SOME MICHELIN STARDUST
Three times Michelin star chef, Herbert Berger, has been actively involved in The Fabulous Catch Company since 2016. As an investor in the company, Herbert’s creative culinary genius has guided many of Catch’s recipes, ensuring each product in the range tastes sublime.
The Catch chefs and production team benefit from his Michelin-starred advice. Herbert’s mantra is to “do things properly without cutting corners”. He provides invaluable tuition on techniques and natural flavour combinations. This influence has been instrumental in Catch’s mission to raise the profile of the humble fishcake, uniting ingredients to create unique gourmet products that are true taste sensations!
A supporter of sustainable fishing, local farming and artisan products, Herbert is a great believer in wild food, working with the Catch team to develop a delicious and original Wild Game range, sourcing venison and game birds from local gamekeepers during the season.
A PASSION FOR WILD, NATURAL INGREDIENTS
Born in Austria, Herbert grew up on a small farm in a mountain village surrounded by fields, forests, rivers and lakes. Everything was home produced or gathered from the wild and tasted full of natural flavours, giving him his first inspiration and interest in good food. At a very early age, he started to cook with his parents, both wonderful home cooks. At the age of nine, he decided to become a chef.
He trained at the Grand Hotel Zell am See and catering college in Salzburg. This was followed by five years in some of Switzerland’s finest hotels before moving to England, where he worked at the Connaught Hotel (under Michel Bourdin) and Claridges. He became head chef at the Mirabelle and then executive chef at the Cafe Royal. Stages in France included world-famous establishments Robuchon, Maxims, The Ritz, Le Bristol and Troigros.
Herbert achieved his first Michelin star at the Connoisseur, followed by a star for the Grill Room at the Café Royal and in 1998 became chef/partner at 1 Lombard Street, where he gained his third Michelin star in 2000.
He has received numerous accolades and awards, including Mention d’Honneur Prix Pierre Taittinger, Maitrisse Escoffier and Cordon Rouge, Association Culinaire de France. He is also a Member of the Royal Academy of Culinary Arts and the Reunion des Gastronomes, and a Liveryman of the Worshipful Company of Cooks. Royal Academy of Culinary Arts and the Reunion des Gastronomes, and a Liveryman of the Worshipful Company of Cooks.
During his career, Herbert has been the subject of many reviews, features, and media appearances including MasterChef. He works closely with schools and professional bodies to promote and educate young chefs and believes in staying in the kitchen to look after his guests.
In 2012 he formed Berger Restaurants Ltd and took over the exclusive catering contract to Innholders Hall opening the doors to the public and positioning this unique Livery hall as the destination for fine food in the square mile.
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