http://www.hangar-7.com 2012-05-16T23:52:49 de http://www.hangar-7.comEXT:aloharssnpodcast/rss.gif http://www.hangar-7.com http://www.hangar-7.com/en/ikarus/guest-chef-at-restaurant-ikarus/2012/preview-guest-chefs-2012/ “Iberian, also a touch of Asian as well as Latin American influences”:
Even Nuno Mendes himself can’t clearly categorize his cuisine. Not surprising, since Mendes incorporates all the experience he’s collected from numerous international locations into his compositions. The result: a kind of experimental world cuisine that may not be attributable to one country, but can unquestionably be assigned to the category of “absolutely exceptional and delicious.”

"Viajante"

Patriot Square, Bethnal Green
London E2 9NF, Great Britain
Telephone: +44 207 8710461 E-mail: info@viajante.co.uk
www.viajante.co.uk]]> 2011-10-28T12:33:14 http://www.hangar-7.com/en/ikarus/guest-chef-at-restaurant-ikarus/2012/pino-lavarra/

"Breathtaking" – that is the only way to describe the panorama that greets guests at the world-famous Palazzo Sasso hotel, situated 350 metres above the Amalfi Coast. When guests take their seats at the hotel's own two-star restaurant, Rossellinis, they feel a step closer to the heavens. And not just because of the restaurant's unique location – head chef Pino Lavarra's excellent creations in particular are sure to elevate their taste buds to heavenly heights. It therefore comes as no surprise that Pino Lavarra is considered to be one Italy's best chefs.

The Italian's ability to create such culinary highlights was already evident at an early age. Lavarra's mother worked as a cook in a school canteen, meaning that he spent almost his entire childhood surrounded by pots and pans. Thus, Lavarra's love for cuisine grew stronger and stronger during this time. At the age of 14, he finally answered the call of his passion and attended catering school in Castellana Grotte. After graduating, Lavarra worked in various summer jobs at local restaurants and pizzerias, before travelling the world to prove his talent in some of the best kitchens around. In the years that followed, he enjoyed spells at the Penang Mutiara Beach Resort in Malaysia, as well as in England, where he developed his creative skills under Raymond Blanc at the famous Le Manoir Aux Quat’Saisons in Oxford. During his time in London, Pino Lavarra worked as Executive Chef at Grissini, Park Hyatt. Then – in 1997 – came an offer he couldn't refuse: The new luxury hotel Palazzo Sasso on the Amalfi Coast was seeking culinary reinforcement in its kitchen. After a brief spell at the restaurant, he returned to England, the country in which he had enjoyed his first taste of success. True to the motto "you always meet twice in life", Lavarra returned to the Palazzo Sasso in 2001. This time, however, he would be in charge of the Rossellinis restaurant as Executive Chef! From that point on, Lavarra's career – and the reputation of Rossellinis – snowballed. In his first year back on the Amalfi Coast, Lavarra was awarded the title of One of the Best Chefs in the World by the American Academy of Hospitality Sciences. His crowning glory was to follow one year later, when he received his first Michelin star. After more awards, including from Veronelli, the second Michelin star descended on the restaurant with the wonderful views of the Mediterranean in 2004. Lavarra defends the star to this day. But what is the secret to Pino Lavarra's success? Is it the mix of traditional recipes from the Campania region and the modern, international cuisine that he discovered and came to love while abroad? Or is it his ability to combine the most diverse flavours and herbs into one harmonious whole? The answer is simple: Both! Critics and gourmets alike love Lavarra for creations such as the Saint Pierre fillet cooked with Senise pepper flour, poached broccoli, crushed potato, oysters and squid cream sauce. And Lavarra's spaghetti "alla chitarra", flavoured with basil chlorophyll and wrapped in swordfish paper with baby squid stew and squid ink sauce, is also in a class of its own. And when one of the 800 wines from the restaurant's own wine cellar is served alongside, gourmets are treated to the pinnacle of culinary pleasure. The dining experience is topped off by the service, which – just like the restaurant itself – is of the highest order. In Pino Lavarra's Rossellinis restaurant in Ravello, gourmets are much closer to the heavens than the sea. And that's not just because the restaurant is situated high above the Amalfi Coast – above all, it is due to Lavarra's culinary skills, which are so heavenly that gourmets are sure to be floating on cloud nine.]]> 2012-04-26T13:10:18 http://www.hangar-7.com/en/ikarus/roland-trettl-on-tour/2012/roland-trettl-meets-pino-lavarra/

Indigenous but refined: more than just a basic principle for the Amalfi Coast's top chef.

