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 fantastic 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, he managed the entire gastronomy of Restaurant IMLAUER, Pitterkeller, banqueting and catering as head chef. Since the refurbishment in 2014, Dominik Münch has been head chef at the IMLAUER Sky – Bar & Restaurant, ensuring the highest quality and excellent results.
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 cap for the IMLAUER Sky for the 8th time. What does this latest award mean to you?
It’s actually the 11th hood for me. We were awarded the toque twice for the IMLAUER restaurant, at that time still in the Crowne Plaza, once during the transition from the IMLAUER restaurant to the IMLAUER Sky and now for the eighth 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 over such a long period of 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 remember your first hood? How did it feel back then?
That was incredible. At the young age of 23, you are offered the opportunity to work as a chef in such a large and prestigious establishment and immediately receive a toque. From that moment on, the pressure was naturally particularly high to maintain this level at all times. I am very proud of myself and my team for mastering this challenge every 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. In addition to Austrian dishes, you will also find many recipes from France, Italy and Asia in our kitchen. We try what we like and combine different culinary styles on our monthly menus.
One of the most popular dishes at IMLAUER Sky is the 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 my work 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.
