Lech/ Munich, November 16, 2023 – The upcoming winter season is starting with culinary highlights for the pepper-collection. The hotels and chalets under the management of experienced hotelier Axel Pfefferkorn have won several awards in recent days for their outstanding culinary achievements.
Markus Winkler made the start and was recently named Austria’s third best sommelier. This was recently followed by awards for the restaurants at the Hotel Aurelio and the Berghotels Biberkopf. Gault & Millau awarded the Aurelio’s restaurant 17 points / 4 toques and the Bibers restaurant 14.5 points / 2 toques for the Chefs Table.
The best sommelier in Austria was chosen on October 24, 2023. The finalists were tested in various simulated restaurant situations and put their knowledge on display. From beer tasting to recognizing a wide variety of wines, the participants were put through their paces. Markus Winkler can now call himself Austria’s third best sommelier. Winkler is a qualified sommelier and holds the Certified Sommelier by Court of Master Sommelier diploma. He is one of the few people in the world to have passed the ASI-Certified diploma with the “Gold” level. In addition, he has various special training courses. Markus Winkler’s career began in top hotels in Tyrol, before moving to Vienna for a short time. After a longer stint in Gstaad, he arrived in Lech in Vorarlberg in 2014. This is where he works as a Sommelier and is also responsible for the entire restaurant area, including the bar and catering.
On November 14, 2023, the two pepper-collection Restaurants were awarded by Gault & Millau. Restaurant Aurelio’s under the management of Roland Auer received 17 points/4 toques. Philip Lochmann’s Chefs Table in Bibers at the Berghotel Biberkopf received 14.5 points/ 2 toques.
Philip Lochmann has been head chef in Warth since winter 2021 and has contributed to the reputation of the Biber with his culinary creations. His chef’s table spoils guests in the style of a kitchen party with live cooking and direct contact with the guest to feel the experience on all sensory levels. Before joining the Berghotel Biberkopf, Lochmann gained international experience in Dubai and London, among other places.
Roland Auerhas been head chef of the Aurelio in Lech since December 2022. Auer was also previously Executive Chef at Hotel Bergland Sölden(). Previous positions include Jonnie and Therese Boer’s Restaurant de Librije (3 Michelin) and Evelin and Walter Esselböck’s Restaurant Taubenkobel (19 points, 2* Michelin).
Chalet guests at the pepper-collection are pampered to the same standard. Toni Urban and his team pamper you with an individual touch. Urban’s career has taken him from the coast of Germany to the renowned Hotel Adlon, Berlin with a stopover in various Swiss hotels and finally to Lech, where he is responsible for the culinary well-being of the chalet guests together with Karl Eggetsberger and Florian Winkler.
The pepper-collection
With the pepper-collection, a stay in one of the group’s hotels and chalets in Vorarlberg, Austria is a unique experience. The specialists for perfect adventure stays offer personal and tailor-made stays in a family atmosphere without compromising on that certain something. The pepper-collection offers a total of three hotels – Hotel Aurelio, Berghotel Biberkopf and Seehotel am Kaiserstrand as well as five chalets in Lech; Aurelio Chalet, Arla Luxury Home, Chalet Mimi, The Falcon, The Barn and the apartment house Das Verwall. The unique location of each chalet or hotel is outstanding – either ski-in and ski-out in winter or with direct lake access on Lake Constance.
Berghotel Biberkopf 
Arla Luxury Home 
Detail of the living room and dining room at Chalet Mimi in Oberlech 
Hotel Aurelio