The Booklet for Guests and Friends of Rote Wand Hotel
2024
WELCOME !
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CONTENT
FAMILY BUSINESS
News and tips from the Walch Family. 6
THE GARDEN
“ Fine dining and the best home cooking” Joschi Walch on the kitchen philosophy of the Rote Wand, page 10
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Interview with Hillo Rieder about the art of cultivating a garden in the mountains. 16
CHEF’S TABLE
Julian Stieger : how the Chef ’s Table chef thinks and works on new creations. 26
FRIENDS AND FOOLS
An introduction to the Rote Wand’s most ambitious project. Featuring pictures of its best events. 36
DIRNDL
THE TOURS
The favourite tours of Rote Wand’s hiking aficionado Magdalena. In summer and in winter. 72
WELLNESS
The return of the “Dirndl” from 2001 in the shape of bags, placemats and scarves. 68
The art of well-being and instructions on how to achieve this state. 80
THE GARAGE
The Zug feeling. Reflections by the author Christian Seiler 86
The beauty on the surface is the result of enormous earthworks : some facts and figures. 70
STORY
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FAMILY BUSINESS
“ Beauty, design, good craftsmanship and art” Natascha Walch on the aesthetics of Rote Wand.
At Rote Wand, we value beauty, design, good craftsmanship and art. You will find hints of that everywhere throughout the building, starting with the furniture and lamps, the curtains and upholstery — and of course all the beautiful things that we have collected for you to purchase in our in-house store : cosmetics, books, little treats or the “Dirndl” dresses that we have repurposed (see page 68), but I would like to draw your attention to some other things in particular. There is the large painting by artist Thomas Schrenk, which he painted for our Friends and Fools Lounge, measuring 200 × 200 cm. Thomas says : “Various techniques that I worked with over the last few years were used in this piece. The materials used
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are acrylic and oil paint, which I painted and printed on the canvas, as well as dripped wax and various fabrics, which are woven into it. The size and colour of the painting was tailored to match the Friends and Fools Lounge at Rote Wand and aims to be present and set the mood without imposing itself.” This is also how we feel about other things that have great influence on the perception of our hotel, such as the herbal mixtures and incense bowls that exude a lovely scent throughout the building. Or the sound installation designed for our ski storage by the three creative minds Johan August, Johannes Schwaninger and Peter Eher-Andersen. Nine speakers are constantly playing more than 2,000 sounds from the mountain, the village and the hotel, constantly creating new combinations using a specially developed software. Witty, poetic and sometimes very surprising.
Artist Thomas Schrenk in front of his painting for the Friends and Fools Lounge : “The painting is meant to create a mood without imposing itself.”
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FAMILY BUSINESS
“ The most legendary ski circuit in the Alps is finally complete: the White Ring” Valentin Walch on skiing and wine
For a child of the mountains, it is na turally very interesting to live in a city where the highest point is a church tower — as the rest of Copenhagen is completely flat. I was there to work with Jamie Lee and Jan Hugel in Kødbyens Fiskebar — a result of their visit to the Friends and Fools Lounge. I don’t have to tell any of you that Lech and Zug are special locations for skiing, that’s why you’re here. But I can tell you that with the new Zugerbergbahn, which leaves almost directly in front of our house, the first ascent of the day has become much more comfort-
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able. The new ten-cabin cable car only takes half as long as the old double chairlift up to the Balmalp, completing the White Ring, which is rightly considered the most legendary ski circuit in the Alps. I plan to ski this route more often than just once this winter. Apart from that, I am also very interested in the wine that we offer at Rote Wand, as are our sommeliers. Our wine list has grown enormously in recent years, in both breadth and depth. We are certainly at the forefront when it comes to natural wine in particular, which includes bringing in great winemakers and wine experts for our Wine & Dine events. You can see the results on our wine list — and taste them in the wines offered by the glass.
In the words of Wolfgang Ambros, a famous Austrian song writer : “And when my skis cut through the snow / and when the sun shines / I feel happy all over”: scene from the White Ring on the Arlberg.
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FAMILY BUSINESS
“ Fine dining and the best home cooking” Joschi Walch about what he serves to his guests — and when
It’s no coincidence that Rote Wand bears the description “Gourmet Hotel” in its name : we attach great importance to ensuring that every — I mean : every ! — meal that is made in the Rote Wand kitchen is special. You have already become accustomed to our breakfast, which is served on boards and trolleys. The evening meals are very different — you can choose between a fondue, the best home cooking at the Rote Wand Stuben, a multi-course dinner at the Hotel or a visit to our Chef ’s Table — but they are all fantastic in their own way. I personally love our alpine classics in particular : the venison ragout, the “Beuscherl”, a perfectly souffléed “Wiener Schnitzel” or the buttermilk pancakes
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for dessert. And of course the roast chicken with “Risipisi” — rice with peas — , which you can see in the photo on the right page. From now on, there will also be a buffet of snacks and cake in the afternoon for all those who come back hungry from their outdoor ventures and don’t want to wait for dinner. Our kitchen will make sure that there are little s urprises every day, both savory and sweet. We have also thought of something special for the cheese lovers — who have always been of the utmost importance for us. If you love cheese, you’re in for a treat.
Classic home cooking at the Rote Wand Stuben, with Joschi’s favourite dish on the right, roast chicken with “Risipisi”.
