Paznaun kicks off the gourmet hiking season

Last updated on 12.07.2020

Dinner is served: On 12 July, the 12th Culinary Way of St. James started in Paznaun. On Sunday, visitors witnessed Paznaun top chefs hiking up to their adopted lodges and cook their special lodge creations. The creatively interpreted, down-to-earth lodge dishes created on this occasion from regional ingredients now feature on the respective lodge menus.

Delightful season start: On 12 July, the Culinary Way of St. James began its 12th edition. Those who go gourmet hiking from now until the end of summer 2020 in Paznaun do not need to carry provisions, because the Culinary Way of St. James promises relaxed high-altitude hiking and delightful gourmet treats on the gourmet routes to Jamtalhütte, Friedrichshafener Hütte, Heidelberger Hütte, Ascherhütte and Almstüberl.
Hereto, the five Paznaun top chefs Gunther Döberl, Hermann Huber, Benjamin Parth, Martin Sieberer and Andreas Spitzer 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 all summer long. Dishes to be tasted include Paznaun mountain cheese dumplings with warm cabbage salad, bacon & chanterelle mushroom dumpling, wild game Alpine Bolognese with potato gnocchi, Roulade of Paznaun highland beef with potatoes, smoke and onions as well as beef goulash with porcini & mountain cheese dumplings, wild herb salad and crispy onions.
Those who want to hike together with the chefs should pencil in the following dates: 26 July (Ascherhütte with Andreas Spitzer), 9 August (Friedrichshafener Hütte with Benjamin Parth), 16 August (Jamtalhütte with Hermann Huber), 23 August (Heidelberger Hütte with Gunther Döberl) and 6 September (Almstüberl with Martin Sieberer). Those who prefer ‘leisure cycling: All lodges along the Culinary Way of St. James can also be easily reached by e-bike or mountain bike. The bikes can be rented in Galtür, Ischgl, Kappl or See.
Supporting the event as partners are Rauch Fruchtsäfte, Handl Tyrol, Morandell, Brau Union Österreich, Feindestillerie Christoph Kössler and Weingut Walter Wien.
All details about the chefs and lodges as well as the recipes to download: www.ischgl.com/en/Events/Summer-Highlights/Culinary-st-jacobs-way. 

Jamtalhütte: Hermann Huber (Hotel Almhof Galtür)
Hermann Huber has been the chef at the Huber-Hotel Almhof**** in Galtür for close to 40 years and has achieved a great deal. He has made a name for himself at both a national and international level with his multiple award-winning cheese. The hotelier, master chef and passionate dairyman has no desire to rest on his laurels. He continues to draw inspiration from national, international as well as predominantly regional products and dishes. Whether at the dairy or in the kitchen, he is always on the lookout for something new to stand out from the crowd.
His dish for the Jamtalhütte: Paznaun mountain cheese dumplings with warm cabbage salad

Friedrichshafener Hütte: Benjamin Parth (Stüva, Hotel Yscla)
‘Get better every day’ is Benjamin Parth’s motto. The chef from the Hotel YSCLA in Ischgl and its Stüva gourmet restaurant is currently Ischgl’s most decorated chef: four toques (18.5 points) in Gault Millau 2020, five stars (97 points) in the Guide A la Carte 2020 and four forks (97 points) in the Falstaff Restaurant Guide 2020 speak for themselves. The highlights of his career to date: he was first listed in the Austrian edition of Gault Millau in 2009 with one toque (14 points) at the Stüva gourmet restaurant at the age of 19. This was followed by the award for ‘Gault Millau Chef of the Year 2019’ and his acceptance into the ‘Les Grandes Tables du Monde’ 2020.
His dish for the Friedrichshafener Hütte: Bacon & chanterelle mushroom dumpling

Heidelberger Hütte: Gunther Döberl (Stiar, Hotel Silvretta)
Gunther Döberl regards his kitchen as an Alpine pantry. He is fascinated by the ingenuity of times gone by when classics of Alpine cuisine were made from the simplest of ingredients. New techniques are paired with ancient techniques such as fermentation, drying, preserving and using all parts of an animal and this has become the cooking philosophy and attitude to life of the award-winning chef. Döberl selects sustainable and home-grown and farmed produce for his guests and works in close collaboration with regional producers. His greatest awards: four toques (17 points) in Gault Millau, four stars (94 points) in the Guide A la Carte, three forks (92 points) in the Falstaff Restaurant Guide. His cooking style: regional and Alpine with pizzazz. His focus: the modern interpretation of traditional farming dishes.
His dish for the Heidelberger Hütte: Wild game Alpine Bolognese with potato gnocchi

