New head chef at the Interalpen-Hotel Tyrol

TELFS-BUCHEN. With the start of the season in May, the Interalpen-Hotel Tyrol has set a clear example of the highest standards of quality, responsibility and respectful conduct in the workplace. In addition to a newly appointed management team in the hotel kitchen, comprehensive and enhanced prevention and awareness-raising measures against harassment and discrimination are being implemented following the recent incidents of harassment in the hotel kitchen.

In May, the Interalpen-Hotel Tyrol reopened its doors to guests following the regular off-season break. In the kitchen, a new management team ensures the highest culinary standards for guests and excellent working conditions for staff. Daniel Senst has taken on the role of head chef. Having gained initial experience at the Interalpen-Hotel Tyrol as sous-chef and subsequently as deputy head chef from 2015 to 2020, as well as holding various management positions in Austria’s top-tier gastronomy sector, Daniel Senst is synonymous with exceptional standards of quality. Mathias Hendl (Chef’s Table) and Manfred Löschl (Head Pastry Chef) support the hotel kitchen’s management team. Together, they are committed to strengthening a sense of responsibility at all levels within the kitchen, ensuring a values-driven working environment and fostering a culture of cooperation, respect and tolerance.

A clear stance: zero tolerance towards any form of harassment or discrimination

The Interalpen credo: only a working environment in which everyone feels safe, valued and protected enables excellent service and a top-class guest experience. As a five-star hotel, the Interalpen-Hotel Tyrol attaches particular importance to a working environment characterised by fairness, respect and mutual trust – this is firmly anchored in the hotel’s core values. In doing so, the Interalpen is committed to meeting the highest standards of quality and professionalism. This includes treating one another with respect and acting responsibly at all times.

Every year, staff and new team members are supported through a comprehensive onboarding programme and ongoing training, which also convey the hotel’s values and code of conduct. These training initiatives were specifically further developed during the off-season from mid-March to early May and supplemented with awareness-raising measures focusing on misconduct in the workplace. The aim is to better equip staff and trainees, as well as managers and other key personnel, to deal appropriately with any misconduct, particularly any form of harassment and discrimination.

The new formats include, amongst other things, two workshops designed in collaboration with the Austrian Equal Treatment Ombudsman’s Office for all staff, aimed at addressing incidents of harassment internally in a targeted manner. In addition, there will be intensive small-group training sessions for trainees and managers, organised in collaboration with an experienced external management and trainee trainer, as well as an external coach and occupational psychologist. Specifically for apprenticeship trainers, the hotel is also developing a recurring workshop format with the central theme ‘Learning from the past: defining success factors for working with young talent with a long-term perspective’, to be held for the first time in autumn 2026.

As part of the ongoing development of internal standards, the Interalpen-Hotel Tyrol has also significantly strengthened its standard communication procedures and reporting channels for dealing with workplace harassment. A structured reporting system is designed to enable staff to address incidents at any time in a safe, confidential and accessible manner. In addition, expanded, regular dialogue formats – in particular the quarterly exchanges between apprentices and a qualified coach and trusted advisor – promote a culture of open communication and help to identify potential stressful situations at an early stage. Information resources have been further developed specifically for junior staff to provide guidance, enhance their sense of security and jointly support prevention work in the long term. This includes, for example, additional training focusing on ‘diversity and discrimination’, which is currently being designed in collaboration with the hotel’s external apprentice trainer and is intended to complement the standard training programme for apprentices every autumn.

In February 2026, research by Dossier magazine brought to light allegations by former trainees of sexual harassment, physical violence and racist humiliation by managers in the hotel’s kitchen. At the time, the hotel announced that it would take action and initially parted ways with the accused staff members.