Regional Delight in the Highlands of Paznaun

Seven gourmet trails, seven alpine inns, six top chefs and seven traditional alpine inn dishes: On 9th July 2022, the 14th "Culinary Way of St. James" opens its gourmet trails again and calls guests to hike to creatively interpreted dishes made with local ingredients by top chefs from Paznaun.

Starting from 9th July 2022, the "Culinary Way of St. James" will bring top chefs into the mountains for the 14th time and promises relaxed hiking and delightful dining across seven gourmet routes. Six top chefs will adopt one or in case of the #YoungChefsPaznaun two alpine inns each and create each a refined dish that is native to the region made from local ingredients. Hikers can find these culinary creations until the end of September on the respective alpine inn menus. Those who want to hike together with the chefs: On seven Saturdays during the summer, you can go on a guided hike to one of the respective alpine inns with its respective chef. These hiking days will be accompanied by "Culinary Summer Evenings" in the corresponding hotels and restaurants of the chefs on the respective day before the hike. All Information: www.paznaun-ischgl.com/kjw.

Delight in the Alpine Mountains

During Summer 2022 in Paznaun, the Jamtalhütte, the Faulbrunnalm, the Friedrichshafener Hütte, the Heidelberger Hütte, the Alpenhaus, the Almstüberl and the Ascherhütte will become the sought-after summer destinations for gourmet hikers. During the 14th "Culinary Way of St. James", 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. Requirement: It must be a creative interpretation of a regional dish made using local ingredients. From the 9th of July, Paznaun guests can then follow the gourmet routes, either individually, or on seven specific dates accompanied by the chefs themselves and taste the new creations. For those who prefer "indulgent cycling": All alpine inns along the "Culinary Way of St. James" can be comfortably reached by e-bike or mountain bike. The bikes can be rented in Galtür, Ischgl, Kappl and See.

Dates for cooking hikes and culinary summer evenings:

• 9^th July: Guided hike to the Alpenhaus with Benjamin Parth

• 22^nd July: "Culinary Summer Evening" at Trofana Royal with Martin Sieberer

• 23^rd July: Guided hike to the Almstüberl with Martin Sieberer

• 29^th July: "Culinary Summer Evening" at Hotel Alpina with the #YoungChefsPaznaun

• 30^th July: Guided hike to the Friedrichshafener Hütte with the #YoungChefsPaznaun

• 19^th August: "Culinary Summer Evening" in the Schlossherrnstube with Patrick Raaß

• 20^th August: Guided hike to the Heidelberger Hütte with Patrick Raaß

• 27^th August: "Culinary Summer Evening" at Hotel Fliana with Andreas Spitzer

• 28^th August: Guided hike to the Ascherhütte with Andreas Spitzer

• 9^th September: "Culinary Summer Evening" at Hotel Fluchthorn with the #YoungChefsPaznaun

• 10^th September: Guided hike to the Jamtalhütte with the #YoungChefsPaznaun

• 16^th September: "Culinary Summer Evening" at Hotel Rössle with Hermann Huber

• 17^th September: Guided hike to the Faulbrunnalm with Hermann Huber

Alpine Inns and Chefs of the 14th Culinary Way of St. James

Alpenhaus: Benjamin Parth (Stüva & Space 73, Hotel Yscla Ischgl)

"Improve every day" has been the philosophy of Benjamin Parth, currently Tirol's most decorated chef. In this way, the talented Ischgl native has managed to join the culinary elite of Austrian gourmet gastronomy within a few years: 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. After his apprenticeship years with Heinz Winkler and numerous stays abroad, Benjamin Parth returned home and has been working since 2008 as head chef of the Hotel YSCLA with its in-house gourmet restaurant Stüva. Current awards: Four toques (18.5 points) in the Gault&Millau 2022, five stars (97 points) in Guide A la Carte 2022 and four forks (97 points) in the Falstaff Restaurant Guide 2022. Highlights of his career so far include the title "Gault&Millau Chef of the Year 2019" and 2020 the inclusion into the exclusive "Les Grandes Tables du Monde" restaurant association. In April 2022, Benjamin Parth also made a guest appearance as guest chef at the Ikarus restaurant in Hangar-7 in Salzburg, which is decorated with two Michelin stars and five Gault&Millau toques.