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FAMILY BUSINESS
“ I missed our great sports facilities in the city, especially golf ” Josef-Martin Walch on longing for the golf course
I spent a large part of last year in Berlin, breathing in the big city air and seeing how other hotels work — at Carlotta Apartments, highly recommended. After months in the urban district of Char lottenburg in West Berlin, I was naturally very excited to be back home. Apart from my family, there were two things I particularly missed: firstly, the great outdoors and the sports facilities, especially golf. Secondly, our events in the Friends and Fool Lounge and in many other places in and around Zug, which ensure that we also have an urban flair in splendid isolation.
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Our golf course can be seen directly from the hotel. The nine holes are located where the river Lech runs through the Zug valley. From below Rote Wand, the course first heads upstream to the Zugertobel. After the third tee, the course follows the river until it passes the fish pond and returns to the start. Not to forget : “Holz, Eisen & Butter” (Wood, Iron & Butter). That’s the name of the pub on the golf course. If you look at the pictures taken at this year’s events (from page 40), you will definitely get an idea of what a lively exchange between food aficionados can look like. In addition to the fun that everyone is quite obviously having, with every single event we all learn something new and share opinions and ideas. The world comes to us — as we go out into the world.
Off to the first hole : the golf course is located in the “front yard” of Rote Wand, so to speak, and the nine holes are located on the banks of the Lech river, and if you want to get some char from the fish pond after golfing, you’ve come to the right place.
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FAMILY BUSINESS
“ Wellness entails so much, from sauna sessions to mountain tours” Magdalena Walch on ways to feel good, inside and out
I am, to put it bluntly, a mountain girl. I love going to the mountains at any time of year. If you were to ask me which season is my favourite, I couldn’t give you an answer. I’m happy when the first snow comes, because then I can get my touring skis out of the basement and set off on my first ski tour. But I’m just as happy when the hiking trails are clear of snow in early summer and I can declare the hiking season open. Autumn is also particularly beautiful, when the air is so clear and the views are enormous, the larches that line our valley change colour and the weather is constantly wonderful. I’ve therefore
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put together a collection of my favourite routes for you in this magazine (from page 72). I have no idea why we use the English word “wellness” instead of the German word “Wohlfühlen”, but in my mind, everything we offer in our spa, from a very simple sauna session to Antara with our friend Uli Alber, from massages to beauty treatments : it all pays off for your personal wellness. Our spa is 1 ,500 square meters in size, it has a Finnish outdoor sauna, a brine steam grotto, a bio sauna and an infrared light therapy sauna. There is a separate women’s area and a wonderful selection of freshly brewed teas from the samovar in the relaxation zone. Our swimming pool is heated to a lovely 28 degrees, and our outdoor pool is also open all year round and 32 degrees warm. I am particularly looking forward to the morning yoga classes, which in the future will take place outside in the fresh air (in summer, not in the snow), and to my next dip in a cold mountain lake — because that also contributes strongly to my wellness. No idea why we use the English term “wellness” instead of the German word “Wohlfühlen”. For Magdalena, everything that takes place in a spa or in nature contributes to the desired feeling of wellness — for example, a dip in Lake Butzensee (picture, right side).
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THE GARDEN
“ The center of Zug” Interview with Hillo Rieder, who is in charge of the new kitchen garden at Rote Wand.
Hillo Rieder on her daily trip to the garden, where she personally looks after all the plants � and shares her brother Joschi’s delight in the beautiful bloom of his beloved sunflowers.
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WELLNESS
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THE GARDEN
Hillo, we find ourselves here at an altitude of 1,500 meters. What can you grow in this environment ? We are working on finding that out. We’ve now had our first summer in which we’ve gained some initial experience. How did you get started creating a garden ? We got some help from Thorsten Probost, who had already tried out a few things during his time in Oberlech. He passed on his experience to us and he is still around as an advisor. For example, you planted potatoes. Yes, and we immediately created raised beds, i. e. put hay on top of our potatoes. We also laid mulch over our lettuce seedlings : I told all the neighbors not to throw away their tree and shrub cuttings and green waste but to give them to me : we used it to mulch our raised beds. What effect did that have ? It was great. I could see the soil recovering right away.
Hillo Rieder and Jamie Unshelm, Head of the Culinary Lab, inspect the garden. Vegetables, herbs and flowers have a special significance for the kitchen — and they provide room for experimentation.
What did you plant ? Different varieties of potatoes in the first field. Nemo, Red Emmalie, Rosegarden and many more. We got the seeds from Switzerland and then just waited. Some varieties didn’t come up at all, others turned out brilliantly. Now we know more and will concentrate on five to six varieties. In the field next to it are flowers … … and herbs. Cornflowers, dill, coriander, borage, poppies, dahlias. That was a lucky shot, because everything we planted here came up splendidly � but nothing at all in another field.
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THE GARDEN
So you alternate between beauty and nourishment, like in a monastery garden ? Yeah, if you like. We planted some lettuce in the third field and it grew very well. We chose a special variety, Lollorosso, which we’re looking to expand next summer. The chard also came up wonderfully, the nasturtium unfortunately froze off in September. Onions, leeks ? Yes, we had onions. But they didn’t grow any bigger than ping-pong balls. Horse radish and arugula worked well, and we had courgettes, pumpkins and radishes in the neighbouring patches. How was the harvest ? Modest. We let the radishes grow out so that they would go to seed. With potatoes, lettuce and chard, it’s obvious what happens to them. But what do you do with marigolds, for example? We make oil from the leaves. Jamie from the Culinary Lab has an idea for practically everything that grows here.
