Valentin Walch
F&B and wine expert for hotels whose culinary side can be more than half board.
Valentin Walch is a diploma sommelier and F&B strategist — raised at Rote Wand Gourmet Hotel in Lech am Arlberg. Stations: Schloss Schauenstein, Burg Hotel, founder of the culinary pop-up "Im Schloss" at Schloss Gobelsburg in Kamptal. As co-founder of Friends & Fools he has been building a platform since 2022 that brings chefs, winemakers and guests together at dinners, wine & dines and festival formats. At MAJOVA he leads F&B concept development, wine curation, menu architecture, pop-up and event design, and team coaching. His approach: culinary concepts that belong to the house — not to a trend.
Problems Valentin solves
Our wine list doesn't fit the house and sells poorly
Rethink wine list and cellar — align range, pricing and selling logic with the house
Food cost has crept from 28% to 36%
Costing, menu architecture and goods flow — from audit to a new menu
The hotel bar is a cost center instead of a revenue driver
F&B concept, menu and team — so the bar becomes an experience and revenue space
Our restaurant is a cost centre, not a profit driver
Half board as a selling path, menu and wine pairing — so the evening carries margin
Breakfast buffet drains margin every morning
Focus the range, calculate food cost per guest, set up to match demand
Our purchasing is uncoordinated and too expensive
Tidy suppliers, bundle goods categories, compare prices
How he works
F&B concept & menu architecture
Culinary concepts that belong to the house — from positioning to menu and flow, right through to the commercial calculation.
Wine & cellar
Wine list, range and cellar logic as a selling instrument — aligned with kitchen, guest and margin.
Events, pop-ups & team coaching
Formats that make the house visible — wine & dines, pop-ups, festival guest slots. And a team ready to carry them.
Experience
- Grew up at Rote Wand Gourmet Hotel in Lech am Arlberg
- Stations: Schloss Schauenstein, Burg Hotel
- Founder of the culinary pop-up "Im Schloss" at Schloss Gobelsburg in Kamptal
- Co-founder of Friends & Fools — platform for dinners, wine & dines and festival formats with chefs and winemakers (since 2022)
Practice areas
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