Extraordinary People from Austria
Gastronomy, cratmanship, music and nature
Introduction
Austria isn't just about the sights, the activities, and the landscapes - the people who live here at least as important. If you're looking for some extraordinary Austrians to tell your audience all about, here's a selection of creative minds, from a snow globe pioneer to a dirndl maker and award-winning chef.
The keeper of the snow globe secret: Sabine Perzy
What is now known around the world as a quintessential Viennese souvenir was actually invented in Vienna. Around 1900, surgical instrument mechanic and inventor Erwin Perzy I. developed the first snow globe. Today, 37-year-old Sabine Perzy runs the family business in its fourth generation.
Around 200,000 snow globes are produced every year at the Vienna-based manufactory – still entirely by hand. Alongside classics such as St. Stephen’s Cathedral and the Giant Ferris Wheel, the company also creates individually commissioned designs.
The glass globes are exported all over the world, with Japan being a particularly important market. There is also a secret inside each one: the snow itself is a closely guarded company secret, while the liquid inside the globe is nothing more than Viennese tap water.
Blacksmith artist Josef Eybl
In his 2022 book, Josef Eybl writes: “I was a whitewater kayaker, a paraglider, and I have a private pilot’s licence. But I was born to become a blacksmith.”
The man from the Mostviertel region fulfilled this dream in 1990, when he bought and restored what is now known as the Eyblhammer in Ybbsitz, along the historic Iron Road.
Ever since, Sepp, as everyone calls him, has dedicated himself to blacksmithing and creating works of art from iron.
He regularly offers blacksmithing courses and live demonstrations, making an important contribution to keeping the region’s centuries-old blacksmithing tradition alive.
The dry-stone wall builder Rainer Vogler
Anyone visiting the Wachau will see them everywhere: dry-stone walls protecting the region’s sometimes steep vineyards. Row upon row, they wind their way up the hillsides, shaping the landscape and providing a habitat for numerous animal and plant species.
The walls are built like a puzzle, using carefully matched stones and earth. The craft has been practiced in the Wachau since the 12th century and has been part of Austria’s Intangible Cultural Heritage since 2021.
Anyone looking to learn the art of dry-stone wall construction should turn to Rainer Vogler. More than 20 years ago, the teacher at the viticultural school in Krems realized that there were hardly any people left who knew how to build these traditional walls. He decided to revive the craft, acquired the necessary expertise himself, and has been teaching courses for anyone interested ever since.
Traditional boatbuilGerald Witti
Gerald Witti is a master of a particularly long-standing tradition that has become increasingly rare: together with his father Anton, he builds Zillen (narrow boats) in Hofkirchen in the Upper Danube Valley – a craft that has been passed down through the family for nine generations.
Before joining the family business, Gerald Witti attended a technical college in Linz. Since then, he has primarily built the boats from larch or spruce, with various models available.
The Witti family’s range includes river boats, rowing boats, motorboats, fishing boats, fire-fighting boats and excursion boats, to name just a few. Those curious to experience what it is like to ride in one of Witti’s stable Zillen can try one out as part of a boat rental. Conveniently, these boats are equipped with an outboard motor.
Dirndl maker Monika Trickl
Monika Trickl has been wearing Dirndl since childhood. She grew up on a farm and, after finishing school, decided to train as a dressmaker. After gaining years of practical experience and completing her master craftsperson’s examination, she opened her own tailoring workshop in Eugendorf in 2019.
Since then, she has been creating bespoke Dirndl with great attention to detail. Her workshop also produces traditional waistcoats for men. She sources fabrics such as cotton, linen, silk and velvet primarily from Austrian and German manufacturers.
It takes the master dressmaker around ten hours to make a simple Dirndl. Elaborately designed festive Dirndl, featuring details such as Froschgoscherln (specially shaped ruffle trims), braiding and embroidery, require considerably more time.
The effort is worthwhile – for the dressmaker as well as for those who wear her creations: Dirndl made from high-quality fabrics never go out of fashion and can last for generations.
