Full speed ahead!

Hand in Hand – Florian Mayer: We can already look back on more than a year of partnership, during which we’ve achieved a great deal. It was incredibly important to me that we didn’t just bring Mike on board for our guests but that he also became part of our heart—our team. Our guiding principle is: Mike Süsser is one of us. For example, we even did a photoshoot in the style of the Avengers to kick off our recruitment campaign for new talent. During a course with you at the Gmundner Berghaus, high above Lake Traunsee, you helped our yacht chefs put the finishing touches on the dishes for the Familux yachts.

Mike Süsser: I can really sense the strong sense of unity across all four of your resorts. I, too, feel like I’ve arrived and been fully welcomed. Guests have even told me they booked specifically because I would be there. Chefs and service staff give me a hug when I arrive—that’s something really special. The Familux Group’s vision is working. Of course, we want to keep evolving—we’ve only just broken through the surface. I’m not just here as a culinary consultant because I’m a chef; it’s also about the Mike Süsser brand, the employees, and employer branding.

A higher league – Florian Mayer: Our guests will soon have the choice of dining at the buffet or in the à la carte restaurant. If there are available seats, external guests will also be warmly welcomed. The Familux Resorts are built on several key pillars—childcare, adult spa experiences, and the fantastic infrastructure in each region. Culinary excellence has always been one of these pillars, and now à la carte dining is being added as a brand-new one.

For over 30 years, we’ve been committed to offering our guests the absolute best, freshest, and most innovative experiences. From 7:30 AM to 8:30 PM, we provide a nearly non-stop culinary journey. But we’re always striving to offer even more. Our goal is to strengthen our market position and explore new alternatives. We want to reach a higher league—giving guests a fresh way to experience Familux. The Dachsteinkönig – Familux Resort will be the first to introduce an à la carte restaurant, with all other Familux Resorts following step by step.

Mike Süsser: But before you can fill a cake with cream and maybe even top it with a cherry, you first have to bake the cake itself. That means we all need to get to know each other well—myself, the Mayer family, the staff, and the leadership teams at these resorts. That takes time, of course. After all, we’re talking about four resorts and two yachts. Yet, within just one year, we’ve already managed to move forward hand in hand. Getting a process like this up and running in such a short time has been truly incredible. Without that, we wouldn’t be where we are today.

Signature Dishes & Baby Puree Meu - Florian Mayer: Yes, we’ve successfully introduced our Mike Süsser Signature Dishes—they’re being recreated in all our restaurants using recipes from your book. A brand-new addition is your à la carte baby puree menu. We’re also serving your dishes on the Familux Yacht. For our employees, we have the academy and training sessions with you. We’ve already hosted many fantastic events in our resorts, and there’s still so much more to come.

Mike Süsser: I’ve personally taken part in the guest events at all the Familux Resorts, and the response has been overwhelmingly positive. That’s also reflected on online platforms—my name has been popping up more often. People enjoy interacting with me and appreciate that I’m approachable, which means a lot to me. After nine years, I voluntarily stepped away from one of the most successful early evening TV shows. We visited over 2,000 restaurants for Mein Lokal, Dein Lokal – Der Profi kommt! Each week, 60 dishes were presented, and I gave my commentary. I was on the road 170 days a year for the show. To be honest, that kind of daily business made me put on a few extra kilos—I just didn’t have the energy to exercise in the evenings anymore. But I still feel too young to let myself go like that, so I needed a new direction. Now, I’m fully focused on my collaboration with Familux.

At the same time, I’ve been running my own event platform for 20 years, which led to the creation of Gmundner Berghaus as an event venue. I have a 20-year friendship, a four-year kitchen partnership, and now a business partnerwho has my back—so there’s plenty to keep me busy there too. New TV projects are also on the horizon, but I won’t be doing another daily show. I’m also continuing my branding work—like when I represented Germany for Austria at the launch of TV total WOK WM.