La Loupe St. Anton, St. Christoph & Stuben am Arlberg No. 6

“We often try to
pick apart classic
dishes and then
put their individual
components back
together in a different
way.” Matthias
Weinhuber
“Up here one needs
to use more salt
and season more
strongly in general.”
Matthias Weinhuber
“I like to experiment
with chili, but it
doesn’t always have
to be spicy, it’s more
about the flavour.
”Matthias Weinhuber
L.L. Verwallstube is known for its excellent cuisine all over
the Arlberg. Mr Weinhuber, with you as chef de cuisine we
can look forward to new trends – what direction will the
gourmet restaurant’s development take in the future?
M.W. Certain classics – the Verwallstube-evergreens, like
Schnitzel, Tafelspitz (=boiled beef) and Fritattensuppe (=soup
with thin strips of pancake) – will stay on the menu, simply
because they are always in demand. As for the new things:
we have tried to pick apart classics, look at their ingredients
and put them back together in a different way. But in the
end, it’s still supposed to taste the way it did before, that’s the
challenge. We try out many things, we use different components
which might not look like they go well together at first,
only to end up surprised at the great dish that comes out.
However, during the season I hardly ever have time for experiments.
Our working hours are very limited, we can only go
up to Verwallstube at 8 and we have to come back down at
4:30 – and by then everything needs to be clean and supplies
must have been ordered. We have very little preparation time,
which is why we have daily recommendations and, depending
on the feedback, we decide whether the dish will be on
the menu again the next week. That way we serve new dishes
every week.
Matthias Weinhuber was trained as a chef at the
exclusive Hotel Schalber in Serfaus where his
cuisine was later awarded three Gault & Millau
“toques”. After a short stop at Late in Krems the
31-year-old came to Verwallstube where he is now
looking forward to his second winter as head chef.
Together with his young, motivated team he
creates unique taste
experiences in Austria’s highest-situated gourmet
restaurant.
On the other hand, we’re lucky,
too, we work in the restaurant
industry and have an 8-hour
day. That’s almost luxury. During
the hours we’re up there,
we work non-stop, the rest of
the time we’re free.
Stefan Fahrner went to tourism school in Bludenz
and is now finishing his studies of tourism and
leisure industry at MCI Innsbrucks. In the future
the 25-year-old will take over Verwallstube from
his father. As his father’s right hand, he already
supports the restaurant’s team wherever he can.