Chef to the stars Theo Randall delights in some of the finest gastronomic offerings that Zurich and Geneva have to offer this winter
I was lucky enough to run my restaurant Theo Randall’s Italian Kitchen in Zurich from 2018 to 2020. It was in the Crowne Plaza, one of the InterContinental Hotels, which is in a really lively and trