The rule of six has never tasted so good! Regional Delights in the Alpine Mountains of Paznaun, the Austrian Tirol
This summer, guests staying in the Paznaun region can hike the St Jacob’s Culinary route with a choice of six gourmet trails. Along the way, experience six traditional Alpine inn dishes made with local ingredients by six top chefs from the area.
Six routes, six Alpine inns, six chefs and six very special dishes – the number six has just become special. From 10 July 2021, St Jacob’s Culinary route will bring renowned chefs high into the mountains for the 13th year. The event promises relaxed hiking and delightful dining across six gourmet routes, all at over 2,000 metres altitude. Each chef, from Paznaun, will adopt one mountain lodge and create a refined dish that is native to the region, made from local ingredients. Hikers can find these delicious creations all summer long on the respective Alpine inn menus.
New for 2021: On six specific Saturdays, join a guided hike to one of the participating inns with its respective chef. These days of hiking will be accompanied by culinary summer evenings at corresponding hotels and restaurants owned by the chefs. All Information: www.culinary-st-jacobs-way.paznaun-ischgl.com.
Holiday Package for the Culinary Way of St Jacob
Those who want to hike the gourmet routes of St Jacob’s individually can also book their holiday as a package during summer. A five night-stay in Paznaun, in a category of your choice, as well as all services of the Silvretta Card Basis, costs from €175 per person incl. breakfast. Online Booking: www.paznaun-ischgl.com.
And for those who prefer “indulgent cycling”. All Alpine inns along the Culinary Way of St Jacob can be easily reached by e-Bike or Mountain Bike. The bikes can be rented in Galtür, Ischgl, Kappl or See.
Meet the Six Chefs at the Six Huts
Friedrichshafener Hütte: Benjamin Parth (Stüva, Hotel Yscla)
Benjamin Parth’s philosophy is “improve every day”. The head chef at Hotel YSCLA, with its in-house gourmet restaurant Stüva in Ischgl, is currently the most decorated chef in Paznaun: his four toques (18.5 points) in Gault & Millau 2021, five stars (97 points) in Guide A la Carte 2020, and four forks (97 points) in the Falstaff restaurant guide 2020 speak for themselves. In addition to this, his new Bar-Lounge-Club SPACE 73 was awarded with two toques (13 points) on its first attempt in the Gault & Millau 2021. Highlights of his career until now: in 2009, Parth – at only 19 years of age – was first listed with one toque (14 points) in the Austrian edition of the Gault & Millau. The ‘Gault & Millau Cook of the Year 2019” award and inclusion into the exclusive “Les Grandes Tables du Monde” restaurant association followed. Most recently, Parth won the “Young Chef Award 2020” by the renowned French restaurant guide “La Liste”.
Almstüberl: Martin Sieberer (Paznaunerstube/Sieberer`s Heimatbühne, Trofana Royal)
For Martin Sieberer, cooking is a vocation. His culinary career has led him to the best kitchens in Austria, Germany and Switzerland. With the reopening of Hotel Trofana Royal in November 1996, Sieberer found his challenge. The Paznaunerstube gourmet restaurant has been a checkpoint for countless foodies. As early as 1997, he was awarded as Newcomer of the Year and the epicurean restaurant, Paznaunerstube in Paznaun, was the first to be awarded with two toques by Gault & Millau. In 1998, the third toque followed. The award of “Gault & Millau Cook of the Year 2000”, as well as awards in various gourmet guides were also added to the list. Now, the Paznaunerstube is among the leading restaurants in Austria with an international reputation and Sieberer’s home venue has also won several awards. Since 2019, Martin Sieberer has achieved seven Gault & Millau toques at his two restaurants.
Ascherhütte: Andreas Spitzer (Fliana Gourmet, Hotel Fliana)
Andreas runs an incredible, inspirational and international kitchen in Paznaun. After an apprenticeship as a chef at the Maria Alm, and instructive placements in Ischgl, Andreas Spitzer took the chance to get started as a chef at four-star-S-Hotel Fliana at the age of 24. Today, he gets the best food from all over the world and tries to combine it with local produce and specialities from Paznaun. He plays with textures, colour combinations and tastes. Spitzer’s cooking is cosmopolitan and, at the same time, rooted and connected with the local land. The passion that the award-winning chef brings to the plate was rewarded with three toques by Gault & Millau.
