The Wachau Gourmet Festival. For the past six years, it has risen to fame as THE annual gourmet event here in my hometown. And I’ve only participated this once: “Why”, I ask, “have I never been here before?” Now, for sure, I will!
Together with my international friends Anna from Germany and Nathalie from Canada (who has been thrilled to the point of saying “I have never eaten this good in my whole life!”), we had many a toast on friendship, culinary pleasures, excellent wines and those top gourmet chefs hailing from all over Europe to make the festival such a spectacular event. Wow! What you get to eat, see and do in one night is this: Check it out.
Top International & Austrian Chefs: A World Cooking Show
Just a “piece of cake“? A gourmet festival this spectacular has more to it than meets the eye. Our “piece of cake” actually yields a delightful, savoury taste topped by tasty bacon croutons. Pea soup, very refined, is served to us out of glass bottles (!) using a long pasta straw. At dessert, we enjoy spicy mint and juicy strawberries together with some “real” cake. Nathalie, Anna and I dig into the famous chefs’ creations as soon as the words are spoken: “The buffet is now open” (like the famous saying “Alles Walzer” at the Vienna Opera Ball! Pompous celebration ceremonies & gourmet cuisine has always been an element of Austrian culture – and one I like, I must say 😉 ).
This delicious cake unveils many a secret: Tasty, delightfully savoury. A feast for the senses!
It’s all gone in no time: Anna can’t believe we are eating our way through European Chef Stardom!
We have clearly “dressed to impress” for the official opening ceremony of the international Wachau Gourmet Festival, and even Nathalie wears her Austrian Dirndl with pride – “We’re loving it!”
Countless visitors, prominent wine growers & chefs have come together to celebrate in this unique event location provided by the Minoritenkirchen (former) church in Krems-Stein.
The chefs and their teams: All of them are contributing with pride. We can’t believe how lucky we are to be here!
Gourmet-Safari, Top Wines & a lot more: It’s all happening this April 2013
Perhaps the single greatest aspect of participating in this culinary opening gala of the Wachau Gourmet Festival is the fact that many more events are yet to come. For instance the “wein.genuss.krems” wine tasting event on 5 & 6 April right here in the city of Krems, or the “GOURMET-Safari” on the evening of 9 April, 2013, which has already caught my attention: Each course is being served in a different, well-known restaurant, the entire wine journey & gourmet safari being commented by a sommelier. As a travel blogger with a focus on Gourmet Travel, I should definitely join some more of these events. Don’t you think? 😉
Remember, thinking back after midnight it’s actually the chefs who take to standing behind the bar: Free top wines for everybody! We like 😉
Simply. Delicious. !! Who would like a bite?
This bottles later held our famous pea soup. Who would have thought that a simple vegetable soup can be cooked and served with so much style?!
The Wachau Gourmet Festival: Stellar Express for all lovers of gourmet events like these. My word of Thank You to …
… all the chefs, kitchen hands and service personnel who have made this evening possible and turned into an unforgettable memory for us!
And the party goes on: The former Minoriten church provides for a spectacular background to this event, the wine is served straight from the former altar!
“Prost”, my dear! See you at the next Wachau Gourmet Festival event! 😀