed guests. The dinner presented an amazing networking opportunity within a relaxed setting for all attending guests with ties to Western Australian - German businesses.

The event commenced with a warm welcome and introduction by WAGBA President Stephan Kirsch, followed by a menu presentation by Juniper & Bay Owner and Chef Soeren Koberstein. In his speech Soeren provided a brief but informative background on the cultivation and the culinary significance of white asparagus. WAGBA members and guests were then served a delectable three course meal, with the main course naturally being the “1 Pfund Spargel” (1 Pound of White Asparagus), traditionally served with a side of potatoes and veal schnitzel with Hollandaise dressing, which received great praise from many guests.

Guest speaker Dr. Suresh Letchmanan was also invited to deliver his keynote presentation about the football team Ballspielvereinigung Borussia (BVB) during the event. With a history of some 110 years BVB Dortmund is one of the leading football clubs in Europe. In his speech, Dr. Letchmanan explored the history and adversity of BVB that the team faced throughout their journey, including future hopes for the Champions League competition and cultivating young talents. As the fastest growing football club in Germany and second fastest in the world with a following of over 270 million, BVB is also hoping to pocket other achievements. It aims to expand its fanbase through grassroots activities in international markets, specifically targeted towards the younger generation of today. The rest of the keynote speech was filled with fun anecdotes and audience interaction between Dr. Letchmanan and all dinner guests, prompting hearty laughter within the venue and creating an engaging and lively atmosphere.

Apart from the brilliant keynote speech by Dr. Letchmanan attendees also had the chance to network and socialise throughout the rest of the night.

WAGBA would like to extend its heartfelt appreciation to all the esteemed guests of honour, dedicated members, and supportive friends for their invaluable contributions in making this event an outstanding success. We look forward to seeing you at our next event!