THE PLACE TO BE CREATIVE
A SUCCESS STORY
For the 8th time in a row, the IMLAUER Sky – Bar & Restaurant has been awarded a toque by Gault & Millau. Head chef Dominik Münch has made this great achievement possible from the very beginning as head chef at IMLAUER Sky. We conducted an interview with him and found out more about his career and personal preferences.
Dominik Münch has been working at the IMLAUER Hotel Pitter since 2011, when it was still part of the Crowne Plaza Group. From 2012, as head chef, he managed the entire gastronomy of the IMLAUER restaurant, Pitterkeller, banqueting and catering. Since the renovation in 2014, Dominik Münch has ensured the highest quality and excellent success as head chef of the IMLAUER Sky – Bar & Restaurant.
You’ve been head chef here for 8 years now, since the IMLAUER Sky opened in 2014. Do you still love the popular view over Salzburg?
Yes, I personally like to call it the most beautiful workplace in Salzburg. From the kitchen you have a wonderful view of Maria Plain and the Gaisberg.
You have achieved a toque for the IMLAUER Sky for the 8th time. What does this latest award mean to you?
This is actually the 11th toque for me. We received the toque twice for the IMLAUER restaurant, back then still in the Crowne Plaza, once during the transition from the IMLAUER restaurant to the IMLAUER Sky and now for the 8th time for the IMLAUER Sky Restaurant. I am always proud that we are able to convince Gault & Millau of our quality despite the very high frequency.
What does it take to keep an award-winning restaurant at a consistently high level for such a long time?
A good chef and a consistent and professional team, sous chefs you can rely on and the will to give every guest an unforgettable experience.
Do you still remember your first hood? How did it feel back then?
That was incredible. At the young age of 23, you get the offer to work as a chef in such a large and prestigious establishment and immediately earn a toque. From that moment on, the pressure was naturally particularly great to maintain this level at all times. I am very proud of myself and my team for mastering this challenge year after year.
What experiences have particularly shaped you in your professional career?
My training, as well as the master chef course and years of professional experience in top gastronomy, such as Kloster UND, Tantris and Restaurant Weyringer. Another special highlight for me was the collaboration and personal exchange with Eckart Witzigmann and Klaus Erfort.
How can you describe the culinary line of the IMLAUER Sky?
Good home-style cooking at the highest level with innovative creations of our own. In addition to Austrian dishes, our cuisine also includes many recipes from France, Italy and Asia. We try what we like and combine the most diverse culinary styles on our monthly menus.
One of the most popular dishes at IMLAUER Sky is truffle pasta. What makes this dish so special?
The homemade truffle sauce, made with a lot of love and time, is what makes our truffle pasta so unique.
Which area of the kitchen do you feel most comfortable in, where do you like to be most creative?
There is no area of the kitchen where I don’t feel comfortable. I enjoy working as a saucier [note: sauces, stocks, broths], rotisseur [note: meat dishes] and entremetier [note: side dishes] the most.
I can always be creative in the kitchen, but it’s especially fun to create the new monthly menu and try out new dishes for it
What is your personal favorite dish?
My last meal would be braised beef cheeks with truffle polenta.
