WATERLOO - The former Martin's Brandenburg owner and chef has found a new kitchen.

Seven months after closing his German-American eatery in Waverly, Martin Vollmer is the new head chef at the Landmark Commons retirement residence in Waterloo.

Gone are the 100-hour work weeks. Now he'll be logging just 40 hours, mostly Monday through Friday.

A part-time job, he calls it.

Vollmer, 61, wanted a break from the overwhelming pressure of running his 12-year-old Brandenburg.

"You don't fully appreciate what it entails until you actually own the place and you have to meet payroll and everything is your responsibility," he said. "But I still would like to provide restaurant meals and keep high standards up."

Ever the professional, Vollmer donned his traditional white chef's hat, neckerchief, shirt and slacks for his debut Monday at Landmark.

"It's keeping up appearances, you know?" Vollmer joked. "And I have my roller skates on."

The evening menu featured a standard dish of meat loaf and Boston creme pie. But Vollmer's own twist - a fruity, barbecue meat sauce, homemade dinner rolls and hot apple slices from his Waverly orchard - more than pleased his eager following and fueled rave reviews.

"The (meat) sauce was unusual because it had a little bit of an apple taste," Luanne Shubert said. "It really made the meatloaf taste 100 percent better than any meatloaf I've ever tasted."

Like many Landmark residents, Larry and Barb Dodge frequented Martin's Brandenburg and welcome back signature entrees.

"We're hoping for some German nights," Barb Dodge said.

But German cuisine isn't anything special, said Vollmer who began his cooking apprenticeship in Germany at age 14. It's made-from-scratch cooking instead of relying on prepackaged, convenience foods.

"You eat what the land provides - carrots and cabbages and potatoes and rice," he said. "This is what people are used to from growing up on the farm or just remembering grandparents or parents telling about Depression years, what they had to do.

"These apples, for instance, grew up only 20 miles up the road," said Vollmer, pointing to a crate.

Vollmer quickly whipped up more meatloaf as his first night attracted about 120 of Landmark's 142 residents. An average Monday crowd is 80 diners, said Landmark director Amber Jedlicka.

"You know, do a little magic," said Vollmer, who was greeted by a room full of applause Monday. "That's what makes the job fun. It'd be kind of embarrassing to have to tell them you're out."

Landmark folks have been craving Vollmer's arrival since he popped by last week to mingle and to learn the ins and outs of the kitchen. Landmark is in the process of hiring an assistant chef.

"There's no slowing down tonight," said Ema Lagumdzic, dishing out another piece of meatloaf. "We're going to have a lot of dishes."

Contact Tina Hinz

at (319) 291-1484 or

tina.hinz@wcfcourier.com.