The unique character of German cooking has not always migrated successfully to places outside of Germany; while other international cuisines, such as Italian, French and Chinese travel quite well.  Chinese cuisine is particularly adaptable to locally available ingredients, even those not considered to be absolutely authentic. The simple preparation methods and basic spices appeal to local tastes, no matter where they've been  made. This cannot be said for traditional German dishes, which are much less forgiving and require precisely the same ingredients and preparation methods as those used in Germany. To achieve quality in German cooking, adaptation is never an acceptable option. Even though each still carries the name of its birthplace city, most Americans would be surprised to know that two of "fast foods" most popular menu items, the Frankfurter and Hamburger originated in Germany.  Currently there are innumerable variations of these iconic products available in the American  food service industry. However, none match the originals. The challenge of bringing the "original" products to the American market with absolute authenticity, as they were created, prepared and served in Germany has been a multi year odyssey. Since it was not possible to import prepared foods of this nature directly from Germany, all essential ingredients would need to be sourced and acquired locally. Reasonable facsimiles were not acceptable. Only meat and vegetable products which were an exact match of those used in Germany would suffice. Furthermore, each recipe and preparation method would need to meet the original standard perfectly. Arriving at this point has been  filled with much frustration.  Never the less, the end result has been worth the diligent and persistent effort, as our menu selection now equals the original versions.