Julian Stieger

Julian Stieger's culinary philosophy at Rote Wand Chef's Table is deeply rooted in clarity, intensity, and a profound regional connection. He expresses his ethos through his dishes, believing that food itself is the most eloquent form of communication, eschewing verbose explanations. His approach redefines luxury not through opulence, but by a precise reduction to the essential elements: taste, form, texture, and origin. Stieger sees alpine cuisine as an "open system," a dynamic and living engagement with the surrounding landscape, the changing seasons, and the provenance of his ingredients. His overarching vision rejects the notion of a fixed "signature dish," which he perceives as culinary stagnation. Instead, he embraces continuous experimentation, leading to frequently evolving menus that distinctly reflect the different characters of summer and winter, always striving for "alpine avant-garde" that transforms tradition into the future. A cornerstone of Stieger’s artistry is his unwavering commitment to ingredient sourcing and his mastery of technique. He fosters exceptionally close relationships with excellent local producers and relies heavily on wild game from the hotel's own hunt, fish from a nearby pond in Zug (fed by the Lech river to ensure constant freshness), and produce from the restaurant’s own gardens. This focus ensures that products from the "near and middle vicinity" are given a new, elevated significance. Technical mastery is evident in his sophisticated use of fermentation, a standard practice at the "Rote Wand Culinary Lab," which produces ingredients like garum from smoked zander carcasses. His culinary creations are described as precise yet poetic compositions, meticulously crafted to translate the alpine landscape of Vorarlberg into an extraordinarily clear culinary language. Chef Julian Stieger's approach is defined by a powerful creative drive that communicates through dishes of remarkable clarity, intensity, and deep regional connection. He employs "puristic craftsmanship," often executed live in his open kitchen, where guests witness processes like dry-aged duck preparation and carving. Technically, his work is characterized by complex, multi-stage preparations, such as the meticulous layering and pressing involved in his turnip gratin, and the strategic use of equipment like the Binchotan grill for precise charring. A cornerstone of his technical mastery is the integration of fermentation, notably from the Rote Wand Culinary Lab, to create profound umami-rich flavors, as seen in his zander garum. Stieger is a profoundly "visual chef," conceiving and sketching dishes before he ever begins to cook them, ensuring that each plate is optically "ausgefeilt" – a harmonious composition of colors, proportions, and arrangement, often imbued with avant-garde accents. Flavors are balanced, intensely aromatic, and fresh, combining premium ingredients like N25 caviar and truffle with hyper-local elements, always aiming for precision and poetic expression. While Stieger intentionally eschews the concept of a singular "signature dish" to embrace continuous experimentation, the **Steckrübengratin (Turnip Gratin) with horseradish-beurre-blanc and mustard seeds** has garnered such popularity and acclaim that it is recognized as having the potential to become one. This "ingeniously complex" dish is celebrated for its crispy exterior, fine melting interior, and rich, juicy density. Other notable creations mentioned include the intensely umami Creme-Süppchen from smoked zander carcasses, a powerful brioche toast with wild boar, smoked crème fraîche, lardo, and black truffle, and a hoar-aromatic tartare of an eleven-year-old local dairy cow with confit portobello mushrooms and smoked mushroom dashi.

Career

• Apprentice at Landhaus Bacher, Mautern
• Chef at Le Ciel, Vienna
• Chef at Steirereck, Vienna
• Chef at Eleven Madison Park, New York
• Chef at Chef's Table (under Max Natmessnig), Zug (Lech am Arlberg)
• Chef at Geranium, Copenhagen
• Head Chef at Rote Wand Chef's Table, Zug (Lech am Arlberg)

Mentored by Thomas Dorfer, Max Natmessnig, Rasmus Kofoed.