Risk, a Recipe for Return, at BierBeisl
A year ago, Chef Bernhard Mairinger opened his Austrian concept BierBeisl (9669 Little Santa Monica Blvd.) in the heart of downtown Beverly Hills, with some reservations, given that risky restaurant market. “It was crazy,” admits the former Patina chef. “But then again, you have to be a little crazy to make it in this industry.”
Initially, Beverly Hills was not even on the 28-year-old chef’s radar, and it’s not hard to understand why. New restaurants are notoriously perilous propositions; conventional wisdom says that 9 in 10 will fail, while a joint study by Cornell and Michagan State universities puts the number closer to 7. A Beverly Hills opening raises the stakes even higher; Mairinger knew he would have to go big or go home. “Beverly Hills was definitely not my first choice, “ he explains. “Rents are really pricey, a lot higher than… in Larchmont Village or Downtown, for example. Maybe double.”
A year later, the restaurant’s uber success is proof that new restaurateurs have to be – if not necessarily crazy – at least willing to take a risk and be uniquely appealing. BierBeisel is a 2013 James Beard semifinalist for Best New Restaurant, while Mairinger made the list for Rising Star Chef. “We brought a new flavor to Beverly Hills,” he says. “People acknowledge what we are doing is different. We have a lot of regulars and the neighborhood is very supportive.”
At first glance, BierBeisl’s unapologetically Austrian menu may seem heavy and out-of-place in such a health-conscious town, but Mairinger says his food is “traditional with a modern twist.”
“I try to improve on the techniques I learned in Austria to make the food we serve lighter and tastier,” he says. “We take a lot of pride in using high quality products, which makes a difference. My mom is a nutritionist so I grew up in a very health-conscious household. Very little butter, very little cream, and substitute sugar wherever possible.”
The higher price points in Beverly Hills also make it possible for Mairinger to import authentic ingredients directly from Austria, which helps BierBeisl give customers the Austrian experience. From beers, wines, and spirits to oils and vinegars, BierBeisl has formed strategic partnerships with masters of their craft from all over Austria. “Is it pricey? Definitely,” he says. “Does it make a difference in the quality and the experience? Definitely.”
Although the restaurant is still trying to get a feeling for seasonal fluctuations in sales, the positive word on the street has translated into consistent growth. “The restaurant is financing itself,” says Mairinger. “I am working on another Austrian-inspired concept that should open… maybe by the end of the year.”
But BierBeisl’s success remains Mairinger’s primary focus, and he sees opportunities to host more private events like the headline-grabbing, $160-a-head Eureka pop-up he hosts for 14-year-old chef Flynn McGarry. (Yes, 14.) “We did the first event. It sold out immediately. So we did a second one. And that sold out immediately. So we’re doing two more,” says Mairinger. “Flynn shows up and tells us how he wants everything done and we do it. His age doesn’t matter. He’s the chef.”
So what’s the teen chef himself have to say? “Bernhard is extremely knowledgable about cooking and running a restaurant, so doing my Eureka pop-up [at BierBeisl] has been amazing,” says McGarry. “He is so focused and easy-going that even if something on my night isn’t going as planned, you would never know it. He is also really supportive of what I’m doing since he started cooking at my age as well.”
