A storyboard for a film about the Chef’s Table in the Rote Wand would start with fast cuts: Contrasts, mountains, urban dynamics. A Google Earth animation zooms in on the small train in the Vorarlberg Alps at 1,500 meters – then the global jump: New York, Vienna, Copenhagen... Like a synapse, the narrative jumps between lively cosmopolitan cities and alpine silence. Finally, the images and music calm down: a slow pan to Julian Stieger at the stove. His plates – regional, classic, with avant-garde, often feminine accents – fill the screen. Joschi Walsch joins him in the final image.
This staging is emblematic of the concept of the Rote Wand Gourmet Hotel & Chef’s Table: a luxurious design hotel in the Alps that not only offers really good food – but also places culinary delights at the heart of its identity. Whether at breakfast, lunch for hotel guests, the legendary fondue evenings or in the Culinary Lab: the kitchen is the heartbeat of the hotel.
Joschi Walch came up with the idea for the Chef’s Table on a trip to New York – more precisely: during a visit to the famous Chef’s Table at Brooklyn Fare. Back in Zug, in the ancestral home of the Walch family with over 300 years of history and 60 years of hospitality, a development process lasting several years began. It was the sale of his global catering company that made the project possible and laid the foundations for what the Rote Wand is today. A decisive and unusual advantage over most hotel concepts, which are more strongly influenced by investors and banks.
A menu in 15 courses at the Chef’s Table of the Rote Wand
It was possible to build and renovate without monetary restrictions. In the former school building, directly adjacent to the hotel, an open kitchen with a wraparound counter was created on the upper floor and a cozy parlor on the first floor, where the menu and presentation of the products also starts. Shooting star Max Natmessnig initially cooked here, now back in New York as head chef at Brooklyn Fare. Julian Stieger took over in 2022 – previously at Eleven Madison Park in NY and Geranium in Copenhagen. The 31-year-old was recently named Young Chef of the Year by the Michelin Guide. The restaurant currently has two stars, 18.5 Gault Millau points, 96.5 points from La Liste and 97 from Falstaff.
The evening begins in the parlor with five snacks and an introduction to the key ingredients of the 16 courses to come. Many products come from the immediate surroundings, some directly from the restaurant’s own gardens. The staging – the presentation of the main ingredients at the beginning and the division of the menu into two levels – is reminiscent of concepts such as Frantzén in Copenhagen or 100/200 in Hamburg, but is now more common. The big advantage from the guests’ point of view is that the bundled introduction at the beginning means that the presentation of the individual courses can be reduced and more focused later on.
After selecting the first drinks from the well-stocked sparkling wine trolley, the culinary journey begins. What initially looks like a nondescript cream soup turns out to be an intense umami bomb with the first sip. The infusion is based on smoked zander carcasses, which are then dry-aged for another two weeks. The deep smoky aromas develop from this, a garum from the zander and a little yeast and old port wine add further complexity.
Another snack is an alpine cheesecake with a generous portion of strong N25 Baerri caviar. The crispy base initially looks like a typical cookie dough, but is made from sesame seeds, poppy seeds and shallots. A hint of pine, together with the local cream cheese, re-establishes the alpine connection.
An eleven-year-old dairy cow was processed into an intense tartare for this course, which was elegantly topped with thinly sliced and confit portobello mushrooms. Small cubes of kohlrabi add a light, fresh accent. Additional complexity is added by a dashi of smoked mushrooms infused at the table.
A wonderful brioche toast with wild boar, smoked crème fraîche, lardo and plenty of shaved truffle is another perfect accompaniment to the champagne – the second glass has now reached our small table.
Choux, a choux pastry also known from profiteroles, was heartily combined here, filled with eel from Lake Constance, covered with unstuffed foie gras and a grated elderberry. A harmonious, surprising course.
Another highlight from the components potato, egg yolk, caviar (and at the bottom of the pan: bone marrow!). On Julian Stiegler’s recommendation, we let the small tartelette slide whole into the pot of potato foam, stir gently and enjoy. It could actually go on like this forever – but for the next few hours we are now taken one floor higher – to the Chef’s Table.
