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The day begins in the famous Hotel Sacher like every morning with a meeting.
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Director Rainer Heilmann has his Department head around him.
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"So, today we have some arrivals other we have the delegation, the
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will arrive at noon. The flag I think so
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be hoisted ... "Rainer Heilmann has been the director here for 24 years,
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He comes from Melle in Lower Saxony. A Piefke leads perhaps the most Austrian
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of all hotels - how could that happen? "Well, that's a good question. In the first one
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Moment you think, it's a contradiction in itself - but it is not
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I must say. At that time I like to Hotel director was determined
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was it really the case that hardly, at least here in Vienna, there was a German
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the leading position in the luxury hotel. Of course, at the beginning a few times
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asked by guests that I have not yet knew
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who wanted to know where I came from. Said they do not come right out
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Vienna...? That was a very nice description,
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but it was never a problem at all. " He commands over 330 employees in the
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Hotel. One for European conditions sumptuous number, with 149 rooms and suites.
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Also the housekeepers and keeper are Employees and not outgesourct, like
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elsewhere. The Sacher employs people from 27 nations.
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She's only recently with it: Helen Busch from Erlangen. Trainees in the
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first year of apprenticeship in the Sacherkuche. You were already allowed to make Wiener schnitzel? Yes. And difficult? When you get the hang of it ... there really is one
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beautiful rocking movement for the pan, so that the lard and
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the fat spreads nicely over the schnitzel and it's baking nicely. But it has to
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really much fat in? Big mess right much fat.
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Let's see what awaits them today. Even her boss has someone else about her:
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Alexandra Winkler. Her family has owned the hotel since 1934.
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We have here ... There is a decision to: new uniforms for the Wagenmeister,
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park the guest cars. Can the second as a summer with a vest, too
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is very nice. Then we'll do it that way. Must also be a Grand Hotel Director in be saddled with fashionable things?
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Certainly not in fashionable things, but there I have Frau Winkler.
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No, but I think it's already on essential part is that you too in
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every detail is involved. Be it here in the design - and we are very
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loving detail and also the family is very loving detail, but I think that does
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also something out if you are a private lead guided house. The man in
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every detail involved and that is Ultimately, what the guest sees and
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observed. Helen Busch, the apprentice in the basement kitchen, is now to take the
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Vacuum Puntarella, a bitter chicory species. "Do they already have that?
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Austrian kitchen vocabulary all on it? Carrot, Melanzane ...
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But you know what cassava is: cauliflower. Is very confusing. I have been to supermarkets
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and asked for the cauliflower and then they stood in silence for five minutes
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and did not know what the other one meant. Good thing Puntarella also in Austria
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Puntarella means asparagus chicory
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Did you learn this? Yes ... What's wrong, what happened? That's wrong vacuumed ...
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I'm just a beginner in vacuuming.
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That is relatively feasible - so that's alright ... The cooking point is even.
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In the meantime, your boss is probably going to his favorite course, to the confiserie next door.
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Because he is not just hotel, but also pie director. Now even the director is waiting patiently here
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because the guests have priority. The guests and the customers always have
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Priority, then we like to wait here. The advice is still important.
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There is not much to advise on the product, everyone knows that, Sacher-Torte. The original Sachertorte
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you know, but many just want to over the sizes know who
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Durability know how they work Packed is how you can ship them.
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So there are some questions. Yearly The Sacher sells 360,000 units.
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One is waiting for Helen Busch Challenge: with Zander for 30
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She has never had anything to do with people. Is it unusual for a trainee to roast a fish in his first year of apprenticeship?
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Exceptionally it depends, ever after what you apprentice then
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trusts. This is here once for one Afternoon celebration, this is the fish
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fried, first on the skin side and with salt and lemon pepper. Then
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he is placed there on the surface, with Butter, so he does not burn, just before
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we put it on the plate again hot push off. And if she's the ten servings now in the sand
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put, what then? Then the Felix has to debark the fish again ...
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After fish is still her boss in the morning Not. Rather after cake. Found for over 100 years
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the production in the basement of the hotel instead of. For this, the place and long ago missing
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the 40 employees bake in the Suburb. With real eggs from the shell
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and not from the tetra pack,
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with muscle power and without vending machines. Why is this done by hand, do not they have machines for it?
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No, not aware because we have
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You want to work like this ... do not worry!
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Because air is our natural instinctual agent.
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We work without preservatives and work without baking powder etc.
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That means, you have to be here by hand carefully the egg yolk mass under the
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Stir egg whites, otherwise you would air relatively quickly
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knock out and the cake would not go up and the cake would not be
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airy. Did they hear with you when they did this would not do by hand, that would be
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Air out ... Exactly! The recipe is after one
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decades of litigation. Since then, only these pies are called "Original
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Sachertorten ". Cake manufactory and hotel are
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economically separate companies under the roof of the brand Sacher. Both
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benefit from each other and the pies carry the name of the hotel all over the world.
