From Copenhagen to the Tyrolean Alps: Part 4 – Coming Home
By Christian, Head Chef & Owner, Panorama Hotel Fliesserhof
In Part 3, I told you how I left Michelin kitchens to open a brewpub and learned lessons about hospitality that would change everything. Today, I'll tell you why I came home—and what it means for Fliesserhof.
2022: The Homecoming
When I returned to Tyrol in 2022 to take over Panorama Hotel Fliesserhof, many people didn't know what to expect.
Would I try to turn it into a Michelin restaurant?
Would I reject my family's traditions?
Would I change everything?
The truth is: I didn't come home to change Fliesserhof. I came home to elevate it.
What Makes Fliesserhof Different?
Here's what I learned from all my years in Michelin kitchens, in Copenhagen, at the brewpub:
The best restaurants aren't the ones with the most stars. They're the ones you remember forever.
At Fliesserhof, we combine:
Michelin technique – I bring the precision, the techniques, the attention to detail I learned in the world's best kitchens.
New Nordic philosophy – We work with local producers, forage in our mountains, ferment, experiment. The best ingredients grow right outside our door.
Brewpub mentality – We're not stuffy. We're not formal. We're real. We treat our guests like family, not critics.
Tyrolean roots – This is a family hotel. My grandparents built it from scratch. My mother took over in 2008. I took over in 2022. We've been here for 55 years, and we'll be here for many more.
Why the Mountains Are the Future of Gastronomy
In cities, restaurants are about hype. About Instagram. About waitlists and reservations months in advance.
In the mountains, it's about something different.
It's about coming in after a hike and feeling at home. It's about sitting at a table, seeing mountains through the window, and knowing that the food you're eating comes from those mountains.
It's about connection. Connection to nature. Connection to the people cooking your food. Connection to a place that feels real.
You can't buy that in a city.
What We Do at Fliesserhof
Every evening, we serve a set menu. One menu for all guests. It changes daily, based on what's available, what's in season, what inspires us.
We use French techniques, but Tyrolean ingredients. We respect traditions, but we're not afraid to be creative.
And most importantly: We cook with love. Not for stars. Not for critics. For the people sitting at our tables.
We also have our own distillery—Kupfereule—where we make fruit brandies and liqueurs. After dinner, guests come to our bar, taste our stone pine liqueur, talk, laugh, feel like they're part of something special.
That's what it's all about.
Why I Never Look Back
People sometimes ask me if I miss the Michelin world. The prestige. The recognition. The excitement.
And I tell them: No.
Because I have something here that no Michelin star could ever give me.
I have purpose. I cook for my community. For my family. For guests who become friends.
I have freedom. I don't have to cook for critics. I can experiment, play, take risks.
I have connection. To the mountains. To the producers. To the guests who come back every week.
And I have home.
The Invitation
If you're ever in Tyrol, come visit us.
Don't come for a star. Come for the mountains. For the food. For the feeling of being in a place that feels real.
Come because you understand that the best culinary experiences aren't in Michelin guides—they happen at tables where you feel like family.
This is why I left Copenhagen.
This is why I came home.
And this is why I never look back.
Panorama Hotel Fliesserhof
Muttern 174, 6521 Fliess, Tyrol
www.fliesserhof.at/en | info@fliesserhof.at | +43 5449 52 23
Book your stay and experience Michelin excellence in the Tyrolean Alps.
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