Crissier Town Hall, in the firmament of hunting
I always feel a little nostalgic when I approach the Restaurant de l’Hôtel de Ville de Crissier. Not sadness, but rather a gentle emotion of excitement and gratitude. It makes me realize that time passes too quickly, and that the great houses also move on in history, but never lose their lustre. For nearly 70 years, this Vaud-based institution has been promoting Swiss excellence to the four corners of the country and far beyond. Seven decades of rigor, emotion through the gastronomic vision of four different chefs, hard work, awards and doubts. Quite simply, life.
Striking spectacle
Today, Franck Giovannini steers this gastronomic ship with a rare humanity and sincere, almost disarming benevolence, in a world where egos sometimes take up too much space. At his side, Filipe Fonseca Pinheiro and Damien Facile, his faithful lieutenants, keep a watchful eye, driven by the same quest for accuracy and emotion. In the corridors, we come across a cheerful, smiling Charline Pichon, recently voted Sommelier of the Year by the Gault&Millau and Michelin guides, the inspired guardian of a cellar that holds as many treasures as it does secrets.
It’s an immense privilege to be close to the kitchen, where everything is done: the final adjustments, the last-minute tweaks, the fulfillment of the desires of a faithfully demanding clientele. In this hunting season, the house is never empty. Reservations are snapped up, sometimes months in advance. Gourmets flock here, drawn by the autumnal creations of a team of true couturiers of taste, to admire the ballet of precise gestures, the knowing glances, the tension-free concentration, all of which are part of the show. Dressed in their immaculate jackets, the chefs work with the rigor of a watchmaker and the passion of an artist.
From vitello to puff pastry
Every plate that leaves the kitchen is a fragment of history. And every mouthful is a reminder of the often limitless creativity of our chefs in their quest for constant renewal. Reinventing themselves without ever forgetting the DNA that has built the establishment’s reputation. Vitello de palombe, acidulated with parsley cream, cauliflower slivers and caper flowers, opens the ball with a striking, almost spring-like freshness. A well-balanced prelude is followed by the gourmet wild boar puff pastry with the first white Alba truffles and spinach shoots – a dish of nobility and generosity, with the precision of a goldsmith and sliced cleanly under the fork.
The crêpe of gray partridge and kale, enhanced by an exceptional sabayon scented with ancient mustard seed, turns the meal into a moment of pure emotion. A preparation both rustic and refined. This is followed by the Hôtel de Ville-style Lièvre à la Royale, like a symphonic score that has stood the test of time and fashion. A monument to know-how, the legacy of generations of cooks, it evokes dishes that go beyond gastronomy to become part of our collective memory.
The weightless road
Finally, the filet of Scottish ptarmigan, cooked like a coq au vin with Pinot de La Côte, interprets a traditional French recipe and elevates it to the level of culinary innovation. A feat of balance between homage and audacity. And just when you think you’ve seen it all, tasted it all, comes the legendary recipe for pistachio and chartreuse soufflé, like a subtly sweet airy mousse. Light, vibrant, almost spiritual.
We’re back on the road on a cloud, after five dreamy hours, as if in gastronomic weightlessness. It’s hard to come down, but we have to. The hustle and bustle of a train station brings us back to reality. Memories remain in the mind, and above all in the heart. Nothing can erase this timeless moment, a constant reminder that every second counts. Thanks are in order: we can only salute, with humility and respect, the work of these women and men who tirelessly strive to make us happy. And thanks to them, we are.
