Our Family
Meet our family at Der Küchen Laden, the favorite kitchen shop in the Texas Hill Country.
A passion for cooking is not required here because it comes with the job. Whether a sideline cookie taster at Mom’s, or a self-proclaimed gourmet genius, all of our employees get stricken by the Der Küchen Laden bug. The only thing they love more than being in their own kitchen is being in this one sharing with customers their trials and tribulations of the culinary kind. C’mon in!
Penny Hughes, Co-Owner
Dr. Wilhelm Victor Keidel, my great, great grandfather, came to Texas after completing his medical degree at Georg Augustus University in Goettingen, Germany where his father and grandfather were both medical professors. After arriving in Texas in 1945 and serving in the US Army for 6 months, he came to the colony of Fredericskburg, Texas and practiced here until his death in 1870.
His first-born son, Albert (my Great Grandfather), was sent to Germany to live with relatives and attend school— gymnasium, then university when he was 14 years old—but returned to Texas after completing his medical degree at Georg Augustus University. By this time his father had passed away. (His mom died during his childbirth.) Albert decided he would remain in Texas and sent for his fiancé to come to Texas from Germany. They were married in Galveston. Albert had 4 sons. Victor, my Opa, who also became a physician and surgeon, Kurt, who became a pharmacist, Werner who became a dentist and Felix who became a dentist. Opa practiced until 1952 when he died of injuries received in an automobile accident.
Victor had 4 children. My mother, Victoria, was one of them and she met my father, J. Hardin Perry, when he came to Fredericksburg in 1939 to practice medicine with Opa. The Keidel doctors and my Dad had an amazing impact on this community. They were compassionate doctors and treated patients fairly regardless of political convictions or their ability to pay for their treatment. They all were active in many civic organizations in the community. It was a real love relationship between doctor and patient - that will help in healing. My father practiced until he was 86 years old and will remain an historic figure in this community.
No, I’m not a doctor. I graduated from The Selwyn School in Denton and received a history degree from UT-Austin. My senior year in high school, the headmaster’s wife taught gourmet cooking to those students that were interested. After graduation she took a small group to travel in Europe and the group ended the trip in London to take a cooking class at the Cordon Bleu. Everyone in my family cooked! My Oma had learned cooking from an aunt of my Opa's that had come to live in Texas after WWI. She made puff pastry, bechamel sauce, sour cream sauces on roasts—not the typical fare. I completed the Intermediate Certificate Course from the Le Cordon Bleu, London and worked for Don Strange in San Antonio for a short time.
I had shopped at Der Küchen Laden for years when I would come home for a visit. But on one visit, Jerry and I told the owners that we were moving back to Fredericksburg and they wanted to know if we were interested in buying the store. The rest, as they say, is history.
The best part of owning the store is interacting with the customers and the employees. There’s always fun conversations about food, travel and how to do things best in the kitchen. With so many areas of interest, conversations are varied and inevitably something peaks my interest, and I’m off researching recipes, food items, etc. I am a member of Les Dames D'Escoffier, though not as active as I wish with 2 children, a business and school commitments.
I often get asked how involved our twin daughters are with the store. Keidel and Victoria came to the store once as toddlers. A customer ended up having to help take care of them for a few minutes. We were busy and the girls were somewhat noisy. So it was a short-lived notion that they could come to the store as toddlers. However, they started working here on weekends when they were old enough to actually “help.” They began working freight, as they matured they move up to the cash register, coffee bar. They are a great help, and enjoy working with everyone here. We have made a family within our business. We love our employees, our manufacturers reps. And some reps even come to town to watch sports the girls are involved in.
I cannot say there is one particular area I prefer, but I do have an inclination for the "old ways" of food preparation using old recipes and traditional cookbooks. I want to learn to make cheese, sausages, and understand the art of food preservation. Classic French is a real love for me! I love to bake, roast, steam….as you can tell, it’s hard to say what I like the best. I read cookbooks every night about cuisines I am—or am not—familiar with because I believe new cultures and foods open up the world and its history. Of course, you have to find the unusual culinary items, equipment, spices, etc. I can't always find what I am looking for, but it’s an adventure trying.
