Peter Grunauer

Peter Grunauer is a well known Austrian chef in New York City. He was the proprietor of Vienna 79, one of the few four star restaurants in New York City, and Vienna Park a three star Austrian concept located in Manhattan's Upper East Side. After Vienna 79 he created a chain of high-end cafés called Fledermaus.

Peter got his start in the United States as a waiter at Brooklyn's famous Peter Luger Steak House from 1971 to 1973, followed by stints at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel as food and beverage manager, and later at Regines in New York, also as food and beverage manager. In 1979 Peter was joined by Karl Zartler, who was his partner in the creation and operation of Vienna 79, a sixty-five seat fine dining restaurant located on 79th Street on New York’s Upper East Side. Vienna 79 was awarded four stars by food critic Mimi Sheraton, writing for The New York Times. Peter and Karl operated Vienna 79 until it was sold in 1988. Since that time, Peter has played a variety of roles in the hospitality business, primarily as a food broker and as a food and restaurant consultant, which he continues to pursue at the present time.

Recently, Peter opened Grunauer in Kansas City, MO, which "focuses on authentic representations of classic Austrian and Continental European cuisine".

Peter is author of Viennese Cuisine: The New Approach, published by Doubleday in 1987.