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Food writer Rachel Khoo takes Fred to Vienna to experience exquisite coffee and cake, comforting dumplings and mangalitza pork schnitzel from a trailblazing chef.

Fred Sirieix travels to Austria’s capital, Vienna, in the company of food writer Rachel Khoo. Rachel’s grandma is Austrian, and visiting Vienna and eating here feels like coming home. Vienna has a famous reputation for its art and culture, but its food scene is often overlooked. Rachel wants to prove to Fred that Viennese cuisine is vibrant and exciting and deserves international recognition.

Rachel and Fred start their journey in the historic first district, home to world-renowned art galleries and museums and the epicentre of coffee house culture. Rachel wants Fred to experience a slice of Viennese history, so she takes him to the iconic Cafe Demel. Founded in 1786, it became one of the appointed confectioners to the imperial and royal court during the Habsburgs' reign. Fred and Rachel go behind the scenes to join the team of pastry chefs tasked with producing over 30 different types of cakes and bakes 365 days a year. They help strudel master Laia make the fiendishly difficult apple strudel.

Next, Rachel takes Fred on the city’s atmospheric tram to the 4th district, home to Zur Herknerin, a hidden gem that is always booked up in advance. Rachel calls owner Steffi ‘the queen of dumplings’, as she makes traditional Austrian dumplings the old-fashioned way, just like Rachel’s grandma used to make.

Rachel wants Fred to experience the new wave of experimental cooking that is taking the city by storm. Konstantin Filipou is a trailblazing chef pioneering a new approach to Viennese cooking at his two-Michelin-starred restaurant. Eating here in the evening can be costly, so Rachel recommends the three-course business lunch, which is a fraction of the price.

Last but not least, Rachel wants Fred to experience her favourite cheap eat. For many Viennese, a night out wouldn’t be complete without a visit to one of the city’s many sausage stands.

58 minutes

Music Played

  • Flowering Inferno

    Cuidad Del Swing

  • Rehab Nation

    Train

  • Quantic

    Transatlantic

  • André Rieu

    Schwarze Augen

  • dZihan & Kamien

    Stiff Jazz

  • Tosca

    Boss On The Boat

  • dZihan & Kamien

    Gutenmorgenduft

  • Parov Stelar

    Hurt

  • The Mantovani Orchestra

    Blue Danube

Credits

Role Contributor
Presenter Fred Sirieix
Presenter Rachel Khoo
Composer Philip Guyler
Director of photography Cliff Evans
Executive Producer Katy Fryer
Series Producer Flora Fenton
Production Company Outline Productions Ltd
Producer Sophia Wollschlager
Editor Liz Roe
Director Flora Fenton

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Five stand out food experiences from Remarkable Places to Eat

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