Gerstner, finest gourmet tradition in Vienna

In 1847 Anton and Barbara Gerstner opened a confectionary and pastry shop in the heart of Vienna and soon after, began to deliver to the Imperial court.  They were so impressed with Gerstner, that in the year 1873 Gerstner received the title “K&K Hoflieferant” (the official pastry and confectionary supplier to the Imperial court).
Following this, Gerstner was more frequently appointed to take care of official dinners, state receptions and afternoon tea concerts at the Imperial court.  This was the beginning of a long success story.
In the year 1869, Gerstner was appointed to cater the “K&K Hofoperntheater” (today the Vienna State Opera), which still continues successfully today. As of 2009, guests of the Viennese Opera Ball have been under the culinary care of Gerstner 53 times.
In 1989 Gerstner took over the culinary support of the “Kunsthistorisches Museum”, the Vienna Art History Museum (Cupola Hall Café, events, catering) and assumed the role of a pioneer of museum cafés and restaurants.  In 2002, Gerstner received 2nd place in the international ranking of the 10 best “Great Gallery Restaurants of the World“.
In 1994, Gerstner began the Art & Delight Evening buffet, which became a culinary institution.
In 1995, Gerstner was acquired by a private group of investors, who took over the new demands of the company and renovated the Confectionary café on Kärntner Straße.
In the year 2000, Oliver W. Braun joined with Gerstner.  He has always strived to retain the rich tradition of the Gerstner name, which stands for superior service and quality.  His goal was to reorganize the company and develop a portfolio that would enable Gerstner to survive the changes and demands of the modern economy while maintaining the rich history of the Gerstner name.
In the year 2003, the Gerstner Art Brunch in the Kunsthistorisches Museum began, and to this day it remains very popular.  In this year, Gerstner also took over the complete culinary support (buffets, events, catering, balls) at the “Wiener Musikverein” (Viennese Music Association).
Starting from the year 2004, Gerstner has had exclusive responsibility for the catering of all technical, professional, and public fairs, banquets, and congresses in Vienna at the new “Messe- und Kongresszentrum Wien” (the Vienna Exhibition and Congress Center).  Gerstner services from 5 to 25,000 people per event.  With the undertaking of the catering trade at this location, production and administration were moved onto the fair grounds.
In 2006 Gerstner continued its successful co-operation with the Kunsthistorisches Museum, and began to handle events in the attached museums such as “Neue Burg”, the “Theatermuseum” and the “Museum für Völkerkunde” (The New Hofburg Palace, the Austrian Theater Museum and the Museum of Ethnology).  In addition, Gerstner exclusively manages the decoration workshops at the Vienna Arsenal and the stylish “La Cité” Cafè in Vienna’s largest department store, Peek & Cloppenburg, on Mariahilfer Straße.
In 2008, Gerstner Catering took over the “Beletage im Palais Todesco” on Kärntner Straße.  It is an impressive location for meetings, the administrative offices of Gerstner, and the Catering show kitchen which was installed in 2009.  The kitchen hosts cooking classes focusing on fresh preparation of all foods, and is perfect for culinary company and cooking seminars in exclusive surroundings.
In the last few years, Gerstner has developed into an enterprise, built upon a solid foundation that is extremely economically sound.  This will enable Gerstner to continue to strategically extend itself beyond its current borders. 

More info

www.gerstner.at