After two years of serving fish sandwiches and fries at the Carmel Christkindlmarkt, J Wolf wanted to expand his food offerings at the annual holiday event.

He had heard the market was looking for a vendor to sell döner kebabs, which features rotisserie meat shaved onto bread, so he decided to give them a try. His first attempts, however, led to feedback from Christkindlmarkt organizers that they were “missing the mark” in authenticity.

“So, I went out to Germany for a week, rented a car and drove all over. I stopped in every döner kebab place I could,” said Wolf, an Indianapolis resident. “I had more of them than I probably want to admit.”

After his first taste of a döner kebab in Germany, Wolf said he understood the market organizers’ feedback. Until he tried it, he didn’t know how to replicate the bread, which he described as similar in appearance to a pita but thicker. He said the perfect döner kebab bread is crispy on the outside and soft on the inside.

At the Christkindlmarkt, Wolf will debut the Döner Kebab hut two spaces down from the Fischbrötchen & Pommes Frites hut, where he will continue to sell fish sandwiches and fries. Guests visiting the Döner Kebab hut can select chicken or a mix of beef and lamb and add garlic or spicy red sauce and various vegetable toppings. The dish can be served in a box for guests who don’t want bread.

Carmel Christkindlmarkt CEO Maria Murphy said döner kebabs are the most common street food in Germany and were among her favorite meals when she lived there as an exchange student. She said she has been seeking a vendor to sell them in Carmel since the event debuted in 2017.

“I’m honestly blown away by J’s dedication to perfecting an authentic döner for the market,” Murphy said. “I love that he went to Germany to taste test and explore how it is made over there. I love the final product and I can’t wait for guests to enjoy it.”

Wolf’s trip to Germany also helped him decide how to operate the Döner Kebab hut. The dish, brought to Germany by Turkish immigrants, is frequently served in “little quick service spots,” he said, similar in size to Christkindlmarkt huts.

“I was able to see how to set up our hut by watching these other operations, because none of these were big expansive kitchens and restaurants,” said Wolf, who also operates J’s Lobster & Fish Market in the Bottleworks District in Indianapolis.

Other debut food offerings at the Christkindlmarkt include stroopwafels, a sweet treat with a caramel filling; and new soups at the Herzhafte Suppen hut.

For the first time this year, guests can enjoy their food and beverage purchases in barrel dining rooms, enclaves with a faux fireplace to sit down and warm up, available on a first-come, first-serve basis.

The Carmel Christkindlmarkt is open Nov. 18 to Dec. 24 at 10 Carter Green. Hours are 4 to 9 p.m. Wednesdays and Thursdays, noon to 9 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and noon to 8 p.m. Sundays. The market will be closed Thanksgiving Day.

Learn more at CarmelChristkindlmarkt.com.

Market events

The Christkindlmarkt will feature events each day, but the following are some of the highlights:

• Sankt Martinstag – 5 to 7 p.m. Nov. 25

• Studenten am Markt (Students at the Market) – Noon to 4 p.m. Dec. 12 to 4 p.m.

• Sankt Nikolaustag – 5:30 to 7:0 p.m. Dec. 2

• Christkind Choral Festival – 4 to 7:30 p.m. Dec. 9

• Military Appreciation Day – Noon to 8 p.m. Dec. 10

• German Christmas Carol Sing-Along and Ornament Exchange – 7 to 9 p.m. Dec. 13

• Menorah Aflame Hanukkah Service – 6 to 7 p.m. Dec. 14

• Bier Competition – 7 to 8 p.m. Dec. 15

• Christkindlmarkt’s Got Talent – Noon to 3:30 p.m. Dec. 16

• A Gathering of Faiths – 5 to 6 p.m. Dec. 22