He is a multiple barbecue vice world champion and has developed his own style, which he calls – nomen est omen – "tom style". His book "wintergrillen" has long been part of the canon of barbecue aficionados. "Roast ́n roll forever" is the name of another of his six works, the title of which sums up his professional ethos. For tom heinzle, grilling is an artistic performance.
The trained mechanical engineer and culinary hedonist discovered his love for the culinary arts early on. His mother inspired him when he was a teenager. He developed his first own creations at the age of 20. Today, dishes such as fish with black pudding or beet with parmesan are among them – on the grill, of course. Nevertheless, he doesn't always put meat and sausage on the grill. "Before I eat any meat, I'd rather eat something vegetarian," heinzle clarifies. Reason enough for him to always include an intermediate course for non-carnivores in his seminars.
70 to 400 degrees celsius
Especially likes to work with the big green egg. The ceramic grill works like a japanese kamado, whose origins lie in southern nippon and date back more than 3000 years. American gis had imported the round tong grill to their homeland after the second world war. The big green eggs save fuel and get sensationally hot. With three kilos of charcoal, the oven can be operated at low temperature for 24 hours without any problems; moreover, the meat does not dry out. The exhaust air can be throttled with the attachment on the lid, and there is a slider with grille at the bottom. Already after a quarter of an hour the thermometer reaches 300 degrees celsius – without annoying kindling chimney. The temperature can be regulated between 70 and 400 degrees by supply and exhaust air. Thanks to precise air circulation via two vents, the temperature can be regulated down to the degree.
This keeps the grilled food nice and juicy even with slow-cooked pieces. Cooking for hours at 80 degrees is no problem – just like in the oven, but with charcoal fire. With the right accessories you can also bake bread or pizza. The "EGG" is available in sizes from mini to 2XL. Prices range from 649 to 5750 euros. In terms of weight, it's no lightweight, but it comes with a lifetime warranty on the material and on the construction of all ceramic components.
At the side of cooking giants such as harald wohlfahrt, jorg sackmann and tanja grandits, big green egg testimonial tom heinzle of the 24. Up to 29. June at the costa del sol with the gourmet summit of aldiana. Good to know for gourmets: while other providers of such top-class culinary events sometimes charge astronomical prices, the rendezvous of the culinary artists on the costa del sol is included in the price of the overnight stay.
Vacation among friends
Since the beginning of the cooperation with big green egg in may last year, it has always been barbecue season in the clubs, which will be ten as of this year. In addition, aldiana also offers menus and cooking courses in the specialty restaurants, where the equipment of the cult kamado manufacturer from atlanta is used. "The topic of BBQ fascinates and moves our guests," aldiana food & beverage manager sebastian hauschild explains the culinary focus.
"Holidays among friends" is the motto at aldiana, the number two in the industry behind robinson. The guests are on first-name terms with each other and with the hotel staff – right up to the club director. At aldiana club hochkonig, this is "der ernst" (noelle), who has been running things in the salzburger land since may 2018. Surrounded by meadows and forests at the foot of the hochkonig massif, the club lies a good 1000 meters above sea level like an eagle's nest on its hill.
Upscale austrian cuisine
Since the expansion last winter, the house has more than 140 rooms and suites. Especially the 32 accommodations in the new building are recommendable, while the old building is partly very outdated. The buffet restaurant with live cooking stations, which has been expanded to 360 seats, was also recently redesigned. If you want or need to watch your line, dine at eatsmarter corner. Chef rudi huber focuses on upscale austrian cuisine and especially likes to use products from the forest and meadows, river and sea.
If you book half board plus, you will get a breakfast buffet, dinner buffet incl. Beer, table wine, soft drinks and table water. In the afternoon, the so-called snack line awaits with a – very clear – offer of small hot and cold snacks. Ten days in the family room with mansard cost from 696 euros per person.
Outside the resort door there is a whole range of options to get rid of accumulated pounds. The hochkonig ski area, with 150 kilometers of slopes, is less than five minutes away by ski bus. One of the longest natural toboggan runs in the salzburger land passes directly by the facility.
Hubi and the zapferl alm
In summer, guests can experience nature on over 130 kilometers of well-marked hiking trails with a local guide and discover the mountain world of the hochkonig – preferably also by e-bike. Throughout the summer season, the club offers daily guided hikes and mountain tours of various levels of difficulty. For those who like more, get fit with rafting, canyoning or summer tobogganing.
A visit to the zapferl alm is highly recommended, a rustic symbiosis of top restaurant, trendy meeting place and solid tyrolean inn – picture book panorama included. Wooden facade, wooden benches, tables, wooden floor, fences and sculptures welcome the guests already at the entrance and invite them to linger. Hubert "hubi" radacher runs the alm for nine years now.
Very likeable, always ready for a chat, he mingles with the guests again and again. It has always been his dream to run his own hut – preferably on a sunny spot, with a ski slope running past and with a lift station. After two years, the time had come: "I had managed to get all the permits and realized my dream of owning my own cabin," hubi looks back with a smile. Among the most popular dishes at his zapferl alm he counts kasnocken with green salad, backhenderlsalat with pumpkin seed oil – and of course the homemade kaiserschmarrn.