Almstüberl: Martin Sieberer (Paznauner Stube & Heimatbühne, Hotel Trofana Royal Ischgl)

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 the Hotel Trofana Royal in November 1996, Sieberer found his challenge. The Paznaunerstube gourmet restaurant has been a checkpoint for countless gastronomes and foodies. With this first gourmet restaurant, the pioneer Martin Sieberer laid the foundation for further culinary development in Ischgl and the entire Paznaun. As early as 1997, he was awarded as "Newcomer of the Year" and the gourmet restaurant Paznaunerstube was the first to be awarded with 2 toques by Gault&Millau in Paznaun. In 1998, the third toque followed. The award of “Gault&Millau Cook of the Year 2000”, as well as the 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 Heimatbühne has also won several awards. Since 2019, Martin Sieberer has achieved seven Gault&Millau toques in his two restaurants.

Ascherhütte: Andreas Spitzer (Fliana Gourmet, Hotel Fliana Ischgl)

International kitchen with traction. After an apprenticeship as a chef in the Maria Alm and instructive placements in Ischgl, Andreas Spitzer took the chance to get started as a chef in the ****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 products and treasures 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 Paznaun agriculture. The passion that the award-winning chef brings to the plate, was rewarded with the three toques by Gault&Millau. Spitzer finds the inspiration for his culinary creations in the Paznaun mountains. Awards in 2022: 3 toques (15.5 points) in Gault&Millau, 1 star in Guide A la Carte and 2 forks (87 points) in the Fallstaff Restaurant Guide.

Heidelberger Hütte: Patrick Raaß (Schlossherrnstube, Schlosshotel Ischgl)

For the executive chef de cuisine at the Schlosshotel Ischgl, cooking means a vocation, passion and love for the products. The Wörgl native got his career off to a flying a start. His several year-long placements are an extraordinary and rare statement – always with the best. Heinz Winkler – Residenz Winkler, Johann Lafer – Stromberg, Hans Haas – Tantris, Alfons Schubeck – Südtiroler Stuben. The motivation of head chef Patrick Raaß: to meet the highest standards of the guests in fine dining and to fascinate them with new interpretations. With his 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. Current awards: 4 toques (17 points) in Gault&Millau in the Schlossherrnstube, 2 toques (13 points) in Gault&Millau in the Weinstube, 2 forks (85 points) in Falstaff.

Faulbrunnalm: Hermann Huber (Hotel Almhof Galtür)

Hermann Huber – for almost 40 years as a chef at the Huber-Hotel Almhof**** in Galtür – has achieved a lot. With his multiple award-winning Alpine cheese, he has already made a name for himself on the national and also 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 of course most importantly regional products and dishes. Whether in the alpine dairy or a kitchen, he is always on the search for something new in order to stand out from the crowd.

Friedrichshafener Hütte: #YoungChefsPaznaun (Hotel Alpina Ischgl)

These are the 5 chefs of the #YoungChefsPaznaun who have joined forces as part of the "Culinary Way of St. James" in summer 2022 to provide culinary delights with their dish at the Friedrichshafener Hütte and at the "Culinary Summer Evening" at the Hotel Alpina in Ischgl.

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 Chefs Club" has existed since 1997. With the #YoungChefsPaznaun, young inquisitive successors have now also joined forces, and are making cooking an experience and the "Paznaun Chefs Club" has been given a new vitality. Young ideas from other kitchens and countries find their execution with local products and the symbiosis from distant lands with herbs, fish, game, cheese, and fruits from the region results in exciting and often extraordinary flavour components on the plate.

Jamtalhütte: #YoungChefsPaznaun (Hotel Fluchthorn Galtür)

Dominik Ojster | Michael Bachler | Michael Sieberer | Sissy Rainer

These are the 4 chefs of the #YoungChefsPaznaun who have joined forces as part of the "Culinary Way of St. James" in summer 2022 to provide culinary delights with their dish at the Jamtalhütte and at the "Culinary Summer Evening" at the Hotel Fluchthorn in Galtür.

You will find all necessary information about the chefs and hikes under www.paznaun-ischgl.com/kjw or www.paznaun-ischgl.com.