St. Johann im Pongau / Berlin, August 2025 - Alpine authenticity meets contemporary gourmet art at the Hotel Berghof in St. Johann in Salzburg. Here, in the heart of the Pongau region, head chef Alexander Forbes Jr. and his team have created a culinary concept that preserves regional roots while surprising guests with subtle sophistication. Whether in the elegant "Panorama" restaurant, at the avant-garde food sharing in the "Medusa" or at breakfast with a view of the mountains: enjoyment at the Berghof is always a commitment to sustainability and origin.
Cuisine with provenance
The hotel's cuisine bears the AMA GENUSS REGION seal of quality and the SalzburgerLand certificate of origin - two awards that stand for uncompromising quality and transparency. Fresh, seasonal products from the region form the foundation on which Forbes composes dishes that tell a new story of home: creative, modern, vegetarian or vegan, but always with that depth of flavor that creates memories.
"Our cuisine thrives on the authenticity of the products and the power of nature. We don't interpret home in a nostalgic way, but in a contemporary and sensual way," says Forbes, describing his philosophy.
Staged enjoyment between wine passage and starry sky
But the enjoyment at the Berghof does not end at the plate. The newly opened wine arcade, where guests can discover exquisite wines presented in style, adds an extra dimension to the hotel. Those who prefer to linger in the garden under the stars or on the terrace with an aperitif will experience culinary delights as part of a larger whole: as a staging of atmosphere, architecture and nature.
Individual moments of indulgence are also part of the concept - whether a romantic candlelight dinner, an exclusive champagne breakfast in the room or a lovingly arranged menu for a wedding anniversary. The Berghof sees culinary delights as something personal that goes far beyond traditional gastronomy.
Exclusive enjoyment to recreate: Alexander Forbes Jr. reveals his recipe for the winter season
Just in time for the cold season, Forbes provides an exclusive insight into his kitchen and reveals a festive recipe that is ideal for the holidays, New Year's Eve or the winter months. A touch of the Pongau way of life finds its way into local kitchens - combined with the unmistakable taste of the Berghof.
Fillet steak of local beef with port wine, fig sauce ,
Potato-pear puree and oven leek & onions
Fillet steak
4 pieces of local beef fillet steak, 180 g each
Salt , Szechuan pepper
Oil for frying
40 g butter for finishing
Season the fillets of beef with salt and Szechuan pepper. Sear on all sides in hot oil. Cook in a preheated oven at 160°C for 8-9 minutes (core temperature: 54°C). Then fry briefly in foamed butter.
Port wine - fig sauce
300 ml veal jus
100 ml red port wine
50 g shallots
10 g oil
25 g fig mustard
40 g cold butter (for mounting)
Thyme, bay leaf
Sauté shallots in oil until translucent, deglaze with port wine and reduce by half. Top up with veal jus, add thyme and bay leaf and reduce again. Pass through a fine sieve and finish with cold cubes of butter and fig mustard.
Potato and pear puree
400 g floury potatoes
100 ml milk
100 g butter
1 pinch of salt
100 g pear puree
1 pinch of nutmeg
Peel the potatoes, cut into pieces, boil until soft, press and pass through a sieve. Mix with milk, butter, salt, nutmeg and pear puree until creamy.
Oven leeks
320 g leek whole
30 ml vegetable stock
20 ml olive oil
Bay leaf, rosemary, thyme
Salt, pepper, a little honey
Wash and chop the leeks, cover and braise in the oven with the remaining ingredients for 25 minutes. Then flame with a blowtorch as desired.
Oven onion
4 onions with skin
Sea salt
Spread the sea salt on a baking tray or ovenproof dish - place the onion on top and cook in the oven at 160 °C for approx. 40 minutes until the inside is creamy. Then remove the outer skin.
Garnish:
fresh garden herbs or cress