Aman Venice announced the appointment of globally acclaimed 3 Michelin
starred chef, Norbert Niederkofler, as Consultant Chef. In his role, which he will preside over alongside his
duties as Executive Chef of St Hubertus at Rosa Alpina Hotel and Spa, Chef Norbert will collaborate with
Executive Chef of Aman Venice, Dario Ossola, to provide culinary creativity and flair to the hotel’s menus
including those of signature restaurant Arva, from 10 December 2019.
Renowned for his culinary philosophy ‘Cook the Mountain’ – which sees him cooking only with locally grown
produce, drawing inspiration from his mountain surrounds and giving value to the ingredients in all their parts – Chef Norbert will interpret his philosophy to the shores of Venice to curate a series of dishes and menus themed ‘Cook the Lagoon’. In keeping with Aman Venice’s dedication to sustainability, Chef Norbert believes in ethical and clean cooking and will work with Chef Dario to consult with local farmers, fishermen and market traders to source the freshest seasonal produce from the Rialto Market, Venetian lagoon and the city’s islands.
Arva is a unique dining experience based on inventive Italian cooking techniques, utilizing simple, locally sourced produce cooked in an elegant yet uncomplicated manner. Brought to life by Chef Dario and now
complemented by new dishes created by Chef Norbert, the enhanced menu will incorporate both Arva and
Chef Norbert’s philosophies, and will change frequently depending on the season and ingredients available, to offer a modern interpretation on Venetian culinary classics.
Chef Norbert’s addition to the culinary brigade at Aman Venice is befitting, given Arva’s dedication to embracing the culinary history of Italy, with its reputation for celebrating seasonal and sustainably sourced fare.
This style of cuisine draws influence from Italian cooks who concocted dishes solely from what was available in the immediate gardens, forests and seas surrounding them, using their instinctive understanding of flavour and the creativity of necessity to prepare bold, heart-warming dishes that could be shared among family and friends.
In addition to his dishes on the menu, on specific dates throughout the year*, Chef Norbert will join forces with a celebrated chef to ‘Cook the Lagoon’ and welcome guests to a four-handed dinner at Arva. A set menu will be adapted for each dinner depending on seasonal ingredients available, with the option of having wines paired.
Of his appointment, Chef Norbert says “I am honoured to be working with iconic Aman Venice and am excited to be collaborating with such a talented team of chefs. I look forward to exploring the rich variety of ingredients that can be harvested and found in the Venetian lagoon and to creating authentic dishes that stay true to the philosophy of Arva as well as to my idea of ethical cooking. I am also delighted to be bringing the concept of ‘Cook the Mountain’ outside its natural environment, showing that it is universal and can be translated to many different regions.”
Originally from South Tyrol, Chef Norbert travelled the world learning his craft before joining Rosa Alpina as
Executive Chef in 1994. Since then, he has placed the hotel’s culinary offering on the map by showcasing seasonal produce with an emphasis on sustainability. Chef Norbert’s commitment to only using local
ingredients meant extensive research into the area, striking up close relationships with the region’s farmers and producers, and a need to be creative and innovative with ingredients, an approach he appropriately named ‘Cook the Mountain’, which quickly gained notoriety and which led him and St Hubertus to win their third Michelin star in 2017. ‘Cook the Mountain’ has also found its own “home”, a physical place to express itself at its best, with the opening of AlpiNN – Food Space & Restaurant (Kronplatz, Brunico) in December 2018.
Aman Venice is a must-visit for gastronomes, having established itself on the dining scene with the launch of Arva in 2017, and then the introduction of the Palazzo Kitchen Table in early 2019. Both guests and non-residents of the hotel are welcome to experience the ever-changing seasonal menus.
