What was your first industry job?
A three-month stage in a restaurant in my home town in Austria when I was 14.
If you weren’t in kitchens, what would you do?
I would love to be a bartender.
What industry figure do you most admire, and why?
I’m not going to name some famous chef who I never worked for or with. The people I look up to are two of my former head chefs, Thomas Carvallho de Sousa and Kieran McLaughlin. They’re both outstanding chefs and just genuinely good people. I learned a lot from both about handling a team and staying calm as well as appreciating products. Nothing ever is as important as your team and your product. One example of Kieran’s calmness was when I completely messed up the orders on a busy day in 2022 when we were working together at Kona in Copenhagen, and it ended up having an impact on an entire dinner service. No idea how Kieran didn’t lose it, he just pulled through and still made the night enjoyable for our guests.
What’s your pet hate in the kitchen?
Asking me a question and then not listening to the answer. But that goes for the outside life too. Manners man, manners.
What’s the oddest thing a customer has said to you?
‘Are you not letting me in because I’m Asian?’ - she was totally serious, ignoring that the restaurant was full. It was in a Japanese restaurant and there were more Asian people than others working that day. Come to mention it, why was I working the door that day when I was head chef?
Sum up your cooking style in a single sentence…
Product focused and well-seasoned.
What’s the worst review you’ve ever had?
Being called ‘pretentious’ for the least pretentious dish ever, it was something like a terrine with Meaux mustard.
What advice would you give someone starting out in the industry?
Taste. Every. Single. Thing! Can’t say this often enough. You’ll never be able to cook if you don’t taste. Also: nothing ever is as important as your team and your product.
Which single item of kitchen equipment could you not live without?
Easy, knives.
What would you choose to eat for your last meal?
Ortolan, the old school way. After you had that, there’s nothing left to do really.
À la carte or tasting menu?
À la carte unless it’s a really high-end place, then always tasting menu.
What’s the best meal you’ve ever had in a restaurant?
Lunch at Epicure in Paris. That place doesn’t get the attention it deserves. Éric Fréchon is an absolute genius and the service is unmatched. Never been to a better restaurant.
What’s your favourite fast food joint?
Don’t have one, not my kind of food.
What’s the dish you wish you’d thought of?
Tarte tatin. If you come up with that, you made it in life.
MasterChef or Great British Menu?
Never seen either one.
What’s the most overrated food?
Eggs; scrambled, fried, poached. Just not my thing.
You’re restaurant dictator for a day – what would you ban?
Heating up strawberries. You have a perfect product and just fuck it up by turning it into fucking jam.
Who would your dream dinner party guests be?
My family - Kurt, Andrea, Nico, Luca and Lea. They live in a different country, so I don’t get to cook for them as often as I’d like to.
What’s your earliest food memory?
Grilling a trout with my dad and uncles after going fishing. Still cook my fish that way at home.
Twitter or Instagram?
Instagram.
What’s the closest you’ve ever come to death?
Eating the khua kling livers at Smoking Goat. They’re so spicy I thought, I’m not going to make it. One of the best dishes I had in London.
Where do you go when you want to let your hair down?
My flat. No place like home to really let loose. Bottle of champagne and the living room is your oyster.
What’s your tipple of choice?
Vermouth out of a soup bowl. Chefs will understand this. Or ice cold vodka.
What’s your favourite food and drink pairing
Dirty Martini (dry, gin, lemon twist) with oysters or caviar. First take a sip, then eat. Or sake and cheese. Obviously not just any sake and any cheese, though.
What do you consider to be your signature dish?
Probably foie gras and smoked eel en crôute with Sichuan pepper sauce.