An Unexpected Meeting with the Star Chef of Munich,
Alfonce Schuhbeck

The City of Munich is one of the most charming cities in Germany, with delightful historic architecture, a bevy of delicious restaurants and beer gardens, as well as some of the best shopping in the world. Touring around Munich will take you to the Rathaus-Glockenspiel clock with moving characters, the charming restaurant called Hofbrau where it is said Adolf Hitler gave his first speech as a political activist. The Ratskeller is another lovely old venue, where authentic Bavarian dishes and beer abound, but the most sought after dining venue in Munich is the restaurant owned by renowned chef Alfons Schuhbeck.

Bonnie Carroll Meets Alfonse Schuhbeck

Alfons Schuhbeck was born on May 2, 1949 in upper Bavaria as Alfons Karg, but while he was playing with his band in the Bavarian holiday resort of Waging am See, a chance meeting with restaurateur Sebastian Schuhbeck put him on a path that would see him become one of Germany's most respected culinary talents. This man committed Alfons in a career in the hospitality business and became his mentor. Sebastian Schubeck later adopted Alfons and made him his heir.

He studied at the College of Hotel Management Bad Reichenhall in Bavaria. After that he went through practical training in Salzburg, Geneva, Paris, London and Munich (in Eckart Witzigmanns three stars awarded Aubergine). After training in restaurants around Europe he became Schuhbeck's head chef and heir and took his mentor's surname. When he was awarded a Michelin star in 1983 he became only the third chef outside France to be so honored. The French Gault Millau restaurant guide gave him 17 points and 3 hoods and elected him Cook of the year in 1989.

Schuhbecks in den Sudtiroler Stuben

Schubeck's Kurhausstüber was a former village inn that became a favorite restaurant for the upper society of Munich and Salzburg putting the talented chef on the map. Today with over 20 cookbooks, long-standing appearances on television and a catering business favored by Bayern Munich FC he is arguably Germany's most famous chef. Despite his celebrity status, the base of Schuhbeck's food world still stands in Munich's Südtiroler Stuben - a tastefully traditional restaurant specializing in classic Bavarian dishes updated with global flavors.

A chance meeting gave Chef Schuhbeck the opportunity to become a world renowned chef, and it was a chance meeting that also brought me face to face with Alfons Schuhbeck during a visit to Munich this year. I was touring the city with a Viking River Cruise group when the tour guide said to me "there goes the top chef in Munich" and I immediately veered away from the group and followed the renowned chef into his restaurant Schuhbeck's in den Sudtiroler Stuben.

Munich City Center

Chef Schuhbeck seemed to enjoy my enthusiasm to meet him and was happy to give me some quotes and pose for photos. Sometimes I must agree with my mother who firmly believed 'timing is everything in life'. I was simply delighted by his generosity in assisting me with a story.
This award-winning restaurant combines its exclusive lifestyle with a menu of Bavarian tradition, rounding out the star cuisine with a wine list that includes more than 800 selections. The main restaurant seats 120 people. It is a beautiful setting for any event with additional rooms such as the Münchner Kindl room and the Baroque room to choose from. In the vaults under the cozy Tyrolean Stuben there is a wine cellar and the lion's basement, built in the early Baroque style, where wine seminars are offered by their talented sommeliers. For additional information visit: http://www.schuhbeck.de/en/.

Schuhbecks in den Sudtiroler Stuben
Platzl 6
Munich Germany
+49 89 216 6900
http://www.schuhbeck.de/en/

By Bonnie Carroll

About Bonnie Carroll
Bonnie Carroll has been a food/travel/lifestyle writer since 1983. She is the founder & publisher of Bonnie Carroll's Life Bites News - www.lifebitesnews.com, does travel and food reporting on KZSB1290 radio, and contributes to a variety of national and international travel/lifestyle publications. Her first children's book C.C. Charles was published in 2002 and she is currently working on a second book. Contact her at Contact her at writebc@aol.com.