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And fruit ? We’re trying to grow an apple tree. That’s an experiment at this altitude, but we’re confident, and in addition to three rows of winter asparagus, we also have a row of strawberries, which we harvested only in August. Now, we are planting rhubarb — we’re really rooting for it. The garden is on a slight slope down to the Lech. How difficult is it to work here? It’s a bit draughty, so we built windbreaks out of wooden fences and shrubs. Of course, we also pay close attention to crop rotation. This year we are planting completely different crops compared to last year. How do people react when they see you working in the garden ? They are interested. They stand there, watch, look for a little chat. The garden is alive. Life emanates from here. Locals or guests ? Both. The locals just come more regularly. Everyone knows something, gives me tips. After all, everyone has a few vegetables at home. Hillo in the garden doing her most important job: mulching. The beds are covered with hay and cuttings and don’t need any additional water (apart from the rain, of course).
WELLNESS
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THE GARDEN
Gardening has almost become a new profession for you, hasn’t it? Wait a minute ! I may be in the garden every day, but this garden has never seen a watering can. The moisture comes from the mulch alone. Why don’t you run your hands through it and feel how beautiful and lush the soil is ? So what are the most important lessons for the coming year ? Firstly, we don’t just need seeds, we also need seedlings. Perhaps we will grow them ourselves in the future. Secondly, we will lay larger stones next to the herb beds so they can store the heat and release it to our plants. Thirdly, we will train the cooks so they harvest in a way that is optimal for the plants. So what does the garden mean to you, Hillo ? It’s a place that will supply the Rote Wand restaurants with as much fresh produce as possible. But also a place where people meet and communicate. Sometimes, when I’m gardening, I think to myself : this is the center of Zug. Personal details : Hillo Rieder is a sister of Joschi Walch and lives in Zug. The first snow falling down on the Rote Wand garden (left), Jamie and Natascha harvesting (top), first potato harvest (above).
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THE GARDEN
The future is not far away Sketch of the Rote Wand gardens, which will be added to the existing kitchen garden next year. Flowers and berries will grow in front of the main building and we will set up a long wooden table and a barbecue station in front of the house. In front of the church, our petanque court will be an inviting place to play. The prerequisite for all of this was the bold decision to park all cars underground — in our new garage (see page 70).
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CHEF’S TABLE
At the stove : Julian Stieger How the Chef ’s Table chef thinks and works on new creations.
Julian Stieger, 29, has worked at numerous world-class restaurants, including Geranium in Copenhagen, Eleven Madison Park in New York and Vienna’s Steirereck, before taking over as head chef at Rote Wand Chef ’s Table last year, where he was awarded 18.5 points and 4 toques from Gault Millau, 97 points from Falstaff and 96 points from A la Carte in his very first year.
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WELLNESS
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CHEF’S TABLE
Julian Stieger about the Rote Wand Chef ’s Table I am glad that I had already worked at Max Natmessnig’s Chef ’s Table. That helped me enormously when I took over as head chef here. I knew the principle : lots of plates, very small portions, the most important procedures — otherwise it would have been quite difficult to take over. And I was familiar with working in front of the guests : that could have been quite a big challenge as well. We serve fine dining cuisine with an Alpine twist. Our possibilities are vast, our horizons are wide : we want to keep it that way. Of course, the location of our restaurant imposes certain restrictions. But restrictions are also an engine for creativity. … about creativity and new dishes I am a visual person. When I think about new dishes, I first have an image in mind, not the taste. That’s perhaps a little un usual, but it’s how I work. I’m inspired by what our suppliers have to offer, for ex ample by the incredible wealth of species, varieties and shapes of vegetables that we get from Vetterhof in Lustenau — just think of the wonderful selection of pumpkins or special foods like the Soave chillies.
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… about imagination and refinement The creation process looks something like this : I know what the new dish should look like, sometimes I make a drawing so that I don’t forget about it. Then I start to think about how I could make it taste good. As soon as I have the look and aroma in my mind, the often lengthy process of implementation begins. Then I try, test, taste, discard and start over again. I think about the dish itself, but also about its p osition in the menu. I think about how long the ingredients will be in season, which dictates how long I can keep the dish on the menu. … about luck and misfortune in the kitchen It’s very rare that I’m happy with the first realisation of a new dish. I usually find it unsatisfactory. I cook it over and over again, tweaking the smallest adjustments until I finally like the result. What seems easy and logical is often the result of a lot of hard work.
The fish comes from the fish pond in Zug. The techniques Julian uses to prepare the fish and sauce were learned in all sorts of places between Copenhagen and New York — and are now at home in Zug.
CHEF’S TABLE
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CHEF’S TABLE
The rutabaga with mustard seeds has become a firm favourite at the Chef ’s Table, even though Julian and his team (above) didn’t set out to make it one. Julian Stieger is not a fan of signature dishes, he says — but sometimes the guests’ reactions are so incredible that you can’t resist them.
