The Deep Family Roots Of Steirereck Restaurant
At the Steirereck restaurant, which features impressive much talked about food trolleys and unique food ingredients, Head Chef Heinz Reitbauer takes pride in presenting Austrian cuisine to diners — and he's been doing so for nearly two decades (via The World's 50 Best).
Now situated in a city park in Vienna, Steirereck was opened by Reitbauer's parents the same year the chef was born, according to Great Chefs. Needless to say, Reitbauer entered a lifetime of hospitality and culinary arts, and his early studies cemented his desire to finish culinary training and gain experiences at various restaurants in France and England.
What began as a small local restaurant has since evolved into one of Austria's largest culinary successes, and Reitbauer and his team have earned every award and accolade received (per Blades of the Gods). But when Reitbauer first took over the head chef position at his father's kitchen, he wasn't immediately met favor with critics.
A family enterprise
With Birgit Reitbauer overseeing the restaurant's dining room, the duo now makes an impressive team, but it wasn't always smooth sailing. EY reports that when husband and wife took over the restaurant from Reitbauer's father, they received less than stellar reviews. Still, they continued undeterred and instead focused on improving the restaurant and creating a menu that would showcase local products.
In 1992, the Reitbauer family bought a farm and opened a country inn that was managed by the elder Reitbauer; in 2005, the family continued business expansion and purchased the building where Steirereck is located today (via Great Chefs). Now, not only does the family own and operate the renovated Steirereck and the country inn, but they also run a cafe below the Steirereck location (per The Cool Hunter).
Steirereck has since earned two Michelin stars and continues to offer one-of-a-kind tasting menus and a la carte dining sets on top of crisp white tablecloths, according to Andy Hayler's Restaurant Guide). As The Picky Glutton recalls, "The attention-to-detail of my waiter was almost second-to-none — he was eagle-eyed enough to spot a lone loose thread on my table cloth and snipped it swiftly." Here's to continued Reitbauer family success.