The return of Michelin

30 stars

After a two-year absence from Switzerland, the red guide was awaited like the culinary messiah. To mark the occasion, the crème de la crème of the national “toques blanches” came to Vaud. Franck Giovannini, chef atCrissier’s Hôtel de Ville restaurant, chatted with Andreas Caminada, who was himself joking with his Basel counterpart Peter Knogl. The tension is palpable, however, and expectations are high. The pandemic has wreaked havoc on the hotel and catering industry, and continues to shake the profession. It’s in this electric atmosphere that Gwendal Poullennec takes to the stage. Everyone is waiting for just one thing… the stars!

The Mentor Chef Award goes to Peter Knogl of the three-starred Le Cheval Blanc restaurant at the Hotel des Trois Rois in Basel. The Young Chef Award goes to Chef Manuel Steigmeier of the Fahr restaurant. The atmosphere intensifies as the first winners receive their first star. For Romandie, chef Philipe Deslarzes of the Nordic-inspired restaurant Njorden is one of the first to take to the podium. He is followed by Romain Paillereau of Restaurant des Trois Tours in Bourguillon, Antoine Gonnet at Pont de Brent, Kilian Fioretto of Restaurant Le Sommet in Broc, Matthias Waser of La Teinturerie in Delemont, Olivier Jean ofAtelier Joël Robuchon in Geneva, Andres Arocena at La Micheline also in Geneva, and Stéphane Décotterd in Glion. Meilleur Ouvrier de France Benoît Carcenat’s team at Le Valrose also wins a first star. Vegan chef Zineb Hattab is also among the winners for her vegan cuisine at KLE. “Thank you for shining a light on our cuisine. We’ve finally been recognized in the same way as others,” she declares.

Club des 5

While the award for Best Sommelier of the Year goes to Julien Meurillon of La Teinturerie, the title for Best Service goes to Ines Triebenbacher of Igniv by Andreas Caminada in Zurich. Five new establishments join the 25 restaurants awarded two Michelin stars. One of these newcomers occupies a very special place: Skin’s – the restaurant in Lenzburg. A newcomer to the 2022 selection, it has made a remarkable entry by directly winning two Michelin stars shortly after opening its doors. Behind this success are chef Kevin Romes and his team, who offer modern cuisine with regional and international influences.

The following addresses have also been awarded two Michelin stars: the two twin seasonal restaurants La Brezza. The first, open in winter, is in Arosa, and the second, open during the summer season, is in Ascona. Chef Marco Campanella, at the helm of both establishments, creates a particularly modern and sophisticated cuisine, which the inspectors have already praised by awarding the Ascona address its first Michelin Star in the past. In Basel, two stars were also awarded to Roots, where chef Pascal Steffen gives pride of place to vegetables. Finally, in Zurich, chef Daniel Zeindlhofer was also awarded two stars for the gastronomic experience he offers guests at IGNIV Zürich by Andreas Caminada.

During his appearance on stage, former three-starred chef Gérard Rabaey of Pont de Brent made a point of criticizing a Michelin guide that still favors a cuisine with a strong Swiss-German imprint. It’s a fact: there’s still no new double-starred restaurant in French-speaking Switzerland in this latest selection. Could it be that inspectors are less assiduous in visiting restaurants in French-speaking Switzerland once they’ve crossed the Röstigraben? The debate is open…

King Sven

Nestled within the Grand Resort Hotel Bad Ragaz, the Memories gourmet restaurant has just earned itself a place at the table of the world’s most prestigious restaurants. This exceptional address is run by Sven Wassmer, who has impressed with his uncluttered, creative and original cuisine. The chef and his team create innovative dishes that showcase the very best of the Swiss Alps. Each dish is an ode to its generous terroir, to the diversity of its produce, which varies with the seasons, and to the talent of its producers.