The exclusive Vienna garden party experience in West Kelowna

West Kelowna’s wineries get most of the attention when it comes to dining, but a woman has turned her home into an exclusive and unique spot for Austrian cuisine.

Claudia Kargl and her husband James Gray open up their home on the weekends for people to get a classic Vienna garden party experience. She gathers ingredients from around Europe, whips up some renowned pastries and plays some piano for guests in her award-winning garden.

“What we offer is a garden oasis, also an art gallery salon quaint experience with a grand piano live performance. I’m at the piano as well as busy in the kitchen creating organic homemade Austrian pastries,” Kargl said.

It’s called a Touch of Austria and it’s open Fridays to Sundays all year long. Diners need to make a reservation at least 48 hours in advance since she can only fit around 25 people comfortably.

It started out as a baking class for the Society for Learning in Retirement, but her lessons and pastries were so popular that in 2017 she started bringing people to her home.

Kargl has been running a performing arts studio for 46 years and her garden has won awards so she said everything fell into place.

“One thing led to another,” she said.

She said there isn’t a plan to expand the operation beyond her home since bigger isn’t always better.

“It would lose the ambience of what we’re trying to offer. It’s the quaintness of sitting in a natural setting with beautiful trees, the trickling fountain, the birds coming to our water area, which is so close by,” she said.

While the recipes are a lot of work and the cleanup takes a long time, Kargl said it’s worth it to share her space, music and culture with people.

“Austrian tradition and culture. And all the wonderful things that go along with the life of living in Austria and experiencing what people do to have a social connection, getting together, hospitality, warm hospitality, experiencing also great coffee, great pastry and making new friends,” she said.

Click here for more information or to make a reservation.