The Ring Hotel Blog » Thomas Seifried

The 2nd toque in the 2nd year @ at eight!

theringhotel — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 15:12:58 +0000

Wonderful news to share! Our restaurant At Eight at The Ring, Vienna’s Casual Luxury Hotel, has been rewarded with its second toque by the most important and influential Austrian gourmet guide, Gault Millau. With this award, the restaurant and Chef Thomas Seifried have earned themselves the second toque in the second year of operation, which one may definitely call a unique and sensational achievement!

“A young and extremely professional service crew, a performance of international par-excellence, a perfect location and an audacious and distinctive cooking – a combination rarely seen in hotel kitchens in Vienna.” This can be read in the new edition of Gault Millau as overall statement on the restaurant At Eight.

The total of 15 points for the concept of aroma cuisine of Thomas Seifried do acknowledge the excellent and fascinating combinations of menus and dishes with which he his pampering his guests. His cuisine is focusing on high quality, seasonal products, various spices and sauces as well as fresh domestic and exotic herbs which he combines with different essential/ethereal oils.

“Getting the second toque means a lot to us,” rejoices Thomas Seifried. “It states that the direction we have constantly and strategically followed since the opening in 2007 has been the right one. I am moreover positive that it will help the old and wrong prejudice that one cannot expect as much from hotel kitchens as from classical restaurants.”

Good Motoring Magazine: Location, location, location!

theringhotel — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 14:20:29 +0000

“If ‘location, location, location’ are every hotel´s key points then the new Ring Hotel has all three. First, barely 100 yards one way, is the impressive, Neo-Renaissance Opera House.
Second, cross over the road outside, the Kärntner Ring, and walk straight through to the centre of Old Vienna. Enjoy the bright, coloured roof tiles of Stephansdom, the cathedral, whose remnants of the original 13th century church are the Giants´ Doorway and the Heathen Towers.
Third, stay on this ‘Ring’ road and catch one of the frequent trams in either direction to tour the whole of the old town in one easy ride.”

Roger Crisp from the Good Motoring Magazine checks in to The Ring Hotel.

"At Eight" won Gault Millau toque award

theringhotel — Fri, 28 Nov 2008 09:44:42 +0000

“At eight” restaurant recently celebrated its first birthday as the hotel was opened on November 6th, 2008. It was perfect timing that in the same week the new “Gault Millau”, Austria´s most important and really famous gourmet guide, was presented. Of course, there was hope that “at eight” restaurant would get an award, but still it felt like a surprise when the message came in that at eight was awarded with one toque. The happiness of the whole restaurant team was enormous. 31 new entrants from all over Austria were accepted into Gault Millau this time. What convinced the testers of at eight was the quality of the dishes and the service. “They cook with enthusiasm and serve with dedication,” it was written in the description. The service team was described as young, especially friendly without seeming inadequate. The menu is very modern, listing only the constituents like red barb, Rock Lobster, fennel, tomatoes, black rice. All together the experience at “at eight” restaurant was described by the testers as very well-balanced.

Thomas Seifried, Chef de Cuisine, about the award: “I am very proud and happy that Gault Millau awarded us with a toque. It shows that we are going into the right direction. What made me most happy is that the testers said there is even more to expect in the next years!”

The menu offers all kinds of excellent dishes. An example of which is: a Bean Sprouts and Lemon Balm Crisp Role with Mountain Pepper Vegetables and Friesèe Salad or a Steak with an Artichokes-Potato-Chorizogröstl and Red Wine Chilliglace or Cardamom-Biscuit Role with a Marzipan Shake. Products used, mainly originate from biological cultivation and where possible, are from Austria.

“The preparation with essential oils is a very sensitive work because one has to work with very little amounts and this art of cooking is very rare. Therefore we had a lot of testing in advance. The art of aroma cooking, as we are calling it, is dependent on excellent products, from naturally cold pressed oils and to abstain from regular flavors like salt. The dishes are low in fat and by using the different essential oils, a positive health effect is guaranteed. There are different positive effects like a better digestion and reducing the fat of the body,” Thomas Seifried explains.

Mr. Thomas Seifried, Chef de Cuisine, began his career as an apprentice and then as a young cook at the Hotel Lärchenhof in Tirol. During 2004 he started work at the Grand Hotel Vienna as a Sous Chef in the restaurant “Le Ciel”.

“The concept of the “at eight” immediately got me because it’s up to date and represents the health mentality perfectly. The great variety of different herbs and essential oils offers endless possibilities regarding preparation and decoration of the dishes,” says Mr. Seifried.

The wine cellar of the restaurant is exceptional and can offer over 700 bottles of International and Austrian class wines and champagne! A table placed in the centre of the room offers the opportunity to sample the wine in a Professional and pleasent atmosphere.

Questions and Photos
Céline Brigg, Public Relations & Communications Manager
Tel: +43 1 515 80-761 oder cbrigg@jjwhotels.com
Presslounge under www.theringhotel.com

AUA Magazine features At Eight Restaurant

theringhotel — Sun, 07 Sep 2008 07:50:20 +0000

The japanese issue of the Austrian Airlines Magazine reports about At Eight Restaurant.