Kurt Gutenbrunner

Kurt Gutenbrunner grew up in a small village on the Danube River. At age 15, he decided he wanted to become a chef. He enrolled in a professional hotel and restaurant school and obtained a degree in culinary arts two years later. At the age of 16, he apprenticed at the Relais et Chateau Richard Löwenherz in the Wachau region, where he developed an appreciation for the wine of that region. Kurt then journeyed to Switzerland to work at Crans Montan in the Wallis Valley before heading to Vienna to work with Chef Werner Matt at the Rotisserie Prinz Eugen. Under Chef Matt, he helped earn the restaurant its first Michelin star. Kurt moved on to Tantris, a Michelin three-star restaurant that is considered Munich’s finest. He later was recruited to work at the renowned restaurant Windows of the World’s Cellar in the Sky. He worked there for one year before joining David Bouley as part of the talented team that helped the restaurant upgrade their New York Times review from two to four stars.

Kurt’s next position was in Germany as chef de cuisine at Bistro Terrine, a true French bistro that had been dismantled and reassembled in Munich by Tantris owner Fritz Eichbauer. After three years at Bistro Terrine, Kurt found himself eager to expand his knowledge of exotic cuisine. He began working at Munich’s Mangostin, a contemporary Asian-influenced restaurant, where he supervised a staff of 25 Thai and Vietnamese cooks, all experts in the indigenous ingredients and techniques of Eastern cuisine. After six years in Germany, he returned to New York to become culinary director of David Bouley’s expanding enterprise. He was eventually named executive chef at Monkey Bar, where he became known for his inspired seafood dishes.

When Kurt ventured out on his own, he was able to take all of his experiences and fuse them with his passion for Austrian food — developing creative, yet authentic menus that showcase quality ingredients with an artistic flair. Kurt’s ideals have secured him a unique spot in New York’s culinary world where he is able to harmonize his two great loves, food and art, and for this he is forever grateful.

Restaurants:

Wallse
344 W. 11th Street
New York, NY  10014

Cafe Sabarsky
1048 Fifth Avenue
New York, NY  10028

Blaue Gans
139 Duane Street
New York, NY  10013

Upholstery Wine Bar
713 Washington Street
New York, NY  10014

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