When it comes to the guest chef concept at Hangar-7, I know how important it is not to become sidetracked by nice locations. After all, we are presenting a chef and his cuisine, not five-star views of the sea.  In the case of Pino Lavarra, however, his two-star restaurant "Rossellinis" is part of the "Palazzo Sasso" hotel, a majestic building from the 12th century, situated around 350 metres above the sea and offering stunning views across one of the most beautiful and breathtaking sections of the Amalfi Coast. But let's forget all that and get down to what really matters: in the almost nine years since the guest chef concept kicked off, we have invited eight Italian chefs to Hangar-7. Thus, we have certainly played our part in celebrating the enormous importance of Italian cuisine. And for me personally, Italian cuisine is at its most important when its traditional elements are maintained and emphasised. Maybe that's because I'm Italian myself. Japan aside, I think Italy is the only nation in the world that can create such a pleasant and distinctive taste in such an indigenous and product-oriented way and with such clear craftsmanlike structures. This finally brings us to Pino. Or to basil spaghetti "alla chitarra", with swordfish and calamaretti. The fish is cooked extremely briefly (leaving it almost raw) and the spaghetti is rolled up in it like cannelloni. This is then covered with a ragout of wine-doused calamaretti and tomatoes. Quite breathtaking, to such an extent that one doesn't even feel the need to mention the presentation, which may be perceived as a little outdated. The end result is Italian-tasting high-tech cuisine "alla perfectione" – exactly what I like to eat in Italy. Pino's variations of mozzarella – raw, cooked, fluid, frozen – also fall within this description. He creates these not as an exhibition of his culinary skills, but as a master's ode to the product. Those lucky enough to dine here will know once and for all just how good southern Italian buffalo mozzarella should taste. I see it as a grandiose modernisation of the traditional, whereby Pino places much more importance on maintaining the traditional aspects than on modernising them. That makes us kindred spirits! I will explain this point using his cookbook, which was published last year. The entire 220-page book has been opulently created – but only in Italian, despite the very international clientèle at hotel "Palazzo Sasso". In the case of Pino, however, this is not an expression of national arrogance, but rather the result of a provincial distractedness. Because he loves his region so much, is so bound by it and feels so at home there, he can be forgiven if it sometimes slips his mind that Italian isn't the only language in the world. That's certainly a good way to write books and a good way to cook – and the perfect way to earn the highest culinary respect in Italy. Add to this the essential ingredients of southern Italian attitudes to life – such as cordiality, hospitality, openness and indulgence – and we are left with the question of why anyone would ever want to leave a place like "Rossellinis" and the surrounding hotel "Palazzo Sasso" again. The only honest admission is that, unfortunately, we are not able to beam this place into Hangar-7. There is, however, one guarantee: in the month of May, Pino Lavarra will do everything in his power to ensure that guests at Hangar-7 can taste all of these Italian attitudes to life for themselves.]]> 2012-04-26T13:08:36 http://www.hangar-7.com/en/day-night/events/red-bull-paper-wings-2012/

The goal is to fly, not land. Thousands of pilots, dozen of qualifiers all over the planet. Paper airplanes are going aloft around the world in an attempt to reach the world finals of the Red Bull Paper Wings 2012 World Championship. There are three categories for the finals (May 2012, Hangar-7, Salzburg, Austria) – longest airtime, longest distance and aerobatics. But a word of warning: The goal is to fly, not to land.

