We’re very stoked to announce that Andreas Wechselberger has landed at Red Card. He was one of the city’s top toques when he ran the kitchen at CinCin a couple of years back, and has most recently been perfecting the art of sausage making at Oyama. A fine score, to say the least, and just what the doctor ordered for the place.

I reviewed – not altogether too kindly – the newish, Euro-themed sports bar in the paper last month, loving just about everything but the food, which didn’t meet my mid-to-high expectations. Landing a big fish like Wechselberger – whose Italian cuisine chops are super solid – is a solid step in the very direction I was hoping for, a move that has the potential to bring Red Card up to the level one would expect from a property umbilically associated with the Moda Hotel (which also houses Uva Wine Bar and the critically acclaimed Cibo Trattoria).

We’ve seen a copy of the soon-to-be released press release announcing his hiring. Check it after the jump…

Red Card Sports Bar + Eatery, in the heart of Downtown Vancouver, welcomes acclaimed Chef Andreas Wechselberger to lead its dynamic kitchen team in the role of Executive Chef.

Hailing originally from Montreal, with Austrian ancestry and an impressive background of authentic Italian cooking, including time spent in Northern Italy’s Emilia–Romagna and Lombardia regions, Chef Wechselberger previously led the team at Calgary’s celebrated Teatro Ristorante before moving to Vancouver to join Cin Cin Ristorante for four years as Executive Chef.

More recently, Chef Wechselberger immersed himself in the art of European sausage-making with celebrated charcuterie kitchen, Oyama Sausage Company. “The experience with Oyama was fascinating,” says Wechselberger. “However, I am thrilled to back in the cut and thrust of a restaurant kitchen and to join the talented team at Red Card Sports Bar + Eatery. The high-tech Marana Forni pizza oven is the only one of its kind in the city; with quality ingredients and creative menu planning, we aim to deliver a modern Italian menu with more than a little sporting flair.”

Guests can expect to see more than regular sports bar menu offerings at Red Card Sports Bar + Eatery. Chef Wechselberger’s passion for Italy, quality ingredients and artesian products shine through on the menu with homemade pastas, risottos and pizzas taking centre stage alongside more traditional sports bar menu items, such as spicy grilled Maple Hills chicken wings and hand-cut fries.

Looking forward to having another go at it soon!