Interview: Markus Winkler on his culinary vision at Chez Bernard
In the heart of Vienna, chef Markus Winkler stands at the helm of Chez Bernard at Hotel MOTTO. Born and trained in Austria, Winkler brings more than two decades of global culinary experience to the table, shaped in the kitchens of some of the world’s most acclaimed restaurants.
From Steirereck in Vienna’s Stadtpark to The Dorchester in London, Manchester House and the palatial Burj Al Arab in Dubai, Winkler’s résumé reads like a tour through the upper echelons of international gastronomy. But behind impressive credentials is a chef whose love for food was born in his mother’s kitchen, where respect for ingredients and zero-waste cooking were second nature.
Since opening Chez Bernard in 2021, Winkler has curated a menu that takes culinary influences from France and North Africa and promises modernity mixed with Austrian tradition. Think bold reinterpretations of beloved staples, crafted with local, organic produce and executed with unfussy precision.
We sit down with Chef Winkler to talk about the roots of his passion, the vision behind Chez Bernard, and the ever-evolving challenges of running a restaurant in today’s world.
When did you first fall in love with cooking?
I have loved cooking for as long as I can remember. As a boy, I used to watch my mother prepare food with the utmost care and precision, making the most incredibly varied dishes using every cut and ensuring no waste. It is a great motivation. I learned from her that getting the basics right is crucial – proper prep is vital to good cooking.
How would you describe your culinary style?
Simple and tasty, with quality ingredients at the heart of every dish. Excellent produce is key. I have a huge love of both French and Austrian cuisine, and some of my personal favourites from both have inspired the menu at CHEZ BERNARD. We like to give well known classics a contemporary twist, with an emphasis on down-to-earth, high quality, organic food over fine-dining petits.
What is your culinary vision for the menu at Chez Bernard?
Our culinary identity takes influence from Austria, France and another favourite cuisine of mine, North African, and promises exciting modernity mixed with Austrian tradition.
Do you have a favourite dish on the menu?
Bouillabaisse. I love the complexity of the dish and cooking rich, powerful soul food.
What is the most important lesson you’ve learned during your career?
With a good team around you, you can manage anything. Even on the most stressful day in the kitchen, committed, young chefs and cooks are invaluable and keep you calm.
What are the biggest challenges faced by the hospitality sector at the moment, and how are you tackling them?
Finding the right people – the team is everything, everyone needs to be 100% committed and they need to love what they do. Working in hospitality is very much a vocation.
Which chefs have inspired you during your career?
There are so many incredible chefs that have inspired and continue to inspire me. Michel Roux Senior and Aiden Byrne have both been huge influential to the way I cook and approach curating a menu. Generally, French cuisine inspires me greatly because of the way they treat the food, the respect and the pride, similarly with Italian cuisine.
What is your approach to sustainability in your cooking?
Both organic, local ingredients and sustainability is a huge priority – customers are increasingly conscious about not just the quality of their food but also its provenance and carbon footprint. They want to know that what is on their plate is as sustainably and locally sourced as possible and this is hugely important to us at Chez Bernard, both in terms of the planet and also for how nutritious the food is.
Which new sustainability initiatives are working well for you at the moment?
We buy local products only from regional producers and work with lots of smaller suppliers on everything from our coffee and dairy to our vegetables, meat, and fish. Our Motto ‘Brewed’ craft beer is also special. It is produced using the old bread from our bakery MOTTO BROT and repurposed as our very own draft beer exclusively for our customers.
What is your favourite dish, and who cooks it?
That has to be my grandmother – but I couldn’t choose just one. We call it ‘Grandma’s secret highlights’ and one of them is the good old traditional Austrian Pork.