Innkeeping siblings Barbara Kottke and Hans-Jörg Unterrainer
First documented in 1326 as the “Taverne zu St. Leonhard,” the Kirchenwirt in Leogang is considered the oldest inn in Salzburg. For more than seven centuries, the establishment has served as a resting place, meeting point and stopover for travellers, pilgrims and locals along the route connecting Salzburg and Tyrol.
The Kirchenwirt has been owned by the same family for around 150 years. Today, siblings Barbara Kottke and Hans-Jörg Unterrainer run the listed historic inn in its sixth generation. Before returning home, both gained experience far from Leogang: Barbara as a marketing manager, Hans-Jörg as a professional snowboarder who even competed at the Olympic Games.
Together, the siblings are committed to bringing the history of the house to life while showcasing the flavours of its Alpine surroundings. The Kirchenwirt has long been considered a culinary destination of the highest calibre: a Michelin star, four Gault & Millau toques and numerous other awards have cemented its reputation as one of the leading gastronomic destinations in the Alps.
Vegetable-loving chef Stefanie Sonnleitner
Cooking has always played an important role in Stefanie Sonnleitner’s life. Her mother, acclaimed chef Sissy Sonnleitner, ran the Kellerwand restaurant in Kötschach-Mauthen together with Stefanie’s father. Mother and daughter cooked side by side there for several years, and Stefanie also spent some time working in the restaurant’s service.
In 2019, a few years after her father’s death, they decided to close the restaurant. Stefanie Sonnleitner, who has always had a particular passion for vegetarian and vegan cuisine, found a new home at the Biohotel Daberer. She has since been able to pursue her passion for vegetable-based cooking as sous-chef and also looks after the hotel’s own vegetable garden.
Stefanie regularly shares her tips and tricks for vegetable-based cuisine at cooking workshops, which she co-hosts with head chef Florian Bucar.
The rising chef Lisa Morent
Lisa Morent was already working in her parents’ restaurant kitchen as a schoolgirl. For her, training as a chef was the natural next step.
After completing her apprenticeship in Vorarlberg, she returned to her home village of Zöblen in the Tannheim Valley, where she has since been bringing a fresh perspective to both the kitchen and the concept of the traditional family-run business, s’Morent.
A certified cheese expert and sommelier, she combines in-depth expertise with curiosity and creativity. She puts outstanding local products centre stage and uses her dishes to tell stories that reflect the landscape and character of the Tannheim Valley.
Collaborative innkeepers Katrin and Sabrina Steindl
Katrin and Sabrina Steindl run the Unterwirt in Ebbs with a clear vision: for them, hospitality is about creating a sense of community. As hosts, they place a strong emphasis on networking, exchange and visibility – particularly for female chefs and women working in the hospitality industry.
They see their establishment not simply as a restaurant, but as an open space for dialogue, culinary experiences and new perspectives. With a strong focus on community, the Unterwirtinnen foster collaborations, events and initiatives that empower women in the kitchen and across the hospitality sector.
In doing so, they are creating a place where contemporary gastronomy, a strong sense of purpose and mutual support naturally go hand in hand.
Award-winning bartender Andreas Hotter
Andreas Hotter runs the Englhof in Zellberg in the Zillertal in its third generation. But he is not only a hotelier – he is also a highly talented and multiple award-winning bartender. In 2016, he became Austrian Bartending Champion and went on to take third place at the World Championships. In 2017 and 2018, he received the Mixology Bar Award.
The renowned Mixology magazine and Falstaff publishing house named his bar the best hotel bar in Austria and recognised Hotter himself as the country’s most innovative bartender. The judges praised his distinctive approach of “Alpine Mixology”. A glance at the bar menu reveals what this means in practice.
It features creations such as a Beetroot Colada, a cocktail made with cranberries and yoghurt, and an Alpine Negroni prepared with rowan berry, gentian and Swiss stone pine spirits, as well as cranberries.
