11th Culinary Way of St. James in Paznaun

Last updated on 19.03.2019

The pinnacle of delectation in the highlands: Guests of Paznaun once more hike along the culinary Way of St. James from 7 July until the end of the 2019 summer. On five gourmet routes they’ll find down-to-earth alpine dishes with a creative twist, cooked by five international starred chefs using regional produce. Recipes included. This year’s starred chefs are Tristan Brandt, Paul Ivić, James Knappett, Onno Kokmeijer and Jean-Georges Klein.

Those who go “gourmet hiking” in Paznaun between July and September won’t need to worry about food, as on 7 July 2019 the starting shot for the 11th Culinary Way of St. James will be fired. This means: relaxing hiking and indulgent gourmandising on five gourmet routes at more than 2,000 m above sea level. To this end, five international starred chefs – initiated by the tourist office Paznaun – Ischgl and under the patronage of Chef of the Century Eckart Witzigmann – will assume patronage for one mountain lodge each to create a fancy yet down-to-earth dish from regional produce. Hikers can then find this dish on the respective lodge menu in summer 2019. Those who want to watch the chefs at work: For the start on 7 July 2019, the starred chefs will walk the culinary gourmet route together with their guests and then cook their speciality dish at their designated lodge. Gourmet tip: At the summer festival of the Culinary Way of St. James at Jamtal Hut, all five-star creations can be sampled on 18 August. All the details: www.ischgl.com/en/Active/Active-Summer/Culinary-st-jacobs-way.

The pinnacle of delectation in the Paznaun highlands
In summer 2019, gourmet hikers in Paznaun can be sure to get their money’s worth on five gourmet routes. At the 11th Culinary Way of St. James, starred chefs Tristan Brandt (D), Paul Ivić (A), James Knappett (GB), Onno Kokmeijer (NL) and Jean-Georges Klein (F) will assume patronage for one summer for the Friedrichshafener Hut, Heidelberger Hut, Ascher Hut, Jamtal Hut and Almstüberl, putting a specially created alpine dish on the respective menus. The only requirement: it must be a down-to-earth dish using regional produce with a creative touch. For the start on 7 July, the special dishes will then be prepared and presented by the respective chefs at the individual lodges. Then guests can follow the five gourmet routes, sample the new creations when stopping off at the lodges and collect the recipes to try out at home. Tirolean Martin Sieberer will be in charge of coordinating the top chefs in 2019 once more, who with three toques and 18 points for his Paznaunerstube in Hotel Trofana Royal numbers among Austria’s best chefs. Those who prefer “leisure cycling”: All huts along the Culinary Way of St. James can be easily reached by e-bike or mountain bike. The bikes can be rented in Galtür, Ischgl, Kappl or See.

Friedrichshafener Hut: Paul Ivić (Restaurant Tian in Vienna)
Uncompromisingly fair and artful. That’s the best way to describe Paul Ivić’s award-winning vegetarian cooking. With his creations from purely vegetarian ingredients and a never-ending search for the best quality, fairly produced groceries and sustainable cooking, Ivić was awarded one Michelin-Star and three toques by Gault&Millau for restaurant TIAN in Vienna. This was unprecedented in Austria for a vegetarian restaurant. For his guests he uncompromisingly transforms fairly produced and organic produce, including almost forgotten types of vegetables, fruits and grains, into spectacular fancy dishes. “As hosts we not only put enjoyment, quality and beauty on the plate, but also embrace our social responsibility”, says Paul Ivić.

Heidelberger Hut: Tristan Brandt (Restaurant Opus V in Mannheim)
Under the motto: “Experimenting yes, but the identity and taste of the products must always be preserved”, Tristan Brandt and his team in OPUS V in Mannheim conjure up discerning gourmet cuisine. Contemporary so, without any fancy frills. The basis of his creative and authentic cooking is formed by regional and seasonal produce, supplemented with national and international ingredients. In doing so, the OPUS V team relies on its trustful relations with its partners, suppliers, farmers, winegrowers, breeders, pâtissiers, bakers and cheesemakers. In December 2016, OPUS V was awarded its 2nd Michelin-Star.

Jamtal Hut: Jean-Georges Klein (Restaurant Villa René Lalique, Wingen-sur-Moder)
Light, spirited, technical, airy, colourful, tasty… there simply aren’t enough adjectives to describe Jean-Georges Klein’s cooking. The talented, self-taught chef got Villa René Lalique its first two stars in just three months. This distinction awarded so quickly by Guide Michelin is a reflection and acknowledgement of the head chef’s precision, technique, consistent work and development. His aspiration: developing classical cooking with the help of modern techniques, because for him the future lies in the creativity and personalisation of dishes.

Almstüberl: James Knappett (Restaurant “Kitchen table” at Bubbledogs in London)
James Knappet’s cooking is inspired by his experience in the kitchens of world-famous restaurants, including Noma, The Ledbury and Thomas Keller’s Per Se. In 2012, the head chef opened Bubbledogs in London together with his wife and sommelier Sandia Chang, in which he serves champagne and sparkling wine with typical hot dogs. Hidden away at the rear of Bubbledogs is his Kitchen Table: A “head chef table” for 20 persons, at which Knappett and his team celebrate intimate dinners with daily alternating 12-course menus from carefully selected and prepared British ingredients. In 2014, the Kitchen Table received its first Michelin-Star. In 2017, the Knappetts were awarded the Welcome Service Award by Michelin for “proving that harmony can reign between kitchen and service team”. In 2018, the Kitchen Table received its coveted second Michelin-Star.

Ascher Hut: Onno Kokmeijer (Restaurant Ciel Beu in Amsterdam)
Onno Kokmeijer knew at the age of nine that he wanted to become a chef. His culinary journey in Ciel Bleu began in 2003, when he was asked to manage the restaurant. Since then the Executive Chef and Manager, meanwhile named chef of the year 2019 by Gault&Millau, has been working tirelessly with his Chef de Cuisine Arjan Speelman on creating a first class culinary experience. And successfully so: In 2005, they received their first Michelin-Star. In the following years, the requests of the international hotel guests became the foundation of their cuisine. Result: the restaurant was awarded the coveted second star in 2007.

Holiday package “Culinary Way of St. James”
Those who want to explore all five dishes on the gourmet routes of the Culinary Way of St. James by foot, can also book their holidays in the Paznaun alpine summer from 7 July to the end of the summer 2019 as a package: Five nights in Paznaun in a category of your choice including all services of the “Silvretta Card all inclusive” can be had from € 153.00 per person incl. breakfast. Online booking: www.paznaun-ischgl.com/en.

Holiday savings tip: Silvretta Card all inclusive
Hikers and mountain bikers in Paznaun benefit from the guest card “Silvretta Card all inclusive” from stays of just one night. Thanks to the free use of the cable cars and chairlifts all through Paznaun, all mountain bike trails, hiking routes and alpine pastures are accessible at no cost. Those looking for some cooling off after all those sports can enjoy a free dip in the outdoor and indoor pools in Ischgl and Galtür as well as in the swimming lake in See. Also included: Bus rides in Paznaun and the toll on the famous Silvretta High Alpine Road. All the details: https://www.ischgl.com/en/Active/Active-Summer/Silvretta-Card-all-inclusive.

All details about the chefs and tours can be found www.ischgl.com/en/Active/Active-Summer/Culinary-st-jacobs-way or www.paznaun-ischgl.com/en.