Family: The Secret Ingredient

"The Reitbauer family are masters at preserving tradition, while simultaneously stepping into the future. When you go to Steirereck, you are not just walking into a restaurant; you are entering an entirely original culinary realm, built by Heinz and Birgit Reitbauer, as visionaries looking far beyond the confines of their premises. Heinz Reitbauer began his career with an apprenticeship in his parents' business, before completing it with another influential restaurateur family: the Obauers in Werfen. Wirtshaus Steirereck am Pogusch in Turnau was the family project that Heinz Reitbauer initially set up in 1996, and managed until he and his wife Birgit swapped locations with his parents in the early 2000s and took over Steirereck in Vienna; Meierei im Stadtpark was also brought into the fold. A close-knit, ecologically minded network was formed, linking gastronomic vision, agriculture, and proximity to nature. The aim was to create added value that goes beyond the purely culinary, for guests and also for the team. Co-Head Chef Michael Bauböck has been a part of the Steirereck family since 2013, working alongside the Reitbauers. Quality and regionality, livestock from their own farm, and the pursuit of a self-sufficient circular economy also shape the cuisine at Steirereck… as does tradition. The legendary bread and cheese trolleys are just as integral a part of the menu as the classic veal shoulder with chive dumplings and marjoram." - Le Guide MICHELIN