The world champion will be determined for the third time at a location where lovingly restored aviation rarities are usually on display. Everybody will have the chance for an unforgettable adventure in aviation. The dimensions of the competition have nearly doubled in just a short time. There were 48 countries that had national qualifiers in 2006. There were already more than 85 countries taking part for the second edition of the contest. Right now 500 qualification events in more than 85 countries are ready to take off.]]> 2012-04-06T13:11:34 http://www.hangar-7.com/en/ikarus/guest-chef-at-restaurant-ikarus/2012/tanja-grandits/

She's small and delicate. In fact, she could almost be described as fragile. But the first impression couldn't be more wrong: Tanja Grandits, who dons the chef's hat at the STUCKI restaurant in Basel, is a real chef heavyweight – and her combinations of flavours, colours and textures certainly pack a punch. The result is fresh, playful and colourful creations that no gourmet can resist.

But before Grandits started experimenting with flavours and colours, scientific experiments were the order of the day. The reason: After spending her childhood and youth in Albstadt, southern Germany, Tanja Grandits enrolled on a chemistry degree course, albeit somewhat half-heartedly. After just two semesters, she turned her back on H2O and Co. to start a chef apprenticeship at the famous luxury hotel Traube Tonbach, thereby laying the foundations for her impressive culinary career. After her spell in the picturesque Black Forest, Grandits moved to the luxury hotel Claridge's in the hubbub of London, where she discovered her penchant for Asian-inspired fish dishes as well as her passion for combining sweet and spicy. This was followed by a stint at Château de Montcaud in Bagnol-sur-Cèze. Behind the stove of this elegant restaurant in the south of France, Grandits not only enhanced her love for cooking – she also met the love of her life:  René Graf, the executive chef at the time, who would later become her husband. The couple opened their first business together in 2001, the hotel-restaurant Thurtal in Eschikofen. And with great success: In 2006, Grandits was named Chef of the Year by Gault Millau and also received 16 points from the prestigious restaurant guide. "Tanja Grandits sources the world's most refined spices and flavours for her small and quaint country inn. She wows her guests with dishes that are both imaginative and straightforward," concluded the impressed judges at the time. When the legendary Stucki-Bruderholz restaurant in Basel was seeking a new leaseholder in 2008, it was an easy decision for Tanja Grandits. Together with her young daughter Emma and her husband René, she moved to the Rhine, where she would continue to write the history of this highly traditional restaurant. "Aroma Kitchen" has also remained Tanja Grandits' unmistakeable trademark at Restaurant Stucki, where she serves up a blend of opposites that couldn't be more exciting. Everything has been carefully thought out and harmoniously coordinated. Even the colours of her creations are not left to chance. "There is a main flavour and a main colour for every dish," explains Grandits. The result? Colourful and exciting compositions such as her vanilla pikeperch with turmeric and roasted fennel purée, her goat's cheese cake with tarragon and cherry tomatoes, and her lamb knuckle ravioli with amaretti-pumpkin purée and pear sambal. Successful combinations of spices, which create a perfect harmony of sweet and spicy. As expected, her creative Aroma Kitchen has taken the gourmet and critic world by storm: STUCKI has been awarded 17 Gault Millau points and one Michelin star. In addition, Grandits has already published three cookery books, all of which have become bestsellers: "Aroma pur: Meine fröhliche Weltküche",  "Alles klar: Im Glas gekocht – im Glas serviert" and "Eingemacht & Ausgepackt: Geschenke aus meiner Küche". Nothing is quite as it seems – especially in the case of Tanja Grandits, who at first glance looks so delicate: Grandits shows true greatness when it comes to combining flavours, colours and textures. She may be small, Small, but... wow!]]> 2012-03-30T17:08:03 http://www.hangar-7.com/en/ikarus/roland-trettl-on-tour/2012/roland-trettl-meets-tanja-grandits/

The Swabian has conquered the hearts of Swiss gourmets. And our gourmet expert Roland Trettl was equally impressed by the petite chef.

Hans Stucki is a huge name, at least on the Swiss culinary scene: the great chef was something like the "Witzigmann of Switzerland" and has been an untouchable legend of top Helvetian cuisine since his death in the late '90s. Anyone who opens their cooking base inside his former domain at Basel's Bruderholzallee 42, while also keeping the magic formula "Stucki" as the restaurant's name, is either a well-trained pupil of the master himself, a pretentious freerider or just plain stupid. Or so I thought. That was before I meet Tanja Grandits, head chef of the gourmet restaurant.

