PASSION TALK WITH MILENA BROGER

Every day is different when I cook, I can create something and make people happy.

Milena Broger, together with Erik Pedersen and Theresa Feurstein, made her dream of her own restaurant come true: The Weiss in Bregenz, Austria. It combines restaurant, bar, café and is supposed to be fun, inspire, fill and make you happy.

rochini: Hello Milena! We love your concept of the Weiss restaurant. But first things first. How did you find your passion for cooking?

Milena Broger: Cooking and eating always played a big role in our family. My father likes to experiment and introduced me to this creative work, cooking, with a lot of love. My parents were both very patient and open to my experiments – so I was able to develop freely at a very early age, try out and of course often fail at the beginning. That’s how I learned: I want to do something with my hands. Every day is different when I cook, I can create something and make people happy with it.

rochini: What makes you particularly happy when you cook?

Milena Broger: To create something with my hands and to make others happy. To see, to feel and to taste a result. But the variety in cooking also fulfills me every day.

“Handmade food – handmade dishes, what else can I say?” – Milena Broger

rochini: Which aspects are important for you when you cook?

Milena Broger: One of the most important aspects for me is not only working with my hands, but also having my mind and intellect actively involved. For example, it is particularly important to me WHAT we use in our kitchen. The origin of the products, the quality. I love being in direct contact with the producers. Another important aspect for me is the respect for the materials we use, for example we only use whole or half animals in the Weiss. Simply out of respect for the animal.

rochini: What suggestions and advice would you like to give to young female chefs who are also dreaming of their own restaurant?

Milena Broger: It’s a big step and a restaurant takes up a lot of space in life. Dedication and no fear of compromises. It usually doesn’t turn out as expected: Spontaneity and flexibility are essential. Patience (which is often difficult for me) is an advantage.

I couldn’t have done it alone: A good team, a stable connection to the partners in and around the company. I am overjoyed to have Erik and Theresa by my side. Together we master all good and difficult days in the Weiss.

Diego is served in the Weiss.

rochini: What connection do you see between the concept of the Weiss Restaurant and the #rochiniconcept?

Milena Broger: Weiss is not a classic fine dining concept. Erik and I have gained a lot of experience in this area. However, the Weiss should be a place for everyone. We love to please as many people as possible with our dishes – things can get wild and hectic at the Weiss. The stability and gratitude of Rochini plates fascinate us every day. Handmade food – handmade dishes, what else can I say?

rochini: Which dreams do you want to realize in the future?

Milena Broger: At the moment I am in the middle of building a very big dream. We only opened the Weiss area for six months – there’s still a lot to do. Hmmm – how should I put it, there is little room in my head for more dreams.