Passionate host Susanne Dorfer-Bacher
In 2014, Susanne Dorfer-Bacher took on a great legacy: running Landhaus Bacher in Mautern, one of Austria’s finest gourmet destinations. The restaurant’s success was established by her parents, the acclaimed chef Lisl Wagner-Bacher and wine expert Klaus Wagner.
For Susanne Dorfer-Bacher, a career in hospitality was a natural choice. “Service is such a wonderful profession,” she says. She also trained as a sommelier. Her expertise as a host has earned her recognition from, among others, the specialist magazine Rolling Pin.
In 2023, Susanne Dorfer-Bacher was named “Maître of the Year”. Her husband, Thomas Dorfer, carries on the culinary legacy. Since 2004, the highly decorated chef has led the kitchen. Susanne and Thomas married in 2006, and together they have succeeded in maintaining the restaurant’s position among Austria’s culinary elite while continually adding new touches. The kitchen and service have been awarded five Gault & Millau toques and two Michelin stars.
Master chef Theresia Palmetzhofer
Theresia Palmetzhofer knew from an early age that she wanted to become a chef. Her mother inspired her to pursue the profession. Before opening the restaurant “Zur Palme” in her parents’ former home in Neuhofen an der Ybbs in 2016, Theresia gained culinary experience in Italy, Spain, Denmark and Vienna.
Today, she skilfully combines international influences with regional ingredients. From Alpine fish and vegetables, fruit and berries to mushrooms and fine oils, her ingredients are sourced from the surrounding area wherever possible. Her creative cuisine has won over discerning diners.
Theresia Palmetzhofer has held three Gault & Millau toques for several years. In 2023, the Austrian trade magazine Rolling Pin named her “Chef of the Year”, and in 2024 she was included among Austria’s 100 Best Chefs. The MICHELIN Guide, which returned to Austria in 2025, recommends her restaurant.
Soulfood queens Jaqueline and Carolyn Herzog
Jaqueline studied English and Italian, while Carolyn studied architecture. Both have always had a passion for food. Jaqueline ran an Alpine mountain hut where she made everything herself, from bread and butter to fresh cheese. Carolyn experimented with fermentation.
When a restaurant became available to take over in Maria Alm at the foot of the Hochkönig in 2021, the sisters seized the opportunity and founded “Die Herzogin”, a very different kind of traditional Austrian inn.
Since then, Jaqueline has prepared in the kitchen everything that can be made in-house. Carolyn designed the interior and works as both host and sommelier. The sisters source their food and drinks from carefully selected producers. When an ingredient is not available locally – such as salsiccia or chorizo – they work with producers to develop regional alternatives.
Today, “Die Herzogin” is one of Maria Alm’s leading gourmet destinations. Gault & Millau has recognised their commitment with one toque.
Tea-loving chef Klemens Gold
“At that time, yeast was practically my pet,” writes Klemens Gold (formerly Klemens Schraml) on his website. A trained chef, he travelled the world in his younger years and was particularly fascinated by microbiological processes.
In 2018, he took over his parents’ restaurant Rau in Großraming and has since devoted himself to what he calls “nature-based cuisine”. With great success: his kitchen has been awarded four Gault & Millau toques, as well as one MICHELIN Star and one MICHELIN Green Star.
In 2019, Klemens Gold came up with the idea of creating a low-alcohol beverage and founded the first tea winery in Großraming. Under the name “Combuchont”, he produces cold-filled tea beverages with the shelf life of wine and an alcohol content of two to three percent by volume.
In March 2025, he opened Austria’s first tea garden, where he now cultivates the classic tea plant Camellia sinensis across an area of around two hectares.
Josef Zotter hands over to his daughter Julia
Almost everyone in Austria, and likely far beyond, knows chocolate from Zotter and its founder, Josef Zotter. A new chapter lies ahead for him: in March 2026, he will hand over the chocolate manufactory to his daughter Julia.
Josef Zotter, who previously worked as a chef and ran his own cafés, entered the chocolate business in the 1990s. In 1999, he founded his manufactory in Riegersburg, which he runs together with his wife, Ulrike. Zotter is known for its unconventional creations and a range of around 700 varieties.