Almstüberl: Martin Sieberer (Paznaunerstube/Sieberer’s Heimatbühne, Trofana Royal)
Cooking is a calling for Martin Sieberer. His culinary career path led him to some of the best chefs in Austria, Germany and Switzerland. With the reopening of the Hotel Trofana Royal in November 1996, Sieberer discovered a new challenge. The Paznaunerstube gourmet restaurant has been a focal point for many gourmets and connoisseurs from the outset. In 1997, he was named ‘Upcoming Chef of the Year’ and the Paznaunerstube gourmet restaurant was the first in Paznaun to be awarded two Gault Millau toques. He was awarded a third toque in 1998. Then came the award for ‘Gault Millau Chef of the Year 2000’ and ratings in various gourmet guides. The Paznaunerstube is now one of the leading restaurants in Austria with an international reputation and Sieberer’s Heimatbühne has also received numerous awards. Martin Sieberer has held seven Gault Millau toques at his two restaurants since 2019.
His dish for the Almstüberl: Roulade of Paznaun highland beef with potatoes, smoke and onions

Ascherhütte: Andreas Spitzer (Fliana Gourmet, Hotel Fliana)
International cuisine with a down-to-earth vibe. After training at the Maria Alm and com-pleting various educational posts in Ischgl, Andreas Spitzer secured the chance to work as a chef at the ****S-Hotel Fliana at the age of 24. Here he sources the best foods from all over the world and seeks to combine them with local products and delicacies from Paznaun. He refines the textures, colour combinations and flavours. Spitzer’s cuisine is cosmopolitan yet with roots and is connected with Paznaun’s landscape. The passion which the award-winning chef serves up on the plate has been recognised with three Gault Millau toques. Spitzer draws inspiration for his culinary creations from the Paznaun mountains.
His dish for the Ascherhütte: Beef goulash with porcini & mountain cheese dumplings, wild herb salad and crispy onions

‘Culinary Way of St. James’ holiday package
Anyone wishing to explore the gourmet routes of the Culinary Way of St. James under their own steam during their holiday can also book a Paznaun mountain summer holiday package from 12 July until the end of summer 2020: five nights in Paznaun in a category of your choice and all services covered by the Silvretta Card all inclusive from 153 euros per person with breakfast. Online booking: https://www.paznaun-ischgl.com/en.

Holiday saving tip: Silvretta Card all inclusive
Hikers and mountain bikers visiting Paznaun benefit from the ‘Silvretta Card all inclusive’ on stays of one night or more. Free use of the cable cars and chair lifts throughout Paznaun means that all mountain biking trails, hiking routes and alpine pastures are freely accessible. Anyone in need of a cool down after sport can enjoy some free refreshment at the indoor and outdoor pools in Ischgl and Galtür as well as the bathing lake in See. Also included: bus trips in Paznaun and toll payments on the famous Silvretta High Alpine Road. All information: www.ischgl.com/en/Active/Active-Summer/Silvretta-Card-all-inclusive.

All information about the chefs and tours can be found at www.ischgl.com/en/Events/Summer-Highlights/Culinary-st-jacobs-way or www.paznaun-ischgl.com/en.

Latest in summer 2020: A holiday in Paznaun can be booked without a deposit payment and cancelled free-of-charge up to 7 days before the arrival date.
Good to know: guests can enjoy their quality time in Paznaun relaxed and 100% care-free. The passion and dedication of the hosts enhances the well-being of guests: with the ‘Concierge for your health’ service, Paznaun goes far beyond the required COVID-19 measures. Find out at www.ischgl.com what the new concept for guests involves.
In summer, the mountain railways in Paznaun are open as follows: Galtür: 3.7. to 27.9.2020; Ischgl: 3.7. to 13.9.2020; Kappl: 3.7. to 20.9.2020; See: 26.6. to 20.9.2020. The popular weekly programme with guided tours for Paznaun guests can also take place, provided reservations are made in advance and social distancing and hygiene regulations are respected.
For the latest information on which accommodation, mountain lodges, restaurants, sites and attractions are open as well as booking information, see: https://www.paznaun-ischgl.com/en.