10 Years of Koch.Campus: Austria's Culinary Think-Tank - more dynamic than ever

How it all began

Spring 2013 in the magnificent garden of Landhaus Bacher. Chef Thomas Dorfer and gastro expert Klaus Buttenhauser discussed how they were inspired by food events in neighbouring countries but expressed disappointment with the low perception of Austrian cuisine abroad. They were hungry for exchange with like-minded people and alarmed by a looming seed regulation. So, what to do? The two decided the time was ripe to take the future of Austrian cuisine into their own hands! 

Birth of Koch.Campus

Buttenhauser and Dorfer picked up the phone and gathered the top Austrian culinary experts: Heinz Reitbauer, Josef Floh, Erich Stekovics, Richard Rauch, Thorsten Probost and Andreas Senn at Andreas Döllerer in Golling in the state of Salzburg. Together they delved into the subject of fermentation, exchanged ideas about extraordinary food pairings and the nose-to-tail concept, and forged the campaign "One Unit for Diversity" as a countermovement to the looming seed ordinance, which endangered the domestic diversity of fruit, vegetables and other plant varieties.

Koch.Campus today

This pioneering spirit still drives the group to face relevant issues and challenges together in 2023. A core tenet since very beginning has been the strong cooperation between gastronomy and agriculture. They conduct research together, learn from each other and deliver valuable results for producers, chefs and consumers.

The think-tank meets three to four times a year to conduct basic culinary research, critically question current issues and gain new insights. 

These are just a few of the many topics that Koch.Campus has worked on over the years in sophisticated workshops.

The future

Koch.Campus considers dealing with primary products to be essential, but the group sees its tasks as much more far-reaching.

Koch.Campus stands for:

• Cooperation between cuisine & agriculture 

• Positioning occupations in gastronomy and agriculture as a young, attractive life and work models

• Anchoring Austria on map as a culinary travel destination 

• Seasonal, regional and organic products and the preservation of the country's long culinary tradition

• Knowledge transfer – not only within Koch.Campus, to the individual member companies and colleagues in the industry but also to guests, institutions and the political sphere

• Driving research and innovation

Koch.Campus is growing!

New companies are joining Koch.Campus all the time.

Koch.Campuses in recent years

Koch.Campus members:

1)      Brodnjak Robert – Krautwerk (Lower Austria)

2)      Bucar Florian - Biohotel Daberer GmbH (Carinthia)

3)      Buchberger Robert – Fleischerei Buchberger (Styria)

4)      Buttenhauser Klaus – Tischgesellschaft (Vienna)

5)      Cis André – Panoramahotel Cis (T)

6)      Csencsits Jürgen – Gasthaus Csencsits (Bgld)

7)      Döllerer Andreas – Döllerer (S)

8)      Dorfer Thomas – Landhaus Bacher (Lower Austria)

9)      Fankhauser Peter – GuatzEssen (T)

10)   Fink Hans Peter – Gasthaus Haberl/ Fink Delicatessen (Styria)

11)   Flammer Dominik – Public History (CH)

12)   Floh Josef – Gastwirtschaft Floh (Lower Austria)

13)   Fuchs Gerhard – Die Weinbank (Styria)

14)   Gesellmann Albert – Weingut Gesellmann (Bgld)

15)   Geisler Stefan - Schulhaus Tirol (T)

16)   Göttfried Christian – Göttfrieds (Upper Austria)

17)   Grabmer Clemens – Restaurant Waldschänke (Upper Austria)

18)   Grabner Manuel – Restaurant Holzpoldl (Upper Austria)

19)   Gugumuck Andreas – Wiener Schneckenmanufaktur (Vienna)

20)   Hackl Norbert – Biohof Labonca (Styria)

21)   Heinrich Gernot –Gernot and Heike Heinrich Winery (Bgld)

22)   Herbst Andreas – Dahoam (S)

23)   Hofer Thomas – Bergergut (Upper Austria)

24)   Höllerschmid Manfred – Fleischwaren Höllerschmid (Lower Austria)

25)   Ivic Paul – Tian (Vienna)

26)   Jans Renate & Philipp – Figerhof (T)

27)   Kajtna Bernd – Arche Noah (Lower Austria)

28)   Kerschbaumer Michael - Kaslabn (Nockberge) (Carinthia)

29)   Kienbauer Lukas – Lukas‘ Restaurant (Upper Austria)

30)   Kolm Michael – Bärenhof Kolm (Lower Austria)

31)   Lastin Stefan - Gamskogelhütte (Carinthia)

32)   Leitgeb Armin – Le Treize (T)

33)   Leth Franz – Leth Winery (Lower Austria)

34)   Machreich, Uwe – Triad (Lower Austria)

35)   Moosbrugger Emanuel – Biohotel Schwanen (Vbg)

36)   Muhr Dorli – Dorli Muhr Winery (Lower Austria)

37)   Mühlmann Josef – Gannerhof (T)

38)   Müller Hannes – Genießerhotel Die Forelle (Carinthia)

39)   Nagl Lukas – Restaurant Bootshaus in Seehotel Das Traunsee (Upper Austria)

40)   Nindler Fritz & Granegger Kevin - Mountain Resort Feuerberg (Carinthia)

41)   Nuart Eva – Nuart Sheep's milk specialities (Carinthia)

42)   Ott Bernhard – Bernhard Ott Winery (Lower Austria)

43)   Parth Benjamin – Hotel Yscla (T)

44)   Pichler Lucas - F.X. Pichler Winery (Lower Austria)

45)   Pohorec Reinhard – Pohorec Sensory Experience (Vienna)

46)   Rachinger Philipp – Mühltalhof (Upper Austria)

47)   Rachinger Helmut – Fernruf 7 (Upper Austria)

48)   Rauch Richard – Geschwister Rauch (Styria)

49)   Redolfi Werner – Redolfi kitchen systems (Vienna)

50)   Reisetbauer Hans – Reisetbauer Qualitätsbrand (Upper Austria)

51)   Reitbauer Heinz – Steirereck (Vienna)

52)   Ressi Manuel – Bärenwirt (Carinthia)

53)   Riezler Jeremias – Biohotel Walserstuba (Vbg)

54)   Rützler Hanni – Future Food Studio (W)

55)   Schenk Wolfgang – Tax consultant (Vienna)

56)   Schöpf Tobias – Restaurant Fuxbau (Vbg)

57)   Schraml Klemens – Rau (Upper Austria)

58)   Senn Andreas – Senn’s Restaurant (S)

59)   Spindler Josef – Ölmühle Fandler (Styria)

60)   Steffner Josef – Mesnerhaus (S)

61)   Stekovics Priska – Stekovics (Bgld)

62)   Stekovics Erich – Stekovics (Bgld)

63)   Thurner Franziskus – Hotel at Weissensee (Carinthia)

64)   Vetter Simon – Vetterhof (Vbg)

65)   Vigne Jürgen – Restaurant Pfefferschiff (S)

66)   Walch Josef – Rote Wand (Vbg)

67)   Wallner Hubert – Gourmet Restaurant Huber Wallner (Carinthia)

68)   Weissgerber, Alain - Taubenkobel (Bgld)

69)   Wesonig Michael - Michis frische Fische (Styria)

70)   Winkler Vitus – Hotel Sonnhof (S)

71)   Zehentner Matthias – Tauernlamm (S)