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Meanwhile, Helen Busch still has it with the fish. What does they say now, if the fish
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good is? The feeling, the eyes, the fingers, the nose? The feeling and eyes would be me
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say. So if I sear fish at home
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then mostly on the Skin side. So that the skin side nice and crisp
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and ultimately here in the Oven is done.
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I roast then briefly on the Meat side and then he is done. Not fish
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Otherwise it will dry up. A job posting had Helen Busch and
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the Sacher merged. You also thought about going to a top restaurant
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go like Palais Coburg, Sylvio Nickol, or Steirereck?
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Yes, of course that was also a consideration and of course you also have a lot of respect
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such localities of course
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known worldwide. The Steirereck is one of the ten best restaurants in the world
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and you're a bit awed dare not really get it and
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that hotel Sacher just had the Job had advertised and came to me
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then more receptive to Applications and all this is very
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had received positive and then got the commitment. The Steirereck
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is located in the city park with its many Musician monuments right behind Johann
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Ostrich to the younger one. Down there cheap classic cuisine with veal escalope
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and Kaiserschmarrn. It goes up something different too.
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That lures every now and then Rainer Heilmann.
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Chef Heinz Reitbauer controls both Restaurants from a kitchen. He, too
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cooks today with Puntarella, they exist to seashells from the Atlantic and saltwater capers,
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if you have not been before eating full. May I tempt you to some bread?
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And we would have white bread with lavender and ... salt, olive parade, parisian bread,
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dark, leavened white bread, similar to a pain in France, organic forest shrub single-grain bread,
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Rye spelled, pumpkin and sunflower seeds, pumpkin seed carrot,
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classic sourdough crust bread, then Smoke from ..., dark rye malty, or one
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... wells, homemade. What was that honey with ... lavender, wonderful. The Steirereck
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is known for the extensive Abandonment of precious products like caviar,
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Lobster or goose liver. Here there are very different stuff, but it must be the same
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Tench with cauliflower? The question does not arise with us.
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We try something and if it harmonizes well, that's okay.
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Whether that's any rules subject is ...
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I hardly know where you even get tench for dinner.
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Therefore, it is for me a special fish in principle once and in this quality anyway.
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His products are no less exclusive. On the contrary: for example
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the imperial citrus fruits. The Orangerie, originally by Empress Maria Theresia
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because she loved lemonade and at the courts of Europe
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Tradition was that you had an orangery, was the custom in Vienna and enjoy it.
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Very nice thank you! We will take a closer look at that.
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A piece of Vienna lies in Wollzeile. A Greissler, as it is called here, a kind of noble-mom-and-pop shop, almost
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all has. And even many Viennese do not know: here is an exciting
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Back room. Helen Busch likes to come here to talk to Erwin Jung.
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The autodidact cooks every lunch as well fresh as original. Street food the
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today he has the rare Pearlfish on the menu. I am the
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Only one who processes this fish can, because nobody else
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that gets. So, good appetite! Thank you.
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There are a lot of culinary offers in Vienna. What draws you here, of all places?
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First, the originality, then the conscious food, so as Erwin already said
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with the pearlfish, that's of course a big one
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Feature. Which, of course, only here and the hospitality is very easy.
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You are recognized here, you go here to get to know each other, so here
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I already have a lot of great people met, already true Viennese greats.
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Incidentally, the pearlfish is by-catch gone to the net.
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Rainer Heilmann returns to the Job. He has been trained for 24 years
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Cook already director in the hotel Sacher.
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Despite many structural changes, the happened under his direction, acts
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the house like from another Century. Over 1000 sculptures and
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Original paintings contribute to this. The largest shows a North Sea port. On
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Piece of home for the director Lower Saxony.
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Here we come now to the history of House.
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And that began in 1832, when Franz Sacher with 16 years the Sachertorte invented. His
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Son Eduard, a successful restaurateur, bought the hotel at the Opera in 1876 and
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renamed it Sacher. Then he met Anna Sacher, Metzger's daughter from the second
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District. At 21 she became the wife of Eduard. A beauty at a young age.
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Later hardworking cigar smoker and Networker at court and in the
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Art scene. The place for all that celebrity guests from 140 years
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Hotel history is getting tight. A new wall would be needed soon.
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Or you have to discard some, Boris Becker, for example. That would be a pity, to be honest.
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Because we do not scrape them off. For example, Jamie Lee Curtis,
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Tina Turner, I would not even think of hanging her.
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There is no reason for that either. Franz Beckenbauer for example? We have that
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but not. Is not a guest of us.
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After the Sachers came the Gurtlers. We meet the third generation in the red bar.
