At Goldener Hirsch, Auberge Collection, the reopening of its Alpine-centric restaurant as, The Hirsch, is more than a renovated dining space, but an attempt at taking its concept to another level. At the center of that effort is Executive Chef Jeff O’Neill, whose arrival marked a turning point after years of planning and anticipation. “This renovation had been a long time coming,” said Pierce Everett, the hotel’s director of food and beverage. “This is something that we had been trying to get across the finish line for the better part of three or four years. Guests have been eagerly awaiting this. We as team members have been eagerly awaiting this. That’s how much time, energy, effort, and thought went into all of the decisions that ultimately led to the restaurant that you see.” For O’Neill, a concept revamp like the one at Goldener Hirsch was the exact challenge he was looking for, prompting a move from Miami. Not only does he have the skills as a chef, but he brings a growth mindset to the culinary team as a whole, both key attributes Everett said the hotel wanted.  “My experiences are so varied that I have some unique skills that I think other chefs don’t have, like on the creative side and development side and design side, because I was involved with a lot of projects,” O’Neill said. “I took it seriously, and I grew and I learned a lot.” That breadth of experience mattered because the challenge at The Hirsch stems from its specific focus on Alpine cuisine, a palate that O’Neill explained is rare, and often inauthentic, in the United States.  “You can’t get away with Alpine cuisine in many regions in this country. You just can’t — here, Colorado, Montana, maybe — so it was definitely a challenge because it’s not that common,” he said. Determined to avoid adding “tuna tacos” to the menu, like he’s seen at other places, O’Neill did his own research, landing on ingredients and techniques like grains, seeds, beans and braises or charcuterie and hearty desserts.  Executive Chef Jeff O’Neill said his goal with The Hirsch is to stay true to Alpine flavors, techniques and ingredients. Credit: Photo courtesy of Goldener Hirsch, Auberge Collection “Menu, regions, tradition. Is it common? Is it used ever? If someone really wanted to analyze the concept and take it as Alpine cuisine, I didn’t want to give any opportunity to knock us down,” he said. The Alpine region spans a variety of countries, he said, which gives them a bit more flexibility for the menu.  “We’re not just Austria,” he said. “We’re Italian mix, French. Which is good because French is really my safe spot training-wise. Even if I have no talent, I can execute decent French food because I’ve been trained to do so.” And while O’Neill’s training is also heavily in fine dining, The Hirsch isn’t meant to be “fussy” or “tweezer” food. “It’s almost retro,” he said. “The more you know about food, the more you’ll see that is in there. If you don’t know about food, it’s familiar. It’s not intimidating by any means.” The result is a menu that feels both familiar and complex. Dishes like juniper-cured trout tartare, tortelli di zucca with sage noisette — an Italian dish “by the book” — or a char-grilled venison sausage with cabbage are all fresh renditions of traditional flavor combinations. A spiced cauliflower and apple soup, “Karfiol-apfel suppe,” is another iconic dish from the region, plus the use of ingredients like rabbit in a goulash, or a classic Alpine milk loaf as bread for the table, all show O’Neill’s depth of research. While nearly the entire menu has been rebuilt from the ground up, a few anchors remain.  “The fondue and the schnitzel will never leave,” Everett said. “Those are the staples of that restaurant. (But) at the end of the day, I want chef to have freedom. We brought chef in because of his expertise. Other than the fondue and the schnitzel, everything else is pretty new.” The physical renovation mirrors that balance of continuity and change. Everett emphasized that the design team worked intentionally to preserve pieces from the original restaurant. Chairs, decorative elements and even doors from the former private dining room — now installed behind the host stand — were retained.  “That stuff is invaluable because there’s experience soaked into that,” he said. “And you can’t buy that.” For O’Neill, the opportunity to reinvent the restaurant while honoring its past was a major draw.  “I wanted to help develop a new concept,” he said. “That’s what really sold me on this — that yes, we’re reinventing the restaurant, but keeping the respect and the nod to the former one for those who love it.” Looking ahead, O’Neill said he envisions The Hirsch as a year-round destination, not just during the heavily trafficked winters.  “I want it to be a popular restaurant year-round,” he said. “So I need to really focus and develop how the cuisine is going to morph into spring and summer because I want to be still on brand, but I don’t want to serve braised brisket in August.” Events and activations will play a major role in that evolution. “I’d like to do a lot of interesting activations, different types of events, dinners, to bring in guests, especially in the off season,” O’Neill said. “I believe that an event or a banquet could be one of the best experiences of your life. Everybody needs to tell 100 people the next day about the night they had before. That should be the standard — or at least shoot for it.” As for accolades, O’Neill and Everett said that, while Michelin recognition — with the guide’s recent expansion to Utah — is not off the table, it is not the driving force.  “As a concept, I don’t think that’s our goal,” O’Neill said. “Nationwide credibility, respected, highly regarded restaurant? Definitely the goal. … I believe in guaranteeing an extraordinary result in everything, but it takes work and effort and planning and long hours and days.” Credit: Photo courtesy of Goldener Hirsch, Auberge Collection Credit: Photo courtesy of Goldener Hirsch, Auberge Collection Almost the entire menu at The Hirsch is new, and while chef O’Neill is trained in fine dining, the dishes aren’t meant to be “fussy.” The fondue, a classic Alpine staple, is one of two items that still remain at The Hirsch from the old menu. Everett said they also have their regular customers in mind, dedicated to bringing “exceptional” experiences.  “One of the most fun things about working here is that we have tons of people that come three or four times a week. You get to develop relationships with them outside of just the normal restaurant conversations: get to know their kids, get to know where they live, get to know them on a deeper level,” he said. “That is just a huge testament to our service team. At the end of the day, you can have great food, but if the people that are serving the food are not connecting well with the people that come in, you’re not going to see guests come back the way that we do.” For guests that return to see the new space, Everett and O’Neill both said they hope the “sense of place” remains the same. “We really stayed true to what our soul of the place is. We blend old-world European in a fun, playful spirit to create a modern Alpine experience, and I think we really stuck true to that with this renovation,” Everett said. “I really do believe the sky’s the limit for this place.” To learn more and make a reservation, visit auberge.com/goldener-hirsch/dine/the-hirsch. The post The Hirsch restaurant leans into Alpine ‘sense of place’ with new face, new menu appeared first on Park Record. ...read more read less