'Schnitzel bonus' for eateries

GOT THE CHOPS: AUTHORITIES STIR CONTROVERSY WITH CASH REWARD FOR TRADITIONAL FARE

Austrian chancellor wants to defend 'dominant culture'.

Staples of Austrian cooking such as schnitzel, roast pork lung and boiled beef have proved particularly vital for Gasthaus Stich, a restaurant in the village of Pfoesing.

They have helped the struggling business to survive by earning it a subsidy from rightwing state authorities in a controversial programme that benefits only traditional Austrian cuisine.

The subsidy for restaurants that serve regional and "traditional food" has been derided in the media and by opposition parties as a "schnitzel bonus".

It excludes restaurants serving less overtly authentic Austrian fare such as kebabs or pizza, for example.

As a typical Austrian staple, schnitzel - a boneless piece of meat that has been pounded thin to make it more tender and then coated and fried-qualifies for the cash.

"They gave us €10 000 (about R201 460)," said Michael Stich, the 39-year-old owner of the family business in Pfoesing, population 300, in the state of Lower Austria.