Werner Rott
Werner Rott is an Austrian chef/restaurateur with a wealth of experience behind him. After leaving his home in St. Valentine, Austria, he trained at the prestigious Hotel Schloss Fuschl in Salzburg. From there, he went on to work in several European 4- and 5-star hotels in various locations before joining the Hotel Schloss Pontresina in Switzerland, the Hotel Bad Schachen in Germany, and the Grande Hotel du Parc near Montreux in Switzerland.
In 1976, he moved to Torquay, England, and became chef entrémetier at the Osborne Hotel. Following this, he worked for a short time in a Swiss restaurant in Soho and a beautiful French restaurant in Surrey. Upon his return to Torquay, Werner became involved in the running and organisation of several restaurants, eventually becoming a partner in the Quartet restaurant in Babbacombe for two and a half years. After the sale of the Quartet, he managed Papa Dino’s on Babbacombe Road, Torquay, in the period leading up to when he was finally able to purchase his own restaurant.
Werner opened his first restaurant in Lisburne Square, Torquay, in 1981, where he built up a loyal clientele of regular customers who loved both the food and the cosy atmosphere. During that time, he also ran an outside catering company--Lisburne Square Outside Catering Services—and a café in a local market square.
The 1989 recession took its toll, and The Old Vienna ceased trading in 1991. In the years that followed, Werner became head chef at The Farm House Tavern and later spent six months working in a high-class restaurant in Kent. He then started another business in the small village of Abbotskerswell, South Devon, opposite an already established pub. This new venture, Werner’s Restaurant, continued in a similar style to The Old Vienna, retaining the majority of its previous clientele.
In 1999, Werner bought back the Old Vienna premises and converted it from the dilapidated Thai restaurant it had become, restoring it to its former glory. He enjoyed four years of successful trade there before embarking on a new venture--Creations Café—located in a leased 17th-century manor house in a 450-acre country park in Cockington, Torquay. Over five years, he transformed the Cockington Court café from a loss-making failure into a thriving enterprise with a turnover in excess of £200,000, employing many local people.
When the lease expired, Werner decided a change was in order and moved to the countryside, taking over a beautiful rural pub called The Fortescue Arms in the picturesque village of East Allington, near Totnes. Half of the building was kept as a traditional, old-fashioned local pub with a stone floor, real fire, and real ales. The other half was renovated and turned into a fine dining area serving high-quality cuisine made from locally sourced, seasonal produce—which truly put East Allington on the map.
Now, in 2011, and in search of a new project, Werner is returning to Lisburne Square in Torquay once again to re-open The Old Vienna Restaurant, right next door to where it used to be. He looks forward to welcoming guests, both old and new, to this unique continental dining experience.
In 1976, he moved to Torquay, England, and became chef entrémetier at the Osborne Hotel. Following this, he worked for a short time in a Swiss restaurant in Soho and a beautiful French restaurant in Surrey. Upon his return to Torquay, Werner became involved in the running and organisation of several restaurants, eventually becoming a partner in the Quartet restaurant in Babbacombe for two and a half years. After the sale of the Quartet, he managed Papa Dino’s on Babbacombe Road, Torquay, in the period leading up to when he was finally able to purchase his own restaurant.
Werner opened his first restaurant in Lisburne Square, Torquay, in 1981, where he built up a loyal clientele of regular customers who loved both the food and the cosy atmosphere. During that time, he also ran an outside catering company--Lisburne Square Outside Catering Services—and a café in a local market square.
The 1989 recession took its toll, and The Old Vienna ceased trading in 1991. In the years that followed, Werner became head chef at The Farm House Tavern and later spent six months working in a high-class restaurant in Kent. He then started another business in the small village of Abbotskerswell, South Devon, opposite an already established pub. This new venture, Werner’s Restaurant, continued in a similar style to The Old Vienna, retaining the majority of its previous clientele.
In 1999, Werner bought back the Old Vienna premises and converted it from the dilapidated Thai restaurant it had become, restoring it to its former glory. He enjoyed four years of successful trade there before embarking on a new venture--Creations Café—located in a leased 17th-century manor house in a 450-acre country park in Cockington, Torquay. Over five years, he transformed the Cockington Court café from a loss-making failure into a thriving enterprise with a turnover in excess of £200,000, employing many local people.
When the lease expired, Werner decided a change was in order and moved to the countryside, taking over a beautiful rural pub called The Fortescue Arms in the picturesque village of East Allington, near Totnes. Half of the building was kept as a traditional, old-fashioned local pub with a stone floor, real fire, and real ales. The other half was renovated and turned into a fine dining area serving high-quality cuisine made from locally sourced, seasonal produce—which truly put East Allington on the map.
Now, in 2011, and in search of a new project, Werner is returning to Lisburne Square in Torquay once again to re-open The Old Vienna Restaurant, right next door to where it used to be. He looks forward to welcoming guests, both old and new, to this unique continental dining experience.
