A sense of celebration
A hotelier through and through, attentive to the smallest detail, Fabian Affentranger knows how to entertain! Advocating a return to the true values of the restaurant business, the notion of service is at the heart of his approach; values which ensure that customers are recognized, guided and pampered as they should be. Conductor of the Chez Calvin and more recently l’Esquissehe loves his job, knows it inside out and does it with talent. Juggling between his two businesses, it’s not uncommon to find him greeting guests at aperitif time, helping to carve a whole grilled wolf during evening service, or serving a digestif at the end of the evening. Uncompromising about decorum, he is no less eager to add a festive touch to a town sorely lacking in it.
The taulier des Eaux-Vives
Fabian Affentranger entertains guests in a suit and clutch while maintaining a casual look. It’s a sporty-chic clothing label that sticks to his skin, and one that he likes to wear as work attire. Although he didn’t grow up in the restaurant business, he knew from an early age that it would be part of his daily life: “There’s something extra in the art of entertaining. If you can raise it to its proper level, service is a fascinating discipline. But you have to be passionate to be able to do it. I love human contact, and I couldn’t have stood a professional life that was too structured,” he reveals.
Fabian Affentranger
The young entrepreneur remains fascinated by the energies of a crowded restaurant and the emotions that emanate from it. His role? Managing the moods, incidents and sometimes egos of the diners who frequent his establishments. “Contrary to popular belief, the restaurant business requires a great deal of sensitivity and psychology. Even if it’s difficult to please and satisfy everyone, it’s essential to do everything you can to do so. The result? His two restaurants are regularly packed to the rafters, attracting the whole of Geneva eager to indulge in the simplest of pleasures.
Culinary associations
In the kitchen, the young owner teams up with an experienced chef to create seasonal dishes. Accompanied by the bistro-style gastronomy of chef Philippe Durandeau from Café de la Paix, Chez Calvin’s nights are filled with the gentle rhythms of Provence throughout the summer. Even if the traditional Italian vespa has surprisingly replaced the Mini Moke, the craze is still going strong, and the restaurant on rue du Nant is never empty. The same is true of the Esquisse grill, just a few steps away. The emphasis is on braise-style cooking, with cuts of meat carefully selected by butcher Damien Le Moal.
Everything seems to be working for Fabian Affentranger, who is still in the early stages of a long and successful career. However, without having any protesting or demanding ideas, the restaurateur remains disappointed by the Geneva authorities’ management of the health crisis. The latest decision ? The complete closure of Geneva’s terraces at the stroke of midnight from Sunday to Thursday! An inconceivable decision for the restaurateur, who fails to understand the reason for such a relentless attack on the profession. “In addition to the incessant roadworks that have been obstructing the streets of Eaux-Vives for several months, the only thing missing was a ban on practicing our trade outdoors in the evenings”.
Far from feeling sorry for itself, it has come up with an unbeatable solution: happy hour from midnight. It’s a commercial solution that builds loyalty among night owls by encouraging them to continue their evening… indoors. The adage of the restaurant business: always know how to adapt…