Heidelberger Hütte: Patrick Raaß (Schlossherrenstube, Schlosshotel Ischgl)
For the new executive chef de cuisine at the Schlosshotel Ischgl, cooking is a vocation, and a passion, plus he has a love for the local produce. The Austrian Wörgl native got his career off to a flying start with several year-long placements with the best chefs. Heinz Winkler – Residenz Winkler, Johann Lafer – Stromberg, Hans Haas – Tantris, Alfons Schubeck – Südtiroler Stuben. The motivation of head chef Patrick Raaß is to meet the highest standards of the guests in fine dining settings, and to fascinate them with new dishes. He pays particular attention to the use of the best and freshest products from the region, but his creativity goes far beyond its borders.
Faulbrunnalm: Hermann Huber (Hotel Almhof Galtür)
Hermann Huber is a chef at Huber-Hotel Almhof**** in Galtür. With his multiple award-winning cheeses, he has already made a name for himself on national and international level. The hotelier, master chef, and passionate dairy farmer does not want to rest on his laurels. Even today, he is inspired by both international, national, and most importantly, regional products and dishes. Whether in the Alpine dairy or a kitchen, he is always on the search for something new to stand out from the crowd.
Jamtalhütte: #YoungChefsPaznaun (Trofana Alm)
With enthusiasm and a lot of commitment, the #YoungChefsPaznaun bring regionality back to life. Sustainability is implemented in the highest quality every day. The Paznaun Cooks Club has existed since 1997. With the #YoungChefsPaznaun, young inquisitive successors have also joined forces to make cooking an experience and the Paznaun Cooks Club has been given a new vitality. Sharing their fresh, creative ideas, the up-and-coming chefs use a whole host of local and distant products, which results in exciting and often extraordinary flavour components on the plate.
Dates for cooking hikes and culinary summer evenings:
10 July (Almstüberl with Martin Sieberer),
23 July (Hotel Yscla/Stüva with Benjamin Parth)
24 July (Friedrichshafener Hütte with Benjamin Parth)
30 July (Schlossherrenstube with Patrick Raaß)
31 July (Heidelberger Hütte with Patrick Raaß)
20 August (Hotel Fliana with Andreas Spitzer)
21 August (Ascherhütte with Andreas Spitzer)
3 September (Trofana Alm with Raaß)
4 September (Jamtalhütte with #YoungChefsPaznaun)
17 September (Hotel Rössle with Hermann Huber)
18 September (Faulbrunnalm with Hermann Huber).
All information about the cooks and tours can be found at www.kulinarischerjakobsweg.paznaun-ischgl.com or www.paznaun-ischgl.com. The shortest hike is six km each way the longest 27km each way.
Direct image downloads here: Culinary Way of St Jacob 2021
Captions:
Kulinarischer Jakobsweg _2021_1: In summer 2021, Paznaun guests can hike the 13th Culinary Way of St Jacob on six gourmet trails, and try six traditional alpine inn dishes made with local ingredients by six top chefs from Paznaun (c) TVB Paznaun – Ischgl
Kulinarischer Jakobsweg _2021_2: New 2021: On six Saturdays, you can go on a guided hike to one of the participating inns with its respective chef (c) TVB Paznaun – Ischgl
Kulinarischer Jakobsweg _2021_3: During Summer 2021 in Paznaun, the Jamtalhütte, the Faulbrunnalm, the Friedrishshafener Hütte, the Heidelberger Hütte, the Almstüberl and the Ascherhütte will become the sought-after summer destinations for gourmet hikers (c) TVB Paznaun – Ischgl
Kulinarischer Jakobsweg _2021_4: During the 13th Culinary Way of St Jacob, the top Paznaun chefs, Benjamin Parth, Martin Sieberer, Andreas Spitzer, Patrick Raaß, Hermann Huber and the #YoungChefsPaznaun are taking over one alpine inn each and will be putting a specially-created dish on the menu for guests (c) TVB Paznaun – Ischgl
