Michelin Guide back

Michelin

He converted his parents' former Steigerwirt into the fine dining restaurant Rau in Großraming: Klemens Gold.

(Bild: Wenzel Markus)

Why do people choose to spend their vacation in Austria? Mountains, nature and culture are certainly still the most convincing arguments. But the culinary offerings are also increasingly "to blame" for people spending a few days in the Alpine republic. The return of the Michelin Guide will fuel this even more - Klemens Gold from Großraming is also convinced of this.

"Do it properly, otherwise you're wasting your time," his PE teacher advised him at school. And the sentence must have had an effect on Klemens Gold: After attending hotel management school in Weyer, he moved to Switzerland as a chef, where he won a Michelin star at the age of 24, earned a lot of attention for his affinity for design and worked for many celebrities (such as Roman Abramovich). He learned the basics of cheese making, butchery and baking during his time in Zermatt.

At the age of 24, the 34-year-old had already cooked his way to a Michelin star.

(Bild: Wenzel Markus)

The 34-year-old now runs his own restaurant, turning the former Steigerwirt, which was run by his parents, into a fine dining restaurant called Rau, which has also been awarded four toques in the new Gault&Millau.

The best chefs in Upper Austria in Gault&Millau 2025

816 establishments in Austria were awarded toques in the new Gault&Millau 2025, 58 of which are in Upper Austria. Seven establishments were awarded four toques:

• Bootshaus in Traunkirchen: Lukas Nagl
• Ois in Neufelden: Philip Rachinger
• Tanglberg in Vorchdorf: Maximilian Schellerer
• Der Holzpoldl in Lichtenberg near Linz: Manuel Grabner
• Lukas Restaurant in Schärding: Lukas Kienbauer
• Rau in Großraming: Klemens Gold
• Rossbarth in Linz: Pascal Dallarosa

In 2009, the French gourmet guide Michelin withdrew from the Alpine republic, now it's making a comeback in 2025. How does Gold rate the fact that stars will be awarded in Austria again? "It will be great," says the chef, who has campaigned for the return himself and invested a lot of time in it.

Culinary enthusiasts will stay in the region for several days - and everyone will benefit.

Vier-Hauben-Koch Klemens Gold über die Auswirkungen des Guide-Michelin-Comebacks

Selection for 2025 will be announced on 21 January
The top chef from the Steyr-Land district speaks of a "joint effort" that makes it possible to "promote our culinary identity internationally and thereby strengthen tourism and all the jobs and industries associated with it". On January 21, Guide Michelin will announce its selection for 2025. The tension is growing as the announcement draws closer.

"Hardly any external investors who lose interest after a few years"
Gold raves about the special culinary scene in Austria: "It is predominantly family-run. There are hardly any external investors here who lose interest after a few years. You can travel across the country and find something good and authentic to eat everywhere." There is a real sense of team spirit: "The restaurateurs help each other and are constantly exchanging ideas."