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CHEF’S TABLE
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CHEF’S TABLE much time and too much effort. It has to fit nicely into the work processes of each individual working day. After all, we cook menus and not just a single plate. … about inspiration and comfort zones I sometimes get inspiration from cookbooks, but often also from art books. In my family, art and museum visits played a big role. I benefit from that now. As a restaurateur or chef, if you only look for inspiration in your own little world, you will get lost. I need as broad a horizon as possible to get me and my staff out of our comfort zone. … about effort Of course, it’s important not to take the shortest, easiest route — we try out a lot of things at Chef ’s Table that are extremely labor-intensive. That’s part of it. After all, I’ve seen enough along the way to know that also places like Eleven Madison Park and Geranium, my last two stops before Chef ’s Table, are extremely laborintensive. … about failure Of course, there are also dishes that are promising but don’t work out in the end. We have to look at how practical a dish is, whether it requires too many steps, too
... about signature dishes I’m not a big advocate of signature dishes. I think that every menu should include dishes that stand out as signature dishes. For us, for example, it’s the turnip gratin with horseradish beurreblanc and mustard seeds. I didn’t think about this dish very long, it just happened — and has been a hit ever since. I really enjoy it. ... about the product presentation at the beginning of each menu I know that there are now some restaurants where the unprepared ingredients for the menu are shown at the beginning. But for me, the advantages outweigh the disadvantages. After the presentation, every guest knows what ingredients they are dealing with. So you don’t have to repeat the same thing over and over while you’re serving the courses but can concentrate on what’s essential — the in dividual dish.
Perhaps the most admired dish from Julian’s first menu : the apple tartlet with the differently coloured apple flakes. The spectacular beauty of the dessert is the result of precision work.
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Friends & Fools
Last year, the Friends and Fools Lounge moved into our former ski storage in the basement, where the famous Sennkesselbar used to be. For anyone who doesn’t exactly know what Friends and Fools actually means, we’ve summarised what we’ve come up with. 36
FRIENDS & FOOLS
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Why “Friends and Fools” ?
We must admit up front, we are pretty crazy. Crazy about everything that has to do with food, drink and high-class hospitality. We never feel like we’ve reached the end of the line with what we do, but instead try to improve. Every single day. We look around the world, we have interesting concepts and committed people on our radar with whom we share one thing: an obsession for quality, for improvement, for further development. It was therefore clear to us that this madness must also be reflected in the name of our latest concept. We are the crazy ones — the Fools — and with what we do, we address our friends and guests directly, who are just as crazy : the Friends and Fools.
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What kind of concept is “Friends and Fools” ?
First and foremost, the “Friends and Fools” concept stands for the centre of excellence that we are creating here at the hotel. We are accumulating culinary knowledge — and this is not only manifested in our large cookbook library, which is housed in the Friends and Fools Lounge. We have set up a well-equipped Culinary Lab and, in Jamie Unshelm, we have a dedicated head chef who is bursting with ideas. We regularly bring in expertise, people who have done crazy and fantastic things in their lifetime. We try to not only benefit from this know ledge ourselves, but also to share it with
everyone at Rote Wand — employees, guests and people who are interested in special occasions. “Friends and Fools” is an open concept in which everyone can participate.
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What exactly happens under the “Friends and Fools” label ?
Specifically, we regularly or ganise events. On the one hand, these are masterclasses in which people with special skills come to Rote Wand and share their knowledge with our friends and guests. Whether it’s about carving game, poultry or fish, fermenting animal or vegetable products, explaining the composition of aromas and or simply the craft of fantastic cooking : we collect and share knowledge.
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What is the vision of “Friends and Fools”?
We are looking for people who inspire us — and people who support us in our vision. (If you are prepared to make a financial contribution, please contact us directly. We have worked out some interesting offers for this.) The following three things are at the centre of “Friends and Fools”: ➤ Firstly, our lounge is a meeting place — best characterised by our long table, which seats 24 people. This is a marvellous place : it brings people together, even if they have never met before. There is something cheerful, unifying and transformative about sharing the joy of the ex-
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FRIENDS & FOOLS ceptional : the “friends and fools” who come together get up from our table in the best of moods, with new acquain tances and inspiration. ➤ Secondly, we try our catering concepts here. We don’t just invite restaurateurs whose work we find particularly interesting to host a meal: we ask them to share their knowledge with us, exchange ideas and — like the famous Baroque master builders from Bregenzerwald — we always bring new expertise into the house. You can find the names of everyone we have already welcomed to the Friends and Fools Lounge this year from page 40 onwards. ➤ Thirdly, the Friends and Fools Lounge is also a place for discussion. We invite people who we are interested in to talk to us and inspire us. It’s not even always about food. The focus is often on people whose knowledge and biographies point in completely different directions — but who are nevertheless role models for us and inspire us. After all, food and drink are just as much a part of our cultural canon as literature, music or science.
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What happens in the Culinary Lab, which is part of the Friends and Fools Lounge ?
As the name suggests, culinary ideas and techniques are tested here. On the one hand, the lab is equipped with very special kitchen appliances that make various rchicid molecular Goolorepe transformations of food pos magnihil il mincienia sible (see below). The second important quidelentur, sum corum cultivation technique that is being trifacea quam, sitemquo est alled la and perfected here nonsentius doloriorem is fermentation, assi odi dolorpo rupt. and fermen both lacto-fermentation
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tation with koji mushrooms. The third is natural cuisine, which is closely linked to our alpine environment and is based on products that we grow ourselves or collect in the alpine environment around Zug and then work with. We also bake our own bread daily. The sourdough from our bakery covers the needs of the whole house. Charcuterie and new ideas for accompanying drinks are also created.
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What is experimental about the Culinary Lab ?
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Do the results achieved in the Culinary Lab flow into the kitchen of Rote Wand ?
