Relais & Châteaux is an exclusive collection of 500 of the finest charming hotels and gourmet restaurants in 60 countries. From the vineyards in Napa valley to the beaches in Bali, from the olive trees in Provence to the lodges in South Africa, Relais & Châteaux offers all the stops on the finest route for discovering each special place and country.
In all our properties, each maître de maison draws upon his unique experience and passion to share the authentic culture and tastes of his region with every guest.
Magical places and memories of a lifetime: whether it be a romantic weekend or to celebrate the important moments of life such as birthdays, anniversaries, honeymoon or family reunions.
Established in France more than 50 years ago, Relais & Châteaux has become a renowned reference of excellence in the hotel and restaurant world. The Association's mission is to spread its unique art de vivre across the globe by selecting outstanding properties with a truly unique character.
Weekly closing: Restaurant: Tuesday all day, Wednesday noon (in summer) Annual closing: From mid-April to mid-June and from mid-October to the beginning of December.
My father was a music teacher and wanted me to be a musician, but I took cookery classes at school and it made me realise that cooking was my vocation.
I studied hotel management and catering in Lucerne and worked in seasonal jobs in Arosa, Davos, Zurich, Lucerne and Engelberg before becoming the chef at the Bürgenstock. I also worked as a teacher and on Swiss television and was involved in several events, including the tennis tournament in Moscow. It was whilst I was teaching that I gained an insight into "nouvelle cuisine".
I was the chef at the "Le Club" restaurant and then wrote my recipe book. Finally, in 2007, I had the opportunity to take over from Gabi Bolliger at the renowned Walserhof in Klosters, in Graubünden.
My cooking is international in style, using local, seasonal, modern ingredients.
What was your most moving culinary experience? Taking over at the Walserhof, a hotel with a glorious past, which has seen some of the best chefs and quite a few members of royalty pass through its doors.
The most amusing kitchen incident you ever witnessed? When I was still a kitchen hand, I worked for a great Swiss chef, Paul Rüegsegger, who entrusted me with his kitchen knife. One evening, everything was going wrong and I lost my temper and brought the knife down hard on the block. The point broke. I was so embarrassed I didn’t dare say anything and sent the knife off to be ground. When it came back it was five centimetres shorter. Mr Rüegsegger was furious and thought they had ground the point down so hard they had shortened the knife. He was all for contacting them to give them a good telling-off, but fortunately he forgot and never found out what really happened!
Your best piece of advice for amateur chefs? The main thing is to make sure you always use good-quality ingredients.
Switzerland
