COLUMBUS, Ohio — Long-time chef Valter Veliu of Valters at the Mannerchor is preparing a variety of turkeys — 16 total for his restaurant's annual Thanksgiving Day bash. 

What You Need To Know

  • Valters at the Maennerchor is traditional German cuisine with some Mediterranean influence

  • In a year that's presented many challenges, chef Veliu said he considers himself grateful this holiday season

  • Valters at the Maennerchor is located at 976 S. High St. in Columbus' German Village

He's done it for six years, and despite expecting a capacity crowd, he loves the rush and says all are welcome. 

“This is my family. We eat and drink here. My family's coming here. We're going to enjoy. We love doing this. We can not eat by ourself,” said Veliu. 

Valters at the Maennerchor is traditional German cuisine with some Mediterranean influence. One of the chef's favorite past times for Thanksgiving is his stuffing. 

“Five different breads because all breads have different spices and you don't need to do much there. And of course you gotta have a very good carrots, onions, celery, all mixed together.”

And Veliu said he's fortunate to carry on tradition in German Village, as his restaurant is next door to the oldest and active German singing society in the United State, which was founded in Columbus in 1848. 

In a year that's presented many challenges, Veliu said he considers himself grateful this holiday season.

“I don't know what it is. It's something you can not express it. You just know it. But it's happy when you see all these people come in and they appreciate what you do and that's what it is. That's what makes us work more and more,” says Veliu. 

Valters at the Maennerchor is located at 976 S. High St. in Columbus' German Village. 

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