Local top chefs are supposed to bring a breath of fresh air into the kitchens of seven selected mountain huts at the Paznaun. Then, the dishes created for the event remain on the respective hut’s menu for the rest of summer season.
The flagship product of the region is primarily the Paznaun Alpine Cheese but also regional variations of bacon, sausages, honey and more. Hence, it’s no surprise that, at the restaurants and mountain huts of the region, plenty of regional products – sometimes products of their own making – end up in the pots and pans. Some mountain huts exclusively serve dishes made with products of their own farming.
The secret star: The Paznaun Alpine Cheese is exclusively made with raw milk from the valley and mountain pastures of the region. Thanks to its mildly aromatic to savoury taste, the ripe, yellow cheese with pea-sized holes has plenty of fans. It has to ripen for about six weeks before it can be enjoyed. And then, the cheese gourmets get to savour not just a piece of the best Tyrolean cheese but also a piece of Tyrolean culture.
The recipe for an unforgettable day in the mountains? Take one of Austria’s most beautiful hiking regions, season it with incredible scenic views no matter which direction you look. Then add some picturesque and rustic mountain huts and a pinch of culinary highlights – well, would you just look at that! Your perfect culinary hiking day in the Paznaun is served – and it’ll be one you’ll remember for a long time coming!
And the best part: after the prelude to the "Culinary Way of St. James", all the dishes created by the top chefs stay on the menu of the respective huts for the rest of summer season!
| Alpenhaus in Ischgl | Benjamin Parth: Stüva & Space73, Hotel Yscla | |
| Almstüberl in Kappl | Martin Sieberer: Paznauner Stube & Heimatbühne, Trofana Royal | |
| Friedrichshafener Hut in Ischgl | #YoungChefsPaznaun: Christopher Fritz, Hermann Zangerl, Thomas Sieberer, Fabian Jäger, Tobias Jungmann | |
| Heidelberger Hut in Ischgl | Patrick Raaß: Schlossherrnstube, Schlosshotel Ischgl | |
| Ascher Hut in See | Andreas Spitzer: Fliana Gourmet, Hotel Fliana | |
| Jamtal Hut in Galtür | #YoungChefsPaznaun: Dominik Ojster, Michael Bachler, Michael Sieberer, Sisy Rainer | |
| Faulbrunn Alm in Galtür | Hermann Huber: Hotel Almhof Galtür |
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Benjamin Parth, head chef at the Hotel YSCLA and the in-house gourmet restaurant Stüva in Ischgl, is no longer an unknown quantity among gourmets, as he has been an impressive player in the concert of Austrian culinary greats for years. "Getting better every day" has been Benjamin Parth's credo from the very beginning. In this way, the talented Ischgl native has managed to join the culinary elite of Austrian gourmet gastronomy within just a few years: In 2009, at the age of 19, he was listed for the first time in the Austrian edition of Gault&Millau with his gourmet restaurant Stüva, making him "Austria's youngest toque chef". After his apprenticeship years with Heinz Winkler, Benjamin Parth has been head chef at his hotel YSCLA and the associated gourmet restaurant Stüva since 2008. |
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Martin Sieberer comes from Hopfgarten in the Brixental. There he started cooking in a small family hotel, but already after finishing his apprenticeship it was clear to him that cooking was not simply his profession, but rather his vocation. His culinary career led him to the best chefs in Austria, Germany and Switzerland. With the reopening of the Hotel Trofana Royal in November 1996, Martin Sieberer found a new challenge. The Trofana Royal is one of the best hotels in Austria and offers the chef conditions and opportunities to combine dignified five-star luxury with his elegant and subtle culinary art. Sieberer's gourmet restaurant Paznaunerstube has been a fixture for numerous gourmets and foodies since the beginning. The highlight of his remarkable career is the award for "Gault&Millau Chef of the Year 2000". Culinary achievements continue at a steady pace and subsequently Sieberers Heimatbühne, the second restaurant, also receives several awards from gourmet critics. |
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“Cooking means for me a vocation, passion and love for the products.” The native Wörgler completed his training as a chef and waiter in Nauders in Tirol. Patrick Raaß got his career off to a flying start early on. His several year-long placements are an extraordinary and rare statement - always with the best: Heinz Winkler – Residenz Winkler, Johann Lafer – Stromberg, Hans Haas – Tantris, Alfons Schubeck – Südtiroler Stuben. The continuous motivation of Patrick Raaß is found in meeting the highest standards of the guests in fine dining and fascinating them with new interpretations. With his dishes, he pays particular attention to the use of the best and freshest products from the region, but his creativity goes far beyond its borders. |
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The top chef brings the best food from all over the world into his kitchen and then tries to combine it with local products and treasures from Paznaun. Spitzer's cuisine is therefore cosmopolitan and at the same time rooted and connected to Paznaun agriculture. The passion that the award-winning chef brings to the plate has become even more precise in recent years and it is therefore no surprise that Spitzer's standard has been awarded three toques by Gault Millau. He finds inspiration for his culinary creations in the Paznaun mountains. After completing his apprenticeship as a chef in Maria Alm and a period of learning in Ischgl, Andreas Spitzer seized the opportunity to take off as head chef at the ****S Hotel Fliana at the age of 24. Focused and passionate, he continues to develop his cooking there, always striving to provide guests with a unique experience. |
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The Club of the Paznaun Chefs has existed since 1997 - the majority of the founding members are still a part of it. With the #YoungChefsPaznaun, young inquisitive successors have now also joined forces, and are making cooking an experience and the Paznaun Cooks Club has been given a new vitality. An association of motivated chefs of all ages, who stand in the kitchen with enthusiasm and motivation and build a community, whose main focus is on out-of-the-ordinary gourmet experiences in a beautiful atmosphere. Cuisine is very valued in Paznaun and the youngsters also particularly place great emphasis on quality, regionality and sustainability. Young ideas from other kitchens and countries find their execution with local products and the symbiosis from distant lands with herbs, fish, game, cheese and fruits from the region results in exciting and often extraordinary flavour components on the plate. With enthusiasm and a lot of commitment, the #YoungChefsPaznaun bring regionality back to life. Sustainability is not just a buzzword but is implemented with the highest quality on a daily basis. Several young ambitious chefs are on the team of the #YoungChefsPaznaun. |
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Not just a hotelier – a passionate chef and dairyman too He stands at the stove day in, day out and has achieved a lot in his life. But the hotelier, master chef and passionate dairyman has no desire to rest on his laurels. Hermann Huber still draws inspiration from national, international as well as predominantly regional products and dishes. Whether at the dairy or in the kitchen, he is always on the lookout for something new to keep getting better and stay at the highest level – and stand out from the crowd. He has been chef at the Huber-Hotel Almhof**** in Galtür for almost 40 years. He refuses to let the young ones steal his bread and butter – or in his case, his cheese. He is passionate and committed to his cheese dairy and has made a name for himself at a national and international level, winning several awards. |
