Heinz Reitbauer is one of Austria’s greatest chefs and the driving force behind Steirereck in Vienna, long regarded as the finest restaurant in the country and one of the best in the world. A master of contemporary Austrian cuisine, he has spent his career reinterpreting the ingredients and traditions of his homeland with extraordinary technical skill and a deep, almost scientific love of nature and produce.
Reitbauer comes from a family steeped in both cooking and farming, and that dual heritage runs through everything he does. His food celebrates Austria’s landscapes – its herbs, vegetables, freshwater fish and dairy – in dishes of remarkable refinement, earning him a place at the very summit of European gastronomy.
TL;DR
- Austrian chef, born 23 August 1970 in Vienna
- From a family that founded the Steirereck restaurant in 1970
- Trained with the Obauer brothers and with Alain Chapel, Mosimann and Robuchon
- Took over Steirereck in Vienna in 2005, in the Stadtpark
- Steirereck holds three Michelin stars and ranks among the world’s best restaurants
Heinz Reitbauer key facts
| Born | 23 August 1970, Vienna, Austria |
| Nationality | Austrian |
| Restaurant | Steirereck, Vienna |
| Michelin | Three stars |
| Style | Contemporary Austrian, nature-led |
A family of cooks and farmers
Heinz Reitbauer was born on 23 August 1970 in Vienna, into a family with deep roots in both gastronomy and agriculture. His parents, originally from Styria, opened the Steirereck tavern in Vienna in the year of his birth, and he grew up surrounded by a passion for cooking and a profound respect for agricultural produce. That combination – the restaurant and the farm, the plate and the soil – would become the foundation of his own culinary philosophy.
Training with the masters
Reitbauer studied at the hotel school in Altotting, Germany, from the age of sixteen, followed by an apprenticeship in the family restaurant. He then refined his craft with the Obauer brothers in Werfen, developing a deep understanding of modern Austrian cuisine, before broadening his horizons between 1989 and 1992 in some of the world’s greatest kitchens – with Alain Chapel in France, Anton Mosimann in London and Joel Robuchon in Paris. Few chefs have combined such rich local roots with such an elite international training.
Steirereck and world recognition
In 1992 Reitbauer and his family acquired a farm and country inn in Pogusch, in northern Styria, opening Restaurant Pogusch in 1996. In 2005 he took over the Steirereck in Vienna, in its beautiful setting in the Stadtpark, succeeding Helmut Osterreicher as chef de cuisine. Under his leadership Steirereck has become an institution: it holds three Michelin stars and has spent years among the very highest ranks of The World’s 50 Best Restaurants, widely regarded as the best restaurant in Austria and one of the finest anywhere.
A nature-led philosophy
Reitbauer’s cuisine is a contemporary reinterpretation of Austrian tradition, built on local and seasonal ingredients and a deep engagement with the natural world. Sometimes called a “plant whisperer”, he works closely with growers and foragers, championing herbs, vegetables and lesser-known produce, and pairs them with the freshwater fish, game and dairy of Austria’s landscapes. Sustainability is central to his thinking, and his food captures the flavours of his country with both authenticity and invention.
Signature style
Reitbauer’s cooking is precise, elegant and deeply rooted in place. He treats humble Austrian ingredients with the same seriousness others reserve for luxury products, and his dishes are celebrated for their clarity, balance and originality. It is fine dining that feels connected to the land – refined, but never divorced from where its ingredients come from.
Heinz Reitbauer in context
Reitbauer is the leading figure of Austrian fine dining, having trained with the Obauer brothers and standing alongside fellow Vienna chefs featured on Pickup Table 4 such as Konstantin Filippou.
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Heinz Reitbauer FAQ
Who is Heinz Reitbauer?
An Austrian chef, the head of Steirereck in Vienna, widely regarded as the best restaurant in Austria.
How many Michelin stars does Steirereck have?
Three, and it ranks among the World’s 50 Best Restaurants.
Where did he train?
With the Obauer brothers and with Alain Chapel, Anton Mosimann and Joel Robuchon.
What is his style?
Contemporary Austrian cuisine built on local, seasonal and natural ingredients.
Where is he from?
He was born in Vienna in 1970, into a family of cooks and farmers.
