expert spotlight

Viktoria Stranzinger is a real power woman: In Upper Austria, the 40-year-old runs cooking schools at the “Seyringer Gut” in Aurolzmünster, the socio-educational farm, the “Grubauergut”, in Ried in der Riedmark and an event location in Utzenaich – all of which operate under the Cook up kitchen name. But during the winter months, she developed a second passion, her commitment to Neumayer Station III in Antarctica. We asked her for an interview on the way there.

Bernhard Zimmerl has been rocking the Waldviertel culinary scene for more than ten years and can rightly count himself as one of Austria’s best chefs thanks to his refined creations. The Foggy Mix in Waidhofen an der Thaya has become an insider tip for fine dining fans: in the menu, which is available four days a week, the chef comes up trumps with a composition of wagyu, einkorn truffle risotto, einkorn truffle fritters, marzipan calvados gel, Szechuan buttons and clover or takes his guests with scallop ceviche, Elderberry-lime vinegar, scallop-shell caramel, shallot pickled in champagne vinegar and Chioggia beetroot, Baeri caviar and apple-ginger pearl on a journey of flavors. In addition, there will soon be a newly designed fine dining restaurant, the “Zimmerl”. The Lower Austrian restaurant has currently been awarded 13 points and two toques by Gault&Millau.

Those who prefer more down-to-earth cuisine should not stay away from the Foggy Mix, despite the fine dining: Because true to the name, which on the one hand stands for the foggy Irish weather and therefore for the Irish pub area and on the other “for everything you can mix”, there’s an à la carte selection of burgers and pizza, Austrian classics and a vegan-vegetarian selection. Zimmerl talks about his career, culinary goals and why the fine dining branch at Foggy Mix was the logical next step.