The Kuchenmesiters (Cookenmasters) originally were from Barvaria and moved into Prussia. Some later moved to France and England. Kuchen (German for cake) and mesiter (German for master), thus the cake or cook master, were often the cheif cooks or chefs to a noble house.
My family moved to Russia during the time of Czar Peter and Catherine. When German persecution began in Russia, my great-great grandparents moved from Russia to the United States, specifically, Michigan. There are Cookenmaster's and Kuchenmeisters all over the United States. Today you will find us in Alabama, Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Michigan, Montana, Pennsylvania and a few other states.