For more than fifteen years, Austria’s oenographic nomenclature has been undergoing substantial restructuring. In 2003, the first DAC regulations and classifications were introduced. While grape varieties were the main focus of attention at the time, today stylistic concerns are coming steadily to the fore, and the grape variety now is part of a bigger picture. And that is exactly how Carnuntum, the latest entrant to the DAC system, has defined its DAC regulations. It has taken time, 16 years in total, but the winegrowing region of Carnuntum, needed this time to present a well-designed a comprehensive new structure for the region. The concept »Districtus Austriae Controllatus« (Controlled Austrian Denomination of Origin) was introduced in 2003. The viticultural region Weinviertel was the first to use DAC. Since then, the Kremstal, Kamptal, Traisental, Eisenberg, Wien/Vienna, Leithaberg, Mittelburgenland, Neusiedlersee, Rosalia and finally the Steiermark – with Vulkanland, … [Read more...]
Riccardo Camanini and the magic of Lido 84: ‘an unexpected success’
Riccardo Camanini and his brother Giancarlo opened Lido 84 in Italy five years ago and it has been on my places to visit for at least three years, way before it became known. Today the secret is out about Lido 84 but till this day, the two brothers who own the restaurant, still cannot really understand the hype about their success. One thing strikes you when you enter the magical dining room of Lido 84. It is not the view of Lago Di Garda, which you would have soaked in by driving there or else walking from the car park. Neither are it the art pieces that have been very carefully selected by the Camanini brothers. It is rather a striking collection of books which even for a bookworm like me is nothing short of impressive. They are not there to add to the decor of the restaurant. They form an integral part of Riccardo Camanini’s way of working. “Saturday morning is a time of reflection for us. We wanted to create a space where our staff could take the time to read. I wanted … [Read more...]
Inside a war bunker: today turned into Hubert Stockner’s cheese bunker
BRUNICO: It is a warm summer day in the hills of Alto Adige but we are warned to take the warmest clothes we can get. We are set to visit a wartime bunker in the hills on the outskirts of this buzzing town in South Tyrol. This bunker is today called the Genuss Bunker (literally translated as pleasure bunker). As you walk into a narrow door, a strong whiff of cheese greets you. The first room is the tasting area, a small space with a long table which can take up to 20 people. Walk past this room and you are in Ali Baba's cave for cheese lovers. for Hubert Stockner has converted a war bunker in this border region in Italy into the perfect spot where to age cheese. The perfect conditions of the bunker make his cheese extremely special. Inside the nearly 300 metre cave, the humidity is nearly 100% and the temperature is constantly at 10C making this the ideal natural conditions for the ageing of cheese. The result is something special. Hubert Stockner’s passion is cheese. … [Read more...]
The #50BestTalks Paris gender fiasco
The world food bubble descended on Paris on Monday 16 September for the #50BestTalks and what a fiasco it turned out to be. The most common question in food circles over the past weeks was whether you would be in Paris for the event as if being there or not separated the wheat from the chaff. What was meant to be a celebration of Mauro Colagreco and his number 1 position in the list (he will enter the hall of fame and will no longer be eligible to compete for the number 1 position following the change in rules earlier this year) turned out to be an embarrassment for the organisers who were criticised for organising a panel discussion without a single woman in the panel. Conscious of the fact that next year's award will be held in Antwerp, Belgium and also the fact that the organisation has been often criticised for the very small number of French restaurants in the list, the World’s 50 Best might have decided to organise an event in Paris to give its voters the possibility to … [Read more...]
Gelinaz! to return on 3 December: “Here I am, Here I am staying”
With a cryptic message “Hey what do you expect, J’ y suis, j’ y reste (Here I am, here I am staying), Andrea Petrini has announced the return of GELINAZ! on 3 December. No details have been announced to date other than the food world can expect a GELINAZ! event on 3 December and this will also involve chef Antonia Klugmann of Italian restaurant L’Argine a Venco in Venco. She also said the same thing as Andrea Petrini, the founder of GELINAZ!, a collective of chefs that have grown over the years to include most of the most avant-garde people in the industry today. The last time that GELINAZ! made an appearance was in Austria in summer 2017 when Andrea Petrini and Alexandra Swenden organised GELINAZ! DOES UPPER AUSTRIA, an event that was organised at Helmut and Philip Rachinger’s restaurant Mühltalhof. There 23 chefs were divided into 7 teams who had to work on 3 matrix dishes with clearly defined ingredients. In Austria, chefs were put together to collaborate, spend time … [Read more...]
