Chef Biography
Elizabeth “Lisl” Wagner-Bacher was born in 1953 into her profession. In 1950, her parents had opened a villa, Country House Bacher, in Mautern, where she was born. In those days, the Wachau Valley was the backdrop for numerous film comedies, and became a meeting place for movie stars. In the late 1960’s she attended high school in Krems, and then graduated from the hotel school in Bad Reichenhall before entering the family business, first in service, then in 1977, the kitchen.
In 1979, she took over the inn and restaurant with her husband Klaus, and renamed it Landhaus Bacher. In 1982 she received a Gault Millau award, and participated in seminars with Great Chefs Werner Matt and Reinhard Gerer of the Hilton Hotel in Vienna.
In May of 1998, the Great Chefs television team showed up to tape her preparing dishes for ORF television’s Great Chefs of Austria, and the Discovery Channel’s Great Chefs of the World. In 2003 she was featured in ORF’s Sendung Freshly Cooked series, and still appears on television. Today, in 2016, she is still considered the “Grande Dame of Austrian Cuisine”.
In 2010, her son Thomas Dorfer became the head chef, and in 2012, San Pellegrino listed the restaurant as #91 in their list of “World’s Best Restaurants”. Her two daughters, Christina and Susanne, followed in their mother’s footsteps and still are an indispensable part of the establishment, making it into a one-of-a-kind experience.
Recipes
Clear Tomato Soup
Serving: 6 Print Clear Tomato Soup By Great Chefs October 18, 2015 Tomatoes, beef stock, and basil are simmered, steeped, and clarified to make a lovely clear broth. Julienned fresh tomato and basil-laced mini-dumplings are put into the serving bowls before the broth is ladled over them. While served hot in this preparation, the broth […]
Roast Saddle of Veal with Potato Crepes
Serving: 4 Print Roast Saddle of Veal with Potato Crepes By Great Chefs October 16, 2015 Slices of tender oven-roasted veal are served with potato crepes filled with mushrooms, and a rich sauce of reduced veal stock and butter. The veal is roasted by slowly reducing the oven temperature as the internal temperature of the […]
Asparagus Pots
Serving: 6 Print Asparagus Pots By Great Chefs October 15, 2015 Bright green asparagus spears circle molds of white asparagus mousse with morel mushrooms. The presentation is lovely; it is a beautiful way to serve fresh asparagus. These same pots could hold a mousse of other summer vegetables as well; use the Asparagus Mousse recipe, […]