The company has long offered vegan chocolates and varieties made with alternative sweeteners. Naturally, the ingredients are organically certified, fairly traded and made with pure cocoa butter.
Julia has been working in the family business since 2014. In her new role as head of the company, she will have the support not only of her parents but also of her two siblings, who are likewise involved in the Zotter business.
Cider pioneer Karin Maleninsky
Karin Maleninsky has been working with good taste for many years. In her previous career, she was a manager in the textile retail industry. But eventually, her passion for cider took over.
For several years, she has run the Maleninsky urban farm in Enns together with her husband, Robert. Together, they transformed the farm into a modern winery. With a spirit of experimentation and a keen sense for unusual flavour combinations, Karin Maleninsky creates refined sparkling cider-style drinks from apples and pears.
Her efforts have paid off: her products regularly receive awards. Karin places great value on collaborating with fellow producers and is committed to preserving Upper Austria’s traditional orchards as a founding member and president of “MostTraun4tler”.
Danube winemakers Andrea and Stephan Greindl
Stephan studied at the viticultural school in Krems, while Andrea studied business administration. After completing their education, Andrea and Stephan Greindl married in 2020 and decided to become winemakers.
On Stephan’s parents’ farm in Naarn in the Mühlviertel region, they planted their first vineyards, choosing exclusively PIWI grape varieties that are resistant to fungal diseases and well suited to the humid Danube climate. Today, they cultivate 2.5 hectares of vines and regularly receive awards for their wines.
In addition to wine and Frizzante, the couple also produces schnapps and gin. One of their spirits, for example, is made from the grape pomace left over from wine production. Andrea and Stephan share insights into their work through guided farm tours and tastings.
Creative spirit David Gölles
A new era began at the Gölles Manufaktur in Riegersburg, known for producing premium vinegars and spirits, on 1 April 2025, when founder Alois Gölles handed the business over to his son David. David enjoyed helping with the fruit harvest as a child, and later became involved in vinegar production and the distillation of fine spirits.
After finishing school, he studied food science and biotechnology at the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, and gained professional experience abroad. In spring 2016, he returned home with a broad range of knowledge and expertise.
While his father primarily works with fruit, David focuses on grains, sugarcane molasses and aromatic herbs, as well as on maturation processes in wooden barrels. These ingredients are transformed into whisky, rum, gin and vodka – all highly acclaimed and award-winning.
With an expanded range and a wealth of fresh ideas, David Gölles is embarking on a new chapter for the family business.
Innovative farmer and forester Gerhard Neuhold
The roots of the Schafmandl Hof in Mariatrost near Graz date back to the 18th century. Determined to keep the farm in the family, Gerhard Neuhold took it over together with his wife in 2012.
Looking for alternatives to traditional dairy farming, Gerhard Neuhold converted the farm to organic agriculture. In addition to keeping cattle, he also began keeping bees and developed a passion for beekeeping. His honeys have received numerous awards over the years.
In 2019, he himself was named “Beekeeper of the Year” in Styria. Forestry is another important part of the business. In one of his forests, Gerhard Neuhold has even established a truffle plantation. He also cultivates shiitake mushrooms on logs. Both delicacies are highly sought after by restaurants and chefs in the surrounding area.
Visionary Emanuel Moosbrugger
After 13 years and experiences around the world, Emanuel Moosbrugger returned to his family business in Bizau in the Bregenzerwald in 2013. Since then, the trained hotel professional and sommelier has run the Biohotel Schwanen in its fifth generation.
“Reduce to the max” is his guiding principle. Following the hotel’s most recent renovation, geothermal energy provides heating and cooling, while solar power supplies electricity. The interiors are crafted by local artisans, and in the cuisine.
The Schwanen sources its ingredients from the surrounding area, follows a strictly organic approach and draws heavily on the teachings of Hildegard von Bingen. The result has delighted both gourmets and culinary guides: the restaurant holds three Gault & Millau toques, a MICHELIN Green Star and the MICHELIN Guide’s “Bib Gourmand” distinction.