One of the most important things to me is supporting my employees, family, community, school, church and missionary friends. This is done by having a great store for people to enjoy, and by being fair and honest to all. We sell items in the store to support The Rock, a mission working in Africa supporting mercy homes. Two of my life long friends work full time for The Rock and it is wonderful to hear their first hand stories of God's work.
Jerry Hughes, Co-Owner
I was born In Wellington, Texas on February 27, 1951. I grew up loving food and learned very early on how to get around in the kitchen. Even though I was raised on a ranch in the panhandle of Texas, I was more adept with a plate full of brownies watching Bonanza on Sunday night. My cooking skills were mostly self taught out of my need to eat- so I became very adept at making the basics: fried eggs and bacon, fried chicken and French fries and of course, brownies from a box- I am not sure why I felt compelled to cook- my mother was a great cook and plenty willing.
I later learned to bake from scratch. I currently love bread baking- I grind my own flour (I am like using various flours, but my favorite now is a white hard wheat.) In addition I have developed my own sour dough starters that I use at least once a week. In the starter I use no commercial yeast, they are sometimes un-predictable and rising can be quite an event or one that doesn’t happen at all.
I came to Der Küchen Laden from a number of adventures- I did mission work for 7 years- spent some 5 years in other retail settings—4 years in the oil business, while finishing college with a BA in management. I spent 4 years as a bank examiner. So I can probably converse with just about anyone.
We came to purchase the store during a conversation with the former owner Lou Buehn, in 1992. It went something like this: LOU: “So Jerry, you are moving back to Fredericksburg, what do you plan to do?” JERRY: “Well, probably move the unemployment numbers up.” So Lou asked me if we were interested in buying the store. By February 1993 we were behind the register.
What’s the most satisfying part of owning the store? I still love to come to work. I love the people I work with and love being on the floor talking and cutting up with customers and employees alike. Heck it’s just simple. Come in. We can chat, have a coffee, share a joke, make fun with other customers and you walk out with a bag full of kitchen goodies and heart full of fun.
One of the big parts of the store is “the little chefs” — our twin daughters that God gave us when we were 44 years of age. They have always been very close to the business. When they were young Penny and I took turns at staying home with the girls and from time to time we would bring them to the store. Only once did we bring them for the day and brought the playpen. They cried like maniacs. It was a disaster. We ended up with customers trying to help soothe them. Since then they became a regular part of the store. Their photo served as the logo for years and they became regular fixtures after school and on some weekends. And now, in between volleyball, basketball and softball, they are part -time employees. They have developed their own friends amongst the store staff.
I have been involved with the Heritage Christian School for 9 years, (6 years on the Board), was involved in the first Fredericksburg Weinachten Christmas Festival in 1998. My current outside activities revolve around our 14-year-old twin girls and their many activities. I attend the Hill Country Evangelical Free church with my family, and help with various church ministries.
The store is considered by folks to be successful, to which I must give all credit to Jesus who simply has given me grace to be a part of what He is doing. So I guess, more than anything, I rejoice when the store is a blessing to someone.
Proverbs 22:1 A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving favor rather than silver and gold.
God has provided well for us, so it is our job to provide a blessing to those around us. We support a number of our local church’s mission programs and we are involved with another out of Dallas, Mark and Margaret Noblin (the Rock outreach, Inc.) a mission group to Africa. They are focused on training men in business practices using the bible as the foundation. They have also fostered some indigenous businesses and we sell these products manufactured in Uganda—a Ugandan tea, wooden kitchen utensils, and baskets.
In a time when things appear to be topsy-turvy it is our job to help you out in the one place that makes a home feel like a home—the kitchen. I can’t think of anything better than a warm kitchen with warm friends and family. So Bon Apetit!!