Many things. The zero-waste principle, for example. In the Culinary Lab coffee grounds are processed into kombucha or a coffee vinegar. Leftover sourdough bread is turned into kvass, a certain type of lemonade, or into bread miso paste, which in turn is used for sau ces, spreads, chutneys and desserts. Various types of kimchi are made from vegetable scraps — the most popular is savoy cabbage kimchi — or sauerkraut, made from fennel, for example. Red or yellow peppers are vacuum-packed, pressed and fermented. The result is a puree that is either whipped up with butter and used in the kitchen or dried and processed into a spice. And these are just a few examples of concrete achievements from the lab.
Of course, that is one of the goals we want to achieve here. That being said, the lab
FRIENDS & FOOLS enjoys enough freedom to pursue its development in peace. We see what is created here as an offer to the kitchens at Rote Wand and at the Chef’s Table. Com munication takes place bilaterally between the chefs and Jamie Unshelm, the head chef of the Lab.
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How can hotel guests and interested parties from outside the hotel take advantage of the work in the Friends and Fools Lounge ?
By simply registering for events via the Rote Wand reception. Everyone is welcome in the Friends and Fools Lounge. The programme is regularly announced on the website and registration is informal. In addition to the masterclasses and guest appearances by winemakers and guest chefs, Jamie Unshelm invites guests to try a large menu every week. This is based on his experience from the Culinary Lab on the one hand, and Jamie’s past as a top chef in various leading European restaurants on the other (apprenticeship with Sascha Kemmerer at Ifen, stints with Jonnie Boer, Nuno Mendes at Prado in Lisbon, at Le Moissonnier in Cologne and, last but not least, with Max Natmessnig at Rote Wand Chef’s Table).
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that are specific to every season. An overview of this year’s festivals follows on the next pages, as well as the list of all participants and events for 2023. Our festivals offer the opportunity to experience as much as possible in just a few days : simple, clever, sensual, but of course also lots of fun — as can be seen quite clearly on the following pages.
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What can we expect from Friends and Fools in the coming year ?
We have big plans. On page 67 you will find the link to our plans for 2024. The exact line-up for our events and the annual programme are constantly being updated. You can find the best overview on our website or the Rote Wand app. www. rotewand.com/friends-and-fools
What’s the deal with the festivals and the Feldküche events?
They are an integral part of our programme and concentrate everything that we love and stand for, in a series of events
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FRIENDS & FOOLS IN SPRING
A look back at the spring festival dedicated to the element of air. With music in bathrobes, bread secrets, the master of ski jumping himself and an outstanding show troupe from Copenhagen. And that was not all. Friends and Fools Spring Festival — 23 to 26 March 2023 Toni Innauer, talk / Christian Seiler, talk / Benny Omerzell & Martin Eberle, live music Elisabeth Graf-Breidenbrücker (Heroes in Green) and Alexander Ehrmann (Saint Charles Apothecary), fragrance workshop / Pia Fetz, DJ / Moritz Herzog (Weinskandal) Josef Weghaupt (Joseph Brot), talk / Sarah Satt, reading / Kødbyens Fiskebar with chef Jamie Lee and sommelier Jan Hugel
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WELLNESS
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FRIENDS & FOOLS IN SPRING
Convincing performance by Jamie Lee’s Fiskebar team from Copenhagen (left side, top right). Ethereal sounds in the spa by Martin Eberle and Benny Omerzell (above), talk by Toni Innauer and Christian Seiler.
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FRIENDS & FOOLS IN SPRING
Snacks and turbot from the Fiskebar kitchen, DJ Pia Fetz (left), wine specialist Moritz Herzog (top right), full table in the Friends and Fools Lounge, fermentation products from the Culinary Lab.
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FRIENDS & FOOLS IN SUMMER
No doubt, the summer festival was one big party. Accompanied by Bavarian and Turkish food from Switzerland, fire and soap bubbles. Friends and Fools summer party — 23 to 26 June 2023 Robert Seeberger and Stefanie Unterguggenberger, talk and astronomy workshop Zanshin, DJ / Eva Biringer and Zita Bereuter, talk / Elif Oskan (Gül Restoran) and Markus Stöckle (Rosi Zürich), Dinner Inverse / Rennersistas, Wine Tasting Lukas Nagl, Feldküche
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WELLNESS
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WELLNESS
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FRIENDS & FOOLS IN SUMMER
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Visit from Elif Oskan (Gül Restoran) and Markus Stöckle (Rosi) from Zurich. Astronomy workshop with Robert Seeberger and Stefanie Unterguggenberger.
FRÜHLINGSFEST
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FRIENDS & FOOLS IN AUTUMN
A visit from Berlin at the autumn festival. Great talks, wonderful music and all of us on the hunt for the secrets of breathing. Friends and Fools Autumn Festival — 28 September to 1 October 2023 Anna Mabo, live concert / Florian Punzenberger and Philipp Lingg, breathing workshop with live music / Viktoria Schödl, wine tasting / Sandra Holzer (franzi.ist), ceramics workshop Billy Wagner (Nobelhart & Schmutzig) and Bettina Steindl, Talk Nobelhart & Schmutzig, Dinner Inverse
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WELLNESS
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FRIENDS & FOOLS IN AUTUMN
Visiting : Billy Wagner from the iconic Berlin restaurant Nobelhart & Schmutzig (above, centre), ceramics workshop with Sandra Holzer (above).
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FRIENDS & FOOLS IN AUTUMN
Music by Anna Mabo (top, centre), talk by Bettina Steindl with Billy Wagner (top left), wine tasting with Viktoria Schödl.
