What is the meaning for you of beeing an award winning chef patron, or otherwise restaurateur in Austria?
The awards that we win are not so much for ourselves. Of course, it is a great feeling to be seen as somebody special, ready to win all kinds of awards.
But what is most important is, to win this awards for our team. Its super for the team spirit, for getting even more motivated to push in the right direction.
Plus, it is also important for guests to know, that they have made the right choice when they visit us.
Which is the food concept of your restaurant, what are your competitive advantages and which is the target group of your clients?
Our cuisine is very pure and focused on perfect ingredients. We only serve a 6- or 10 course set menue. From most of the seats in the Main dining room guests can have a view into the kitchen and watch the team preparing the dishes.
We believe that is pretty unique in Vienna. Our guests visit us from all parts of the world. We have guests from Vienna, Austria and really, the rest of of the world.
Whate are your goals/plans for the future and are you planning to do any action in Greece?
Our future lies in the motivation, to get better every single day. This is what we are aiming for. We have a strong focus on our work in Vienna.
Greece is the homeland of my father, I visit as often as I can.
What is your opinion for the evolution of Hellenic gastronomy, gastronomic diff and its concept which is the art of gastronomic difference?
Greek cuisine should have a much better reputation in the world than it still has…I believe this is mainly because of very many touristic places not worshipping greek traditions when it comes to food.
I do see great greek projects that are different, that move in the right direction and spread the word across the borders. Like Ergon for example. The world needs more people like them.
Finally please share at Gastronomic Diff a Diff recipe of yours. In other words an unusual, innovative and somehow different recipe!
TURBOT FLAPS. WATERCRESS. KEFALOTYRI.
CHEESE CRUMBS
- 60 g Kefalotyri
- 60 g butter
- 250 g flour
- 1 egg
- Salt
WATERCRESS SAUCE
- 300 g watercress, plucked
- 100 g vegetable stock
- 1 pinch xanthan
POACHED TURBOT FLAPS
- 4 turbot flaps
- 1 lemon, juice, freshly squeezed
- 10 g butter
- 10 g olive oil
- 20 g white wine
- 100 g fish stock
CHEESE CRUMBS
Grate the cheese coarsely, then mix all the ingredients into a dough and refrigerate for 2 hours. Grate the firm dough with a coarse grater onto a baking tray lined with baking paper. Bake in the oven at 170°C for 10 minutes, until golden brown, leave to cool and chop into crumbs.
WATERCRESS SAUCE
Blanch the watercress, cool in ice water, and mix in the Thermomix together with the vegetable stock. Then pour through a fine sieve and add salt. Stir in xanthan with a whisk until the liquid begins to foam.
Whisk the sauce again shortly before serving.
POACHED TURBOT FLAPS
Skin the turbot flaps. Mix the remaining ingredients and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat, place the turbot flaps in the hot stock, and leave for 1 minute. Then remove the flaps.
HOW TO SERVE
Arrange the turbot flaps in a semicircle on a flat plate and sprinkle with the cheese crumbs. Place one tablespoon of watercress sauce in the center of the plate.