Because the German from the province of Swabia – a former chemistry student and Gault-Millau Chef of the Year 2006 – is none of these things. Some people – known as synesthetes – are able to hear colours and see musical notes. In the broadest sense, Tanja also belongs to this group, for she is able to taste colours. And translate colour into flavour. What is served up as a result of this talent is nothing less than a compositional mass, which at first appears to be aesthetically oriented and only reveals its complexity upon tasting.

To be completely honest: when I hear about an "orange" combination of mango and polenta, combined with a sweet corn soup, egg yolk and white truffle, the composition doesn't enthuse me greatly. In fact, I even have difficulty imagining how all these things might taste together. But as soon as I try it, I realise that this arrangement and the way it is colour-coordinated on my plate is perfectly logical.

And after being so overwhelmingly convinced, I'm already looking forward to the cool and fresh "green", which takes the form of a perch fillet, nettle buds, avocado, wasabi purée, mint tapioca and rice crackers. Tanja's cuisine is highly intelligent. And her style – despite its monochrome expression – is infinitely eclectic. Vietnam, India, the Orient, Japan – Tanja skips across the continents to borrow what she needs for her own unique style – without ever being suspected of plagiarism.

She is unbelievably laid-back, unstressed and soothingly unagitated, but still manages to be perfectly organised. She likes to take her time when getting her six-year-old daughter out of bed in the morning. And because she has already completed her daily yoga workout by then, she doesn't even feel the need to raise her voice. Essential to this serenity, however, is the perfect interaction with her husband René Graf Grandits. Although René is a top-class chef himself, he concentrates on the service at "Stucki" – and with sensational results.

These two are a match made in heaven. The fact that Tanja's cuisine is accepted on the "consecrated premises" of a certain Hans Stucki speaks volumes for the modernity and openness of Switzerland, a country that is often humoured for being decorous and conservative. The city of Basel has accepted the German chef without reservation. And business is booming at Tanja's restaurant. This makes us all the more appreciative of her guest chef appearance at our Hangar-7 in April. The anticipation of her visit definitely tastes pink to me!]]> 2012-03-27T18:01:00 http://www.hangar-7.com/en/service-shop/hangar-7-at-servustv/sports-and-talk-from-hangar-7-on-servustv/

Monday live at 21.05 clock on ServusTV

A unique format in a unique atmosphere.

Our TV hosts will be talking to high-ranking, exceptional guests from the world of sports, focussing on national and international sports events. Current topics from the areas of SOCCER, MOTOR SPORTS, WINTER SPORTS, EXTREME SPORTS, etc. Always up to date, always at the pulse of what’s new, ALWAYS TOP ENTERTAINMENT! With thoroughly researched background reports from key international sports venues and features on celebrated sports stars and extraordinary athletes.]]> 2011-05-30T16:25:15 http://www.hangar-7.com/en/day-night/people/red-bull-stratos/

In January 2010, Felix Baumgartner unveiled Red Bull Stratos, a mission to the edge of the space and back again. He’ll ascend by balloon and free fall back to Earth, breaking world records and becoming the first person to break the sound barrier without a machine. After a delay of several months, this daring and complex adventure is finally ready for take-off.

Felix Baumgartner wants to take his pressurised balloon gondola to 36km, the highest balloon flight ever, and then leap back to Earth. No one has ever leapt from such a height before. No parachute jump will have ever lasted so long. No man has ever previously broken the sound barrier in free fall. Red Bull Stratos is following in the footsteps of Project Excelsior, which saw Colonel Joe Kittinger of the US Air Force jump from 31km on August 16, 1960. Kittinger is now Baumgartner’s mentor, the only man alive who can offer advice on a mission where the slightest error in procedure could prove fatal. Red Bull Stratos is taking all its participants way beyond their comfort zones. Since the project was announced two years ago, the team has had to contend with more challenges than it could ever have foreseen. For a short time, the project appeared to be on the point of collapse. But now Red Bull Stratos is about to get off the ground. The Red Bulletin will follow Baumgartner and his team until his record-breaking jump. This month, Part One of our story begins with a disarming interview with Baumgartner and a profile of the pioneering Kittinger. ]]> 2012-02-13T06:28:35