Blue Goose boss

“Cruise ship? I’ll never see the inside”

Andreas Gfrerer was born in Salzburg on August 24, 1971. At the age of 26, he took over the Hotel Blaue Gans in the old town. The interview was conducted by Elisa Torner.

(Bild: Tröster Andreas)

Hotelier Andreas Gfrerer spoke to the "Krone" about goosebump moments and what jazz and bitter food have to do with them. The Salzburg native served homemade pasta for the interview.

Mr. Gfrerer, it makes sense for us to meet for dinner in your garden at the Blaue Gans. We're having homemade pasta filled with artichokes for dinner.

There's a reason why I chose this dish. Because it contains everything that makes our house special. We have taken up the Venice theme in it. For centuries, the goose was the "Einstellwirt", the innkeeper who provided a bed and stable for merchants traveling to the trading metropolis of Venice.

Interesting! You took over the house when you were only 26 years old. A great challenge.

For me, the business under the former tenant lacked something crucial: Quality and identity. Some of the things that came my way were quite adventurous. But I found the challenge exciting because I could make something completely new out of it. It was always important to me to tell the story of the hotel. It was a hostel from day one, in the 1350s. In the 1990s, as a student in the USA, I stumbled across the concept of boutique hotels.

You like to describe your hotel as a "collection box of stories".

I have a motto for the hotel: I want the people who stay with me to experience something of this story. They should be touched by something and they should pass on these feelings. I also like to use the term "goosebumps" for this. Goosebumps are a reaction to a stimulus. You feel safe, at home, you resonate in the same vibration. Each of these experiences teaches you something about yourself, at best.

The guest garden of the Blaue Gans

(Bild: Tröster Andreas)

Speaking of which: when was the last time something touched you? When was the last time you had goosebumps?

I don't have to think about it for long. It was at the Salzburg Festival. Riccardo Muti conducted a concert with the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra. And he did it in an incredibly impressive way. Truly monumental. Music touches me in general. Especially jazz. I particularly like the aspect of improvisation. It makes you understand how important improvisation is in everyday life too. Especially when you come up against resistance. That's when friction arises. And that is precisely what I find an exciting point of observation. Because a lot can develop from it. You get out of your comfort zone.

About the person

Andreas Gfrerer was born in Salzburg on August 24, 1971. At the age of 26, he took over the Hotel Blaue Gans in the old town. In 2000, he co-founded the City of Salzburg Cultural Initiative and from 2005 was on the board of the tourism association. From 2008, he was chairman of the Salzburg Old Town Association. He resigned unexpectedly in 2022, as he felt the time was right for a change. Gfrerer is married and has two daughters.

Can you remember such a point in your life?

I was with my chef in Friuli in a restaurant that focused on terroir cuisine. They only served dishes with various bitter notes. I was just about ready to get up and leave. Not because it was bad, but it was extremely challenging at first. But then I got involved and at the end I was immediately euphoric because I had embarked on a real journey of development.

Do you cook yourself?

I think getting together at the family table is very important. And that you then take time for each other and have conversations. The children in particular should learn how to hold a conversation and not immediately look at their cell phones. The dishes on the table are relatively simple, but with a certain kick.

Homemade pasta stuffed with artichokes

(Bild: Tröster Andreas)

How do you vacation privately?

Personally, I like to travel individually. So I rule out the possibility of ever seeing the inside of a cruise ship. I also find group travel difficult. But I do like hotels with a high, private quality. I like to sit in the lobby and see what the guests and staff are up to. A hotel is actually a stage. These different encounters are experiences that enrich you. I take impressions home with me that I can put into practice. And all these impulses that come from traveling change you. Just like a visit to the theater.

Does the professional view always travel with you? Are you critical as a guest?

I think when you're in this industry, you tend to be more generous than petty with your view of others in the same profession. Because you know what's involved and also what can go wrong. Incidentally, I would like to see more of that for us as a society in general: That we treat each other with more leniency. Personally, it has always been important to me that we can contribute to peaceful coexistence with what we do here. This longing is what drives me.