A Festival For Gourmets

Right from the start, the “guest chef” concept has been riding a wave of success. Originally set up by chef of the century Eckart Witzigmann, the concept is now managed by Martin Klein with Eckart Witzigmann in the role of patron.

Born in Strasbourg, Martin Klein first managed Restaurant Marstall in Munich, where he won his first Michelin Star in 2002. The following year he started as chef de cuisine in Restaurant Ikarus, and was thus part of the original team. He worked here for a total of 9 years, with responsibility for culinary composition, until he changed direction in 2012 and spent a period of time on Laucala Island, an exclusive private island in the middle of the South Pacific. Returning to his “new old” home in January 2014, he has set himself the challenge of continuing the internationally renowned guest chef concept in Hangar-7 in the role of Executive Chef.

Martin Klein travels the world in search of top chefs. He gets to know all the guest chefs in their own kitchens, devising extraordinary menus with them for Restaurant Ikarus. He is assisted by chefs de cuisine Tommy Eder and Jörg Bruch – both of whom have worked at Hangar-7 for over 12 years – and sous chefs Martin Ebert and Andreas Bitsch, who have also been at Restaurant Ikarus for over 10 years. Service manager Matthias Berger and restaurant manager Florian Kempinger ensure the general comfort of guests at Restaurant Ikarus.

The team is hugely important to Martin Klein. Because the guest chefs change every month, the team has to be particularly flexible – while at the same time remaining true to their standard of total perfection.

A taste of the creations of what is possibly the world’s most exclusive chefs’ crew can be enjoyed by all when the Ikarus Team sets the tone for the Salzburg Festival in Restaurant Ikarus in Hangar-7 during August.