Hospitality: top chef Heinz Winkler died

Top chef Heinz Winkler is dead.

Hospitality: top chef Heinz Winkler died

Top chef Heinz Winkler is dead. The 73-year-old died on Friday after a short, serious illness, it said on Saturday on the homepage of the "Residenz Heinz Winkler" in Aschau im Chiemgau (Rosenheim district). "A legend of culinary art has passed away," it said.

Born in South Tyrol, Heinz Winkler had three stars for more than 20 years with interruptions. According to the "Residenz Heinz Winkler" in Bolzano, he began his career at the age of 14 with a cooking apprenticeship. He then learned from the chefs of the century, Paul Bocuse and Eckart Witzigmann.

Winkler later cooked as Witzigmann's successor in the famous restaurant "Tantris" in Munich, which was long considered the epitome of haute cuisine in Germany. Stars, high society and gourmets frequented it. In 1981, the then 31-year-old was the youngest chef to be awarded three stars by the Michelin Guide.

In addition to stars, Winkler also wore other awards: According to the "Residenz Heinz Winkler", he was the first chef de cuisine to receive the Federal Cross of Merit. In 2006 he was also named "Hotelier of the Year". A rose was also named after him - another similarity with Eckart Witzigmann.

According to a statement on Saturday, Eckart Witzigmann said that Winkler's death had hit him very hard. With the "Residenz" in Aschau, Winkler created something great and became part of cooking history in Germany. "My sympathy goes to his family, his employees in Aschau and also his guests. The gap that has arisen will be difficult to close," says Witzigmann.

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