Norbert Niederkofler and Jorge Vallejo cook the mountain at AlpiNN
BRUNICO: On the outskirts of the buzzing small town of Brunico, in South Tyriol, 2,300 metres above sea level lies a stunning restaurant, AlpiNN which is Norbert Niederkofler’s second restaurant in the region. The Italian chef rose to fame for his restaurant St Hubertus, which entered the 3 Michelin star hall of fame in 2017. At Alpinn, he has taken the Cook the Mountain philosophy not just in his cooking but also in the way that the restaurant has been designed. Together with Mexican chef Jorge Vallejo of restaurant Quintonil, Norbert Niederkofler and his team organised a unique four hands dinner in this incredible location. This was the first such even which will see other internationally renowned chefs visit the mountain restaurant. Together, the two chefs created a harmonious menu that respected the region and its produce. The Mexican chef, together with his assistant Eliana, got some ingredients specifically from Mexico. One was the mole of San Pedro Atocpan which … [Read more...]
Incredible VIVA: 8 chefs to cook at VIVA Viviana Varese in Milan
MILAN: An incredible line up of chefs will cook at Incredible VIVA, a series on dinners that are being held at VIVA Viviana Varese, a one Michelin star restaurant that is housed in Eataly, Milan. The chefs ranging from Tim Butler to Pia Leon, Adeline Grattard and Mauro Colagreco will be coking as guests of Viviana Varese in the coming months. The Italian chef teamed up with Anna Morelli, a friend and publisher of one of Italian food magazine Cook Inc to bring guests to cook at the Milan restaurant. “I wanted to create an event that was different from a four hands dinner. What we will do is let the chefs create a whole menu for the evening and my team and I will be at their disposal. When Adeline Grattard will come to cook, it will be her menu and we will help her in terms of staff and in buying ingredients. Think of the restaurant as VIVA Adeline Grattard or VIVA Mauro Colagreco for that evening,” Viviana Varese told Food and Wine Gazette. The first chef to cook at … [Read more...]
Viva Viviana Varese inaugurated in Milan
MILAN: 30 chefs from Italy and outside Italy joined Viviana Varese to cook for over 800 guests who turned up for the inauguration of her new restaurant in Eataly Smeralda, Milan. VIVA is an acronym of the Chef’s name and surname and also substance, colour and life. “We created the project around 8 months ago. My idea was to name the restaurant Viva but the communication agency insisted it should be Viva Viviana Varese. I thought it was too ego centric but finally we agreed to the name.” “When we finally decided that the opening date would be 6 September, I created a Whatapp group and sent a message to around 15, 16 friends from Italy, Spain and the rest of Europe asking them if would cook 100 dishes during a party to inaugurate the restaurant. Most accepted including Lara Gilmore. Through word of mouth that list went up to 30 and from 100 dishes it went up to 150, 200 dishes per chef. I wanted them to also enjoy the evening so they cooked in two shifts. We ended up cooking … [Read more...]
Gaufres & Waffles opens in Brussels on 6 September
BRUSSELS: On Friday 6 September, the first ever Gaufres & Waffles opens in the heart of the Belgian capital in the Galerie du Roi. Gaufres & Waffles is a new street food concept offering sweet and savoury waffles. It's a tribute to the Brussels waffle which has also been called the 'Belgian waffle' since the New York Expo of 1964. The concept is original as it takes the traditional waffle which is one of the most important sweets of the Brussels' culture and creates also a savoury version. At Gaufres & Waffles, the waffle is no longer a dessert or a sweet snack but rather a meal. The recipes have been created by Yves Mattagne, chef of Brussels 2 Michelin star restaurant Sea Grill. The savoury waffles which cost between 9 and 16 euros feature Veggie, Ham and Cheese, Chicken, Beef Tartar, Salmon, Duck and Foie Gras and Lobster. The sweet waffles cost between 6 and 10 euros and include the original Brussels waffle, a waffle with chocolate, a waffle with blueberries, a … [Read more...]
Muhr-van der Niepoort becomes Weingut Dorli Muhr
A few years after Dorli Muhr and Dirk Niepoort went separate ways in their private lives, they have decided to terminate their professional partnership. Dorli Muhr is taking over the fifty per cent holding from her Dutch/Portuguese partner to turn the former limited partnership into Weingut Dorli Muhr. It was in 2002, the year of their marriage that Dorli Muhr and Dirk Niepoort vinified their first Blaufrankisch red wines on the slopes of Spitzerberg in the Carnuntum region of Austria. They produced just 500 bottles and since then the estate has grown steadily. "It is a highly emotional moment for me to return the name Muhr to Prellenkirchen," said Dorli Muhr. "My grandmother spent her childhood and teenage years in Prellenkirchen and she always carried this village and the Spitzerberg with her in her heart. For me, the hours I spent with her in the tiny vineyard parcels on the Spitzerberg were always very special. They left an indelible mark on my relationship to this place and … [Read more...]