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FRIENDS & FOOLS : THE FELDKÜCHE
When the weather is nice, we feel the urge to go outside. Then it’s time for Feldküche: food served in places where, normally, you can’t get anything to eat. The Feldküche (“field kitchen”) events 26 June with Lukas Nagl as part of our summer festival / 8 July with Dalad Kambhu (Kin Dee Berlin) 23 September with Elif and Markus / Masterclass Fermentation 30 October with Vadim Otto Ursus and Sören Zuppke (Otto Berlin)
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FRIENDS & FOOLS : THE FELDKÜCHE
Feldküche with top chef Lukas Nagl from Traunsee. Impressive dishes and impressive scenery in Zugertal. We ate in front of the Alte Säge.
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FRIENDS & FOOLS : THE FELDKÜCHE
Feldküche with Elif and Markus. We eat where the cows normally live. An atmospheric meal involving all the senses.
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FRIENDS & FOOLS : THE FELDKÜCHE
Here you realise at first glance exactly what the title “Feldküche” — field kitchen — means (top right). Enchanting performance by Dalad Kambhu from Kin Dee in Berlin (top). Amazing food, satisfied guests at the Feldküche on 8 July.
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FRIENDS & FOOLS : THE FELDKÜCHE
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FRIENDS & FOOLS: DIE FELDKÜCHE
The Walch siblings. From left : Valentin, Magdalena, Josef-Martin.
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Who has made a guest appearance at Rote Wand this year Emine Arn / Judith Beck / Zita Bereuter / Eva Biringer / Jacob Jan Boerma / Jonathan Burger / Rebecca Clopath / Niko Dukan / Martin Eberle / Alexander Ehrmann / Pia Fetz / Antonia-Alexa Georgiew / Elisabeth Graf-Breidenbrücker / Peter HagenWiest / Lorraine Haist / Stefan Heilemann / Moritz Herzog / Karl Holzapfel / Sandra Holzer / Jan Hugel / Toni Innauer / Sascha Kemmerer / Herbert König / Dieter Koschina / Christian Kuchler / Jamie Lee / Philipp Lingg / Anna Mabo / Nina Mohimi / Lukas Nagl / Hans Neuner / Norbert Niederkofler / Martin Nittnaus / Johannes Nuding / Benny Omerzell / Elif Oskan / Claus Preisinger / Thorsten Probost / Florian Punzenberger / Georg Renner / Stefanie Renner / Susanne Renner / Sarah Satt / Viktoria Schödl / Robert Seeberger / Christian Seiler / Bettina Steindl / Markus Stöckle / Thomas Straka / Clemens Strobl / Jürgen Trummer / Eduard Tscheppe / Christian Tschida / Stefanie Unterguggenberger / Vadim Otto Ursus / Billy Wagner / Josef Weghaupt / Christine Wellanschitz / Gerhard Wieser / Raphaela Wirrer / Zanshin / Sören Zuppke
2024 FRIENDS & FOOLS
Upcoming events
Already, we can promise you one thing : the upcoming year will be at least as exciting as the last. We are working to ensure that you have wonderful, unusual and unforgettable experiences : culinary, philosophical — and in the company of the most interesting people who come together here. Friends and fools, you know.
Register here!
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DIRNDL
I used to be a “Dirndl” How to turn old clothes into new accessories.
This story begins in 2001, when the World Ski Championships were being held in St. Anton and Rote Wand was responsible for catering. At the time, we decided that all the staff should be given new “Dirndls” — very special dresses based on a traditional Bregenzerwald costume, but with a very simple and modest cut. They were tailored for us by Sonia Zimmermann from Lech, who runs the highly recommended store Lenai & Linai. The “Dirndls” were a nice attraction, but after the World Championships we hung them up again — only to come across the beautiful pieces later and wonder what we could do with them. Twenty years later, we had a brilliant idea. Together with Heidi SutterlütyKathan from the “Weiberwirtschaft” agency, we launched the “Ich war ein Dirndl” campaign, an aesthetic upcycling project. Heidi took the beautiful fabrics and reworked them into bags, rucksacks and placemats. Each “Dirndl” is completely recycled — and thus given a new life. You can find all “Ich war ein Dirndl” products in our store : rotewand.com/rotewandshop
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“Dirndls” from 2001 in their original state (above) and as brand-new results of an aesthetic transformation.
WELLNESS
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THE GARAGE
I will be turned into a garden
Because all the cars are going underground It was both a simple and, at the same time, very difficult decision to get rid of the cars that had been parked in front of Rote Wand for many years. The simple thing about the idea was that it was contemporary and captivating : anyone who goes to the mountains to enjoy the landscape and atmosphere doesn’t necessarily want their own car to be the first thing they see in front of their hotel room. We probably don’t need to explain the difficulty of the idea : building a threestorey underground car park on the mea dows in front of our hotel to accommodate not only our guests’ cars but also all our company vehicles, delivery vans, snowploughs and golf carts seemed like a Sisyphean undertaking. While the hotel was open, our construction companies dug out the gigantic hole in front of Rote Wand, which we then gradually transformed into a place that, as it turned out, had been urgently needed, with its invisibility being its greatest quality.
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Major project in the service of beauty. Some of the excavated material was used for the clay floor in the Friends and Fools Lounge.