Versatile restaurateur Sarah Brückner
Sarah Brückner grew up in Egg in the Bregenzerwald and developed a passion for cooking from an early age. After training as a chef, she gained experience as a store manager in food retail before fulfilling her dream of opening her own restaurant, “Sarah kocht”, at the Posthaus Egg.
Since December 2024, she has been serving a crossover cuisine that combines regional ingredients with international influences. Quality and provenance are particularly important to her, which is why she sources many of her ingredients directly from local producers.
Her menu ranges from homemade pasta and Mediterranean seafood to classic Austrian dishes such as Zwiebelrostbraten and Tafelspitz. The family-run restaurant offers daily changing lunch menus, including a vegetarian option, as well as afternoon snacks and cakes and a varied à la carte dinner menu.
Young chef Julian Stieger
January 2025 was a major milestone for the Rote Wand Chef’s Table in Zug near Lech am Arlberg. At the presentation of the MICHELIN Guide Austria, the renowned culinary guide awarded the restaurant two stars.
Head chef Julian Stieger also received the “Young Chef Award”. Since 2022, the young chef has been leading the kitchen at the intimate, refined restaurant. Before that, he gained experience at some of the world’s finest restaurants in Copenhagen, New York, Lower Austria and Vienna.
The MICHELIN Guide’s inspectors were particularly impressed by his “elaborate yet pared-back combinations”.
Guests at the Rote Wand Chef’s Table can expect a menu of 16 to 19 courses, with regional produce playing a central role.
Gault & Millau Hosts of the Year 2025: Tanja & Tobias Schöpf
Since 2024, Tanja and Tobias Schöpf have run the Wirtschaft Taube in Klösterle. Their strong focus on regional cuisine has earned them three Gault & Millau toques and the title of “Wirtshaus of the Year 2025”.
The small inn is run entirely by the couple: Tanja takes care of the guests, while Tobias works his magic in the kitchen, bringing the traditions of the region to life through inventive dishes. Fruit and vegetables are served fresh, pickled or fermented, while meat, fish, cheese and dairy products are sourced from nearby producers.
Seasonal specialities such as game come from Tobias Schöpf’s father, who works as a professional gamekeeper. The couple, who now have two children, met while working at a hotel in Lech am Arlberg. After working together at several establishments, including Fuxbau in Stuben am Arlberg, they eventually made their way to the Klostertal valley, where Tobias grew up.
Plant-based pioneer Larissa Andres
Larissa Andres is one of the leading voices in Vienna’s vegetarian and vegan dining scene. Together with her partner, Jonathan Wittenbrink, she runs the fine-dining restaurant JOLA, which has attracted international attention for its creative, entirely plant-based cuisine and is recommended by the MICHELIN Guide.
With their restaurant lara, the couple has expanded their concept with a more relaxed all-day dining experience focused on vegetarian and vegan cuisine, combining enjoyment with accessibility.
Andres’ distinctive style can be found in both restaurants: modern, pared-back and uncompromisingly plant-based. Together, the two venues are helping establish Vienna as an exciting destination for contemporary vegetarian cuisine.
Theatre artist Anna Luca Krassnigg
Anna Luca Krassnigg has five first names, two surnames and seemingly hundreds of ideas every minute. As a director, writer, head of the Sea Change Initiative and directing professor at the Max Reinhardt Seminar in Vienna, she puts many of them into practice.
At present, her greatest passion is the Wortwiege Festival in Wiener Neustadt, which she founded and has directed since 2020. The festival brings a diverse range of thought-provoking and unique forms of theatre to life in the city’s historic casemates. The next edition will take place from 16 February to 21 March 2027.
Away from the stage, she embraces her Italian family heritage, performing under the name Anna Luca Poloni with her band Fox On Ice as a lyricist, singer and performer.
