Why choose a holiday in Austria? Mountains, nature and culture are certainly still the most convincing arguments. But the culinary offer is increasingly “the fault” of someone who spends a few days in the Alpine Republic. The return of the Michelin Guide will encourage this even further – Klemens Gold from Großraming is also convinced of this.
“Do it quickly, otherwise you’ll be wasting your time,” his school gym teacher had advised him. And the sentence must have had an effect on Klemens Gold: After attending the Weyer Hotel Management School, he moved to Switzerland to work as a chef, where he won a Michelin star at the age of 24 and attracted a lot of attention for his affinity with design earned and worked for many celebrities (such as Roman Abramowitsch). Cheese production, the work of a meat chopper and a baker – he learned the basics of all this during his stay in Zermatt.
The 34-year-old now runs his own restaurant and turned the former Steigerwirt, which his parents ran, into a fine-dining restaurant called Rau, which also received four toques in the new Gault&Millau.
In 2009, the French gastronomic guide Guide Michelin withdrew from the Alpine Republic, but is now making a comeback in 2025. How does Gold assess the fact that stars are now being awarded again in Austria? “It’s going to be great,” says the chef, who has campaigned for its return and put a lot of time into it.
The selection for 2025 will be announced on January 21
The top chef from the Steyr-Land district speaks of a “collective effort” that makes it possible to “promote our culinary identity internationally and thus strengthen tourism and all related jobs and industries.” On January 21, Guide Michelin will announce its selection for 2025. The tension grows as the announcement approaches.
“Hardly any external investors who lose interest after a few years”
Gold is enthusiastic about the special culinary scene in Austria: “It is mainly family-run. There are hardly any external investors here who lose interest after a few years. You can drive across the country and eat something delicious and authentic everywhere.” You feel a real team spirit: “The restaurateurs help each other and constantly exchange ideas.”
Source: Krone
I’m Ben Stock, a journalist and author at Today Times Live. I specialize in economic news and have been working in the news industry for over five years. My experience spans from local journalism to international business reporting. In my career I’ve had the opportunity to interview some of the world’s leading economists and financial experts, giving me an insight into global trends that is unique among journalists.
