Norbert Niederkofler was born in 1961 in Luttago, a small town in the heart of the Italian Dolomites mountains. Growing up with a family that runs a hotel impacted him greatly.   Despite the deep love for his home town, he studied to be a chef in order to see the world. So he left to work in Germany, Great Britain, Switzerland, Milan and New York.   In 1993, he returned home. And before long was offered the chance to run the kitchen at Hotel Rosa Alpina in San Cassiano, at the base of the Dolomite mountains. He turned that old pizzeria into a fine dining restaurant and eventually came up with the Cook the Mountain philosophy. His commitment to the Dolomites meant he had to research extensively and build close relationships with the region’s farmers and producers. He also had to start using uncommon ingredients and new approaches.   In this episode, Chef Niederkofler talked about his big mistake in the beginning, how that inspired his Cook the Mountain philosophy, the inevitable slowing of great chefs and even dished on the similarities of the majority of Michelin-starred restaurants in the world!   Don't miss these Stoveside Stories - and bon appetit!