Maria
I was born in Jalisco, Mexico but moved to Fredericksburg when I was 5. I started my DKL adventure in 2005. I do it all, from helping customers, to ordering and checking in merchandise, working the coffee bar, and much much more!!! I really enjoy working at DKL because we all try to be one big happy family and we do our best to find an answer to every question our customers may have.
Vicky Duecker
I started working for DKL in 2000, and despite a short stint at a bank (I plead temporary insanity) I have been with them ever since. I guess you could call me their “Vicky of all trades” because I have worn a lot of hats. From installing their first POS system, to bookkeeping, to working the floor, there’s probably not a job I haven’t done. I have been cooking since I was a kid. I even competed in 4H food competitions and the spirit is still alive and kicking within me. I have an unusual fetish for cookbooks and have a hard time turning them down. My collection now rivals the culinary department of the Smithsonian. But to justify the purchase, I always create at least ONE dish from each book. I have also been a personal chef since 2007 —associated with the United States Personal Chef Association. Sharing my love for cooking and all the incredible gadgets and tools that are out there with friends, family and customers just never gets old. I value Jerry and Penny and their twin daughters Keidel and Victoria. Whether it’s sharing recipes or checking out the latest tool, they all share the same passion for the kitchen. If there is a new employee that doesn’t have a passion for cooking or a love of good food, trust me, they WILL.
Susie
I was raised in a small town north of Houston. After College, I moved to Houston and worked for a major oil company. I met my husband and had 4 children; 3 boys and 1 girl. We lived in the country, raised our own beef, vegetables, and fruit trees. When you have 4 kids, you learn to cook — A LOT. So every summer I canned veggies and also fixed veggies for the freezer. I learned to make jelly and always had homemade bread once a week. My kids never had store bought jelly until they left for college. All my kids were 4-sport athletes all through school so it was important they ate well. Our house was always gull of kids and usually they were hungry. There were many nights my husband and I would sit down to eat dinner and our kids would not be home; but their hungry friends would be. Once they all left home, we retired to Austin, Texas. Then we came to Fredericksburg in December of 2006, and I went to work for Der Küchen Laden because of my love of cooking. I love my job, the owners and my co-workers. I enjoy meeting people and helping them find that special item. My day is made if I can make someone smile or laugh. So next time you’re in FBG, come by the store. I’ll be the one wearing the smile.
Patti
If you can’t find Patti, look up. She has an affinity for ladders and can usually be found moving things around like an OCD patient rearranging a room full of toothpicks. And then she’ll ask you to go find one.
Marilyn
This retired biology teacher is cooking up more interesting things these days. She enjoys cooking more than baking but does pretty well with the baking. She calls Der Küchen Laden her dream job.
Mr. Bill
The official Know-It-All of knives. We dare you. Just try to stump him. (hmmm. Maybe not such a good idea to provoke a knife expert.)
Tina
Tina might just be the only employee with historical insight into the store. She was born here when it was a hospital! Maybe she was born in what is now the Tea Room or the Cookie Cutter room, because she has an affinity for both. She has a story for everything in the store and when she’s not rattling one off, she’s at home knitting or reading – most likely in the kitchen.
Jessica
I have worked at DKL since August of 2009. Before my family moved to Fredericksburg, Der Küchen Laden was one of our favorite stores. I come from a large family of men and women who love to cook, so of course we all fell in love with the shop that has a wide variety and good selection of cooking utensils we were both familiar and unfamiliar with. Upon one of our many trips to Der Küchen Laden, my stepfather bluntly asked one of the employees “Are you guys hiring any high school students?” And then sent her to interview me right then and there. I immediately fell into the routine of working after school and on weekends and eating more baked goods in one day than I have in my entire life. I can sincerely say that I am grateful to be working at a place with such wonderful people who have welcomed me into their family.