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Here is the pure tradition on the Plates and on the walls. lovingly
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the plush ensemble of Alexandra Gurtler-Winkler and husband
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Matthias. Is that a heavy legacy, what did you do? It's a beautiful legacy
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it is a responsible heritage and It's an honor to keep going
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allowed. Remember the heritage,
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that you will leave once? Of course. I believe as
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Family business you think in Generations.
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That makes us different from the others big corporations, from the chains.
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That if we have a big investment have that we are certainly different there
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approach as if you were only in three or five-year margins think.
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We remember what we will become ours Hand over to children once?
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Her director also comes from one Hotelier family. But after a few
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Years ago in Vienna Rainer Heilmann was for Melle and the parental small hotel
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lost. Luckily for the Sacher. With regulars
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He makes the last minute check Matter for the boss.
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Yes, put it down there quietly, because the guests I think are there in half an hour. And now
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comes room service and still brings all the chocolates and the whole
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fresh fruit, that still has to come. Now I'm curious if you have something here
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Find. The hair in the soup in the room. So I always find something and hate that
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also many employees. For example here it is very clear, there is the blackout
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much wider than because it is not right is drawn. So in the bathroom will be
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looked exactly like that.
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The seam, you should not if possible see. The detail is by far that where
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The guest then says: That's it been.
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So here, for example, should be the pillow not be that here
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Zipper is, but should be down. That is actually too
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so learned, but learning does not mean always so applied.
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Yes, these are little things. Are you too Home a dreaded pingel? If you mean mine
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Woman would ask that would do that to answer very clearly yes. Yes, that's the way it is.
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Otherwise you would not have the job. Faithful Sacher guests love such attention to detail
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and pay between 535 and 6100 Euro per night. Karl-Heinz Wolf for
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Example. A living near Salzburg German wine merchant, gourmet
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and music fan. Yes, we stay one whole night, that's why we have so much luggage.
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All night, yes, exactly. It's good. He came to Vienna for an opera premiere.
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Of course the Sacher is ideal. Be right back. Why do you like to live in the Sacher?
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Because it's just beautiful and because it's one Private hotel is. I love private hotels.
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What is the difference? Can you feel it? Individual and the people are all
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already 100 years, already many years here and when you arrive here,
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one thinks, one comes home. You will be very friendly and very individually welcomed.
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If I go in right now, into the red bar, the head waiter know
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Me too for 35 years and that's easy Great.
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That's why you like to come here at least once a month.
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That would have liked Anna Sacher certainly good.
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Helen Busch, the young trainee, leaves the cellar kitchen behind for today
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and enjoy the wintry Viennese Sun.
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She wants to show us some of her favorite addresses.
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For example, there are in the Palais Ferstel a paradise for ham-friends.
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The products are from the Eastern Styria of happy pigs
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with spout, open stables and cereal feeding. Their hams ripen up to
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72 months at higher temperatures than usually. Mrs. Busch, for a 21-year-old is
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this is an unusual place. Or do not you think so?
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I'm funny with such places
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grew up. That's why it's for me nothing unusual, good quality
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to eat. And these ham mountains behind To you, does that stimulate your appetite?
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Insane. Does that awaken the cook in you? Can I immediately think of what recipes
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can do it. It is really nice. Because you know where it comes from and you have
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the local people who really are themselves take care that it is regional and
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high quality products are.
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She has her own ham here already hanging, a gift from her parents.
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We learn a completely different product in Know Schonbrunn. The lemonade girlfriend
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Maria Theresa had stayed here eighteenth century an orangery
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let build. Today will be there however, stored in palms. Also the
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spectacular glass palace of the Habsburgs does not necessarily house the largest
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botanical treasure of the castle park. He is in some rather
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inconspicuous greenhouses on the edge. Heinz Reitbauer pulls it regularly
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here. Does Mr. Karner have things you get nowhere else? I say
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Mr. Karner only has things that you can not get anywhere else gets, except for a few exceptions
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Naturally. But especially in one Diversity and quality, like it
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probably no second in Europe.
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Heimo Karner has a few here over 150 years old trees. Among those is
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maybe Empress Sissi has already changed hands. Even under Buddha's hand.
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Are you more of a Keeper, Mr. Karner? Keep what centuries ago
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was already here? Yes, that's first Line the task that one
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builds and preserves historical varieties and look that one back somewhere
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gets in That they are not lost.
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Mr. Reitbauer, were you surprised at everything there is here?
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I could not believe that Beginning. So there are, too
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Here live, where the orangery stands in full bloom.
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You go to your knees happily.
