Our Mission
AustrianKitchen was born from a simple observation: while Austrian cuisine has influenced kitchens across the globe, finding authentic, well-explained recipes can be surprisingly difficult. Our mission is to bridge this gap by providing home cooks with detailed, tested recipes that honor tradition while being accessible to modern kitchens.
We believe that great cooking begins with understanding. Each recipe we publish includes not just ingredients and instructions, but the context and technique that makes Austrian dishes special. Whether you're attempting your first Wiener Schnitzel or perfecting your grandmother's strudel recipe, we want to give you the knowledge to succeed.
Why Austrian Cuisine Matters
Austrian cooking represents one of Europe's most influential culinary traditions. As the center of the Habsburg Empire, Vienna absorbed and refined dishes from across Central Europe - Hungarian, Czech, Italian, and German influences all found their way into the Austrian kitchen, where they were transformed into something uniquely Viennese.
This heritage gave the world not just Wiener Schnitzel and apple strudel, but an entire philosophy of eating: the importance of quality ingredients, the pleasure of the coffeehouse, the art of pastry-making, and the balance between hearty comfort food and refined elegance.
Today, as global food culture becomes increasingly homogenized, these regional traditions face the risk of dilution or loss. By documenting authentic techniques and recipes, we hope to play a small part in keeping Austrian culinary heritage alive for future generations.
Our Approach
Every recipe on AustrianKitchen follows the same rigorous process:
- Research: We consult historical sources, traditional cookbooks, and culinary experts to understand each dish's origins and authentic preparation methods.
- Testing: Recipes are tested multiple times in home kitchens to ensure they work with commonly available equipment and ingredients.
- Documentation: We explain not just what to do, but why - understanding the principles behind techniques helps you adapt and troubleshoot.
- Adaptation: Where traditional ingredients may be unavailable, we suggest appropriate substitutes without compromising authenticity.
Our Commitment to Authenticity
We never publish "quick" versions that sacrifice the character of traditional dishes. If a recipe takes three hours, we'll tell you - and explain why that time matters. Austrian cuisine wasn't created for shortcuts, and attempting them usually produces disappointing results.
The Regions We Cover
While Vienna is the heart of Austrian cuisine, each of Austria's nine federal states contributes unique dishes and traditions:
- Vienna: Coffeehouse culture, pastries, and refined Viennese classics
- Lower Austria: Wine country cuisine and rustic fare
- Styria: Pumpkin seed oil dishes and hearty mountain food
- Tyrol: Alpine specialties and dumplings
- Salzburg: The birthplace of Mozartkugeln and Salzburger Nockerl
- Carinthia: Lake fish and Carinthian dumplings
- Upper Austria: Linzer Torte and farmhouse cooking
- Vorarlberg: Alpine cheese dishes and K"sepatzle
- Burgenland: Hungarian-influenced cuisine and wine traditions
Looking Forward
AustrianKitchen continues to grow. We're constantly researching new recipes, exploring regional variations, and responding to reader requests. Our goal is to build the most comprehensive resource for authentic Austrian cooking available in English.
We welcome feedback, recipe suggestions, and especially stories from those who grew up with these dishes. If you have a family recipe you'd like to share, or if our instructions brought back memories of a grandmother's kitchen, we'd love to hear from you.
Thank you for joining us on this culinary journey through Austria. May your kitchen be filled with the aromas of tradition and the satisfaction of dishes done right.