DIE GARAGE
The new underground garage in figures 12,700 355
Volume of material excavated for the construction pit, foundations and trenches in cubic meters
7,100
Area of the site used in square meters
3,750
Weight of reinforcing steel for shotcrete slope stabilization in kilograms
3,650
Number of square meters of soil excavated for work on the underground garage
2,150
Quantity of concrete used for foundation slabs, walls, columns, beams, ceilings and stairs in cubic meters
1,350
Length of the construction joint tape in meters
700
Length of the construction fence that secured the construction site in meters
2
Number of construction cranes used
1
Number of elevators installed
Number of cubic meters of shotcrete used to secure the excavation pit
610
Frost protection material placed under the foundation slab of the building in cubic meters
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THE TOURS
Outdoors
The most beautiful routes, walked, described and photographed by Magdalena Walch.
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THE TOURS
Magdalena’s favourite tours. In winter. Cross-country ski trail to Zugertal www.lechzuers.com
The trail through the Zugertal valley leads through the forest, either to the Älpele or to the Tannlegeralpe. It is quiet, idyllic — and challenging, depending on whether you do it in classic style or skating. Personally, I prefer skating. If you want to stop for a bite to eat : the Älpele offers good food and drink.
Off-piste and ski tours on the Arlberg The vast snowy landscape, the silence, the feeling of happiness when you wobble down the deep snow. It’ll make you whoop with joy ! For experienced skiers. Never without a guide and the right equipment.
Ski circuit “The White Ring” with deep snow descent on the Madloch in the “steep slopes” www.derweissering.ski
We start from Zug with the Zuger Bergbahn cable car, ski the entire circuit and treat ourselves to a deepsnow descent on the Madloch as the crowning finale. Only do that in good snow conditions and accompanied by a ski guide.
Magdalena on a ski tour.
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FRÜHLINGSFEST
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THE TOURS
Magdalena’s favourite tours. In summer. High trail from Lake Formarin to the Göppinger Hut A wonderful landscape that is varied but also challenging to walk through. With a bit of luck, you might see ibex, chamois and eagles making their rounds. For me, this is one of the most beautiful hikes, especially in fall — fewer people, more ibex. If you feel like it, you can also take a longer route to the summit of Johanneskopf. Sunrise Mohnenfluh 2,542 m You have to get out of bed early for this tour, because the reward at the summit can only be enjoyed in the early morning. The sunrise seen from the Mohnenfluh will be a magical start to your day. Of the four tours I describe here, this is the easiest. Nevertheless, it requires stamina, surefootedness and a head for heights.
Summit tour Rote Wand 2,704 m The view from the summit is incredible, but the ascent is tough. It is varied, but also difficult. Those who are not in good physical condition and are scared of heights will have difficulties. The conditions are also sometimes challenging: it’s often snowy on the route — even in summer. The crowning glory: a dip in the bracing Lake Formarin. Recommendation: book a mountain guide. Hike around Butzensee lake For me, this mountain lake is the most beautiful on Arlberg. But also the coldest. The tour here is ideal for really hot summer days. From Lech, you first take the train to Oberlech and then get the Petersbodenbahn to Wolf. Then, walk past the Kriegeralpe in the direction of Mohnenfluh until you take a turn in the direction of lake Butzensee — and take a break there, including a dip in the ice-cold water. Around the lake up to Mohnensatttel and back to Oberlech.
The Butzensee, 2,119 meters above sea level, gives a small impression of the beauty of nature that we hike through on these four tours.
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WELLNESS
A journey inwards
The Rote Wand spa is not only 1,500 square meters, it also provides relaxation in many different ways. Sometimes with the most beautiful morning music you’ve ever heard.
WELLNESS
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Musicians Martin Eberle (left) and Benny Omerzell at their early morning concert at the spring festival. The outdoor swimming pool (left) is open all year round.
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WELLNESS
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U
nusual colours await you at the Rote Wand spa. They vary from deep red to bright blue, from subdued warmth in the niches of the quiet zone to the open sky above the heated pool. The moods are as varied as the colours. Depending on the time of day, the weather and the season, our feel-good facilities in the basement of Rote Wand are quiet, lively and delightful, and sometimes, during our spring, summer, autumn or winter festivals, the rooms are transformed into a sound sculpture. Early in the morning, musicians come to the spa, even in their bathrobes, bring their keyboards, trumpets or DJ systems and flood the rooms with their melodies, sounds and moods, accompanied by tea — and the result is an experience that nobody will forget anytime soon. But the spa is not only a place for a certain kind of retreat at unusual times. Its size allows everyone to find a place where they can be by themselves. Various saunas and steam grottos offer a tailormade experience for those who like it really hot, as well as for those who appreciate milder temperatures. The alternation between indoors and outdoors does the rest: 28 degrees indoors, 32 degrees outdoors and an unobstructed view of the mountains, plus the options offered by our experts: care and cosmetic sessions on the
The Rote Wand pool has its qualities at any time of year. The relaxation zone (left) is large enough for everyone to find what it promises.
one hand, massages and treatments on the other, and of course yoga and Antara sessions, for which we have seasoned and sensitive experts in our team. Nature also contributes the most beautiful effects: anyone who has ever experienced how the light in our spa changes at dusk knows that well-being is the result of harmony on many levels.
