Werner Matt was considered a pioneer of the “New Viennese cuisine”; in the 1970s he brought nouvelle cuisine to Austria. The former top chef died over the weekend at the age of 80, according to Falstaff.
Born in Kematen in Tyrol, Matt worked in France, Istanbul, London and Munich after his education in Switzerland. In 1975 he became head of the newly opened Hilton in Vienna – at that time the largest Hilton in Europe. In the “Rotisserie Prinz Eugen” he led a brigade of 75 chefs and got a Michelin star. Numerous top chefs worked with him in the kitchen, including Reinhard Gerer and Christian Petz. In 1985 Werner Matt was named Chef of the Year by Gault&Millau. In the course of his career he has cooked for heads of state and stars – including French President Charles de Gaulle, US President Ronald Reagan and Sophia Loren. In 2005, Matt retired.
Source: Nachrichten