The first course at the new location is simply called trout, but initially impresses with its intense vegetarian broth. A long fermentation with yeast is decisive for this, as well as sheep’s milk, woodruff and smoked oil. The broth contrasts perfectly with the delicate, only lightly smoked fish. A very elegant prelude.
The turnip gratin has become one of the restaurant’s signature dishes. Complex, crispy, earthy and impressive, what can be created from the supposedly simplest of products. However, the process is anything but simple: a mille feuille is first layered from the beetroot, then pressed under weight and baked. A béchamel with strong mountain cheese provides further binding. On top, further preparations of the beetroot provide more texture: chopped and made into breadcrumbs. A vegetarian and very light horseradish beure blanc then provides the right balance, acidity and slight spiciness.
The black pudding bread, the only bread course on the menu, uses the black pudding directly incorporated into the dough, which is then steamed and fried again hot just before serving. Served with Roscoff onion marmalade and herb mayonnaise, herb salad and a generous mountain of black Périgord truffles.
In the last few minutes, we were able to observe the final preparation of the capon on the yakiniku grill. In a constant interplay of temperatures, the breast was repeatedly placed briefly on the fire and then allowed to rest for a few moments. Incidentally, capons are not allowed in Austria, which is why the roosters are imported from Piedmont (after the eponymous castration) and then grow for a further 6-12 months on the mountain meadow.
In the kitchen at the Chef’s Table, it’s not just about arranging and serving – almost all cooking processes take place directly in front of the guests.
The pike in the center of the following course was formed into a roll, with a farce of Bavarian shrimp inside and then also briefly roasted on the Binchotan coals and then carved. At the table, an intense deep sauce based on chanterelles, nuts, green strawberry and again N25 caviar is poured on.
A sorbet made from sea buckthorn, pumpkin and saffron is far more than just a little refreshment before the main course. Here, too, the depth of the product’s aromas is once again clearly evident.
Another course whose final preparation could be wonderfully observed throughout the evening. The duck was dry aged for 14-16 days beforehand and then coated with honey, lots of local herbs and pepper. First, it is cooked in the oven at high heat, followed by a long resting phase of almost 25 minutes to re-cook to the exact core temperature. Initially, only the breast is used, the other components are processed into a ragout that is served to guests the following day. In addition, a strong sauce based on the carcass stock, porcini mushrooms and tonburi. A very puristic and magnificent plate, all about an excellent product and craftsmanship at the highest level.
A small but very intense cheese course heralds the finale of the evening: The intense mountain cheese, which forms the basis, has been matured for over 5 years and is combined with elderberry and a 35-year-old balsamic vinegar.
An almost classic dessert concludes the menu at the Chef’s Table: a mousse of applewood, apple, lemon balm, Japanese medlar and roasted white chocolate forms the basis for a baked apple sorbet and a salty caramel sauce.
Back in the parlor, the evening ends with an excellent yeast and cinnamon bun and a vegan créme chantilly made with oat milk. This is accompanied by a tea made from collected wild herbs.
On this evening, in addition to the classic wine pairing, I also tried various drinks from the non-alcoholic pairing. The tea-based drinks are particularly noteworthy here, and a potato soup (which doesn’t taste like this, but smells exactly like this) is also exciting.
Whether in winter for the ski season or in summer for hiking and mountain biking – the Rote Wand is a must for all those who not only want to enjoy a luxurious break, but also experience top Alpine cuisine. Depending on the package booked and the duration of the trip, there are also options that include an evening at the Chef’s Table and a visit to the Culinary Lab.
A trip to the Rote Wand is a special experience and a real deep dive into the new alpine cuisine and the wonderful mountain landscape of Vorarlberg.
Rote Wand Gourmet Hotel
Zug 5,
A-6764 Lech am Arlberg
Austria
- Seiler, Christian (Author)