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STORY
The Zug feeling Written by Christian Seiler
It’s not as if the village of Lech is a big city with flashing neon signs, ner vous traffic lights and endless traffic jams. Nevertheless, I am overcome by a qualified feeling of calm when I take the small road from Lech to Zug, immerse myself in the forest that stretches between the different parts of Lech and, at the end of the ascent, see the Zug valley opening up before me, the Madloch, the Balmalp, and, if the weather plays along, the Rote Wand far behind — the mountain, not the house. This tranquillity is perhaps the most important characteristic of the hamlet of Zug. Apart from Rote Wand — the houses, not the mountain — which are arranged around the small church dedicated to St. Sebastian, the hamlet consists of only a few more houses, many of which are many centuries old. The architectural permanence blends its aura into the serene solemnity of the setting, as nature has shaped and played with it. It is one of the privileges of those who spend time in Zug to consciously perceive, sort out, understand and allow the daily moods to take effect. Whether this happens on a walk, on a hike or deep in a deckchair on the balcony of the house where you are staying is entirely up to you. I, for example, love going for walks. So I walk past the school building, see the church tower slowly disappearing from view, just shy of the village, follow the road to the bay where the bus terminates and the driver takes advantage of the few minutes of waiting time imposed by the timetable to smoke a cigarette. I walk past the Auerhahn, Haus Walch, Hartenfels, Klösterle, then I pass the barrier that cuts off unauthorized traffic and I am where I have longed to be: in the silence of the mountains, underpinned only by the crunch of my own footsteps on the snow-trodden path. I love these mountains. I love the wind gaps carved into the rock faces, the vertical patterns that the snow and water draw into the stone. I love the bold ideas that inevitably come to mind when you walk through the high valley and wonder what it might be like up there, where the sun re-
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STORY
veals all the colours, while it is so cold and damp down here in the shade that the signs for the Spullerwaldrunde and Gasthaus Älpele are covered in needle-thick frost on the bright red hiking signpost. Today I decide to take the loop through the Spullerwald forest, cross the river Lech, which carries little water, and walk past a few clunky cars that have been left here by others, I think, walkers. The nearby cross-country ski trail is deserted. I am alone, in the shadow of the towering rocks, slowly finding my rhythm : step, breath, step, breath, in the “melody of walking”, as the French anthropologist David le Breton calls it, and while I am just visualising the harmony of the moment, the balance between curiosity, effort and peace that sets in when I have found the right pace in the right place, a metallic voice buzzes at me from the top left: “There’s shooting here !” Startled, I stop, locate the warning hunter in a well-camouflaged high stand, where, paradoxically, he is crouched in a brightly coloured safety vest, pointing his shotgun upwards, where the chamois / deer / snow hare must fear for their lives. “That’s a hiking trail,” I say, a little stuffy. But the high-visibility vest just slaps the stock of his shotgun with the flat of his hand. Enough said, hugh. The melody of walking, now dissonant. I can no longer find a rhythm because I strike a gait like a human who in no way wants to be mistaken for a deer or a wild boar, hopping, whistling, ambling. Again and again I see hunters in their warning vests standing in the trenches that descend from the Stierlochkopf or the Unterer Schafberg, and then I hear the short bang of the rifle, which multiplies on the slopes of the Arlberg massif and confirms the warning from the entrance. I continue along the Lech river until I turn around at the deserted forest camp. The cars with the defined muscles are now parked in front of the Älpele, the hut on the Lechtalweg. The chamois lies on a loading area, a hole in its torso, a pine twig in its mouth. The animal is dead. The hunters are in the inn. The way back to Zug is clear. I walk in peace. Another time the rain surprises me. I had planned to walk from Lake Formarin to Lake Spuller when, a few hundred meters before the summit of this wonderful hike, I noticed black clouds forming, still far away. My natural impulse would have been to sit down and watch the storm as it crept in, capturing the colours of the late summer day and making the
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mountain landscape glow dramatically before the spectacle begins, wind, rain, plummeting temperatures, lightning, thunder, a sensual spectacle that the most sophisticated Hollywood specialists must fail to imitate. Fortunately, I still have a few instincts that tell me to get back to the safety of a dry place as quickly as possible, and so I cross the Steinernes Meer with long, quick strides to be caught in the pouring rain just before Alpe Formarin, the likes of which no spa architect will ever achieve. The qualities of this moment become apparent later, when I arrive at Rote Wand — the house, not the mountain —, drop my wet clothes, dry off and warm up and talk and am asked questions and can report what all my senses have perceived : the beauty that is also inherent in the drama. The elemental that has so much lightness here. The experience that puts the dimensions in which we are used to living into perspective. Zug is a hinge between nature and culture, between imagination and reality, a sluice through which you can pass to feel the world better, to sense its wonders, and to claim your own place in this world of wonder and be surprised, and sometimes overwhelmed, by it. Zug is a place of serenity, perhaps even a place of contemplation, if you allow your surroundings to tune you to this tone. And it is a place of longing as soon as you take the road down into the forest and leave the village behind you, for an hour, for a day, for a year.
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SEE YOU !
IMPRINT Texts : Rote Wand, Christian Seiler. Photos : Ingo Pertramer, Dominic Kummer, Angela Lamprecht, Heidi Sutterlüty-Kathan, Magdalena Walch, Lech Zürs Tourismus by Dominic Kummer. Illustrations and Design : Andreas Posselt, buero8 Media owner : RW Hotelbetriebs GmbH, Zug 5, 6764 Lech Printed at : Print Alliance HAV Produktions GmbH, Druckhausstraße 1, 2540 Bad Vöslau
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Platzhalter
If you still haven’t had enough of Rote Wand, you can either book a room immediately. Or order the Rote Wand cookbook. Available at your bookstore or at the Rote Wand Shop.