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That's how beautiful it is and of course for a cook, this variety is important
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Acidity in the first place unbelievable more important because it does
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such a new spectrum in the kitchen and has a lot in our kitchen
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great importance. Through the kitchen of Heinz Reitbauer
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become the almost forgotten treasures known to the estate of the Habsburgs and
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Keep it alive. Twice a week comes the world famous
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Cook or one of his staff here over for shopping. Also other chefs
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the glass doors open, but none is so enthusiastic about the rare
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Fruits like Heinz Reitbauer.
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Helen Busch stays at her free Afternoon in the city center so to speak
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Training.
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Hard to say in which drawer one Babette's could get stuck.
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What is it here? Gewurzhandlung, bookstore, cafe, restaurant ...?
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All in one: spice shop and lunch we offer also something to eat. There are curries we can do with it
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we cook with our spice blends. We always have ragouts, cakes, coffee ...
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All in one.
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Not only vanilla is in the air.
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This gives the many cookbooks a very own aroma.
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Every time I take a bag home with me, oh God, now I have to go back
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run and buy the spices. So a selling point for the
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Books, not against it? In any case for the books, so even if you have one
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goes specifically to the Asian area, are the girls crazy here
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informed. They say you want to be cook this dish or which one
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Spice suits best, for example you do not like cumin, what could you
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Instead, they are always ready any counter-arguments
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bring or say, you can use that instead. They are real
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very top. So, what I always hear is always great.
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How long does the smell last in the books? on? I do not really have it yet
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Tested, I have to say quite honestly. The smell then mixes with mine
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other cookbooks that already are present, the after
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smell everything. For hours, the 21-year-old is staying here.
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In search of new ideas, after Inspiration, for relaxation.
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Vienna is the only capital in Europe with significant viticulture. Some wines
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from up here are really good. So some mixed sentence, for example. For a
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Rainer Heilmann comes here early for dinner.
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More specifically, on the edge of the Potzleinsdorfer castle park, only a few
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Minutes drive from the city center. He knows the Steyrerstockl because he
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lived for years around the corner and that is not alone in Vienna.
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I have seen in the parking lot only Vienna license plate. That's actually different Guests not so well known. First
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Line are only locals. Yes. And we...
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This used to be a refuge until Peter Goach came from Styria and
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it is a cozy piece of jewelry made. Even in the afternoon is hardly here
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to get a seat. served She prefers to be a pig.
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And what do you do with the pig? Everything is processed, as it used to be
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the case has been. It is important to us that here with these creatures no
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Schindluder operate and is for us important to us, as well as it
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has always been with us at home.
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Then once a month has been tapped
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and then this pig is absolute been processed.
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You can see it in the photo.
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This is our home. That's the grandfather.
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Rainer Heilmann's young colleague shows us one more of her culinary
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Favorite places: the full board. A first few months old mix of Cafe and
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Restaurant. Baked and cooked here after Grandma's recipes, without
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Baking mixes, from the grandmas themselves, hourly depending on performance.
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First, the whole thing was just a pop-up, as temporary social project
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planned. Now it is almost complete normal gastronomic operation.
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What do you say as a cook to the concept here? Great concept, so I heard it
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by word of mouth. It immediately convinced me, it is super nice that young
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People
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older gentlemen, so predominantly Ladies baking cakes, such a one
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Chance to give. Again in the Age to say: okay, I'm starting now
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through again and do something and can my secret cake recipes or dumpling recipes
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pass on. Being addressed feels, it seems,
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especially young female guests. today have an actress and an OP
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Sister cake service. Both are over 50. You only see benefits.
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Communicate, communicate,
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to be used, so to speak, also the Older. Not just so stamped too
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but we are there, we still have something on it.
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For the most original concept of the year There was just a price of one
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respected trade magazine.
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the culinary and musical Vienna lie close to each other.
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In the case of the opera very tight. So many one quickly quenches his hunger
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before the performance. This benefits that Sacher, surrounding
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Restaurants and also this one Establishment in an outstanding location.
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The most famous sausage stall of the City.
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Refresh restaurant in Hotel Sacher Twice this evening. The
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Opera thank you. The calculus of Anna Sacher has been going on for over 100 years.
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Much to the delight of Rainer Heilmann, as usual for the details
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Interested. How is it going tonight? Well booked tonight and also after
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the opera premiere are some reservations. Exactly Hansel and Gretel will be given.
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So it's getting late here today. But there's restaurant manager
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Johannes Mayer has long since become accustomed to 30 years of Sacher.
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We often have opera premieres, yes there The guests come relatively late. The
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is then always nice for us, there Of course, they also come
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Singer to us and that is always a great experience.
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But they have to work longer, the kitchen has to work longer. Others would moan.
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But then there is also free time.
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It is expected of them.
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The guests expect it and then stay in peace.
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Stay until midnight or longer and end the evening.
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So that goes without saying for us.
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Also this day ends at the Hotel Sacher as always in the middle of the night.