Operetta director Thomas Enzinger
Thomas Enzinger once described operetta as “high-gloss” and a “place of longing” – a world in which the Vienna-born director feels particularly at home. After training as an actor and performing at various theatres, he has become one of the leading directors in musical theatre and entertainment.
Since 2017, he has served as artistic director and managing director of the Lehár Festival in Bad Ischl, which celebrates its 65th anniversary in 2026. With modern, lively productions, Enzinger keeps the genre fresh and popular with both audiences and the media. Alongside his festival work, he is also involved in television productions, leads workshops and writes theatre and cabaret pieces.
For the 65th Lehár Festival (10 July to 16 August 2026), he will bring three operettas to the stage: Gräfin Mariza by Emmerich Kálmán, Boccaccio by Franz von Suppè and Der Göttergatte by Franz Lehár.
Bird of prey expert Thomas Wechselberger
Thomas Wechselberger practices an art that has been part of the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage since 2010: he is a falconer and masters the ancient art of hunting with birds of prey. He learned falconry from his father and began practising at the age of 12.
Today, Thomas Wechselberger runs the AdlerBühne Ahorn at an altitude of 2,000 metres above Mayrhofen in the Zillertal. During the summer, he and his team introduce children and adults to birds of prey such as eagles, buzzards and eagle owls.
Daily demonstrations (closed on Fridays) give visitors the chance to see these majestic aerial acrobats in action and learn fascinating facts from the falconers about the habits and lifestyles of these wild birds. In winter, visitors can explore Europe’s highest bird-of-prey station free of charge every day except Saturday and watch the birds being trained between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m.
Gardener Regina Metzer-Mattes
In 2012, Regina Metzer-Mattes fulfilled a childhood dream: opening her own garden centre. At just 23, she became self-employed in a traditionally male-dominated industry and opened reGREENa.
Before that, she had attended the horticultural college in Langenlois and worked at garden centres in Vorarlberg. Today, Regina and her team of around ten run a floristry department, garden centre and tree nursery in Andelsbuch in the Bregenzerwald. The owner and her husband are particularly passionate about growing vegetables.
With great dedication, they cultivate a 4,500-square-metre field where a variety of vegetables – or “GREENzeug” – are grown. The locally produced vegetables are hugely popular and are almost always sold out.
Trendsetter Franz Tschiderer
Few people have shaped tourism in Tyrol as profoundly as Franz Tschiderer. Having started out as a drummer, he later became a strategic pioneer who helped set the pace for an entire industry.
After studying business administration in St. Gallen, Switzerland, and completing a doctorate on destination development, he recognised the untapped potential of the Alps. His central question was: how do you develop a product that truly works?
A family holiday with his three-year-old daughter gave him the idea of positioning his hotel in Serfaus as a family hotel – a radical move at the time that initially met with considerable scepticism, but quickly proved to be a successful model.
His systematic approach became the foundation for an entire region. As chairman of the local tourism association, he worked with hotels, mountain railways and ski schools to consistently focus the destination on families as its key target group. In 2005, he brought about the merger of Serfaus, Fiss and Ladis.
In tourism organisations, Franz Tschiderer has always known how to pull the strings behind the scenes. His guiding principle: success can only be achieved when all forces work together.
In recognition of his life’s work, he received the Tirol Touristica Award in 2026.
Olympic champion Alessandro Hämmerle
When the FIS World Championships in snowboard, freestyle and freeskiing take place in the Montafon from 6 to 21 March 2027, local fans in Vorarlberg will have one athlete in particular to cheer for: Alessandro Hämmerle, a two-time Olympic champion who grew up in Gaschurn in the Montafon.
His speciality is snowboard cross, a competition in which groups of at least four riders race simultaneously down a course. Hämmerle won gold in the event at the 2022 Olympic Games in Beijing and again at the 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Milan-Cortina.
In his free time, the athlete prefers to stay close to home, spending time with his wife, family and friends. More recently, he has also taken up golf in the summer, finding that the golf course is the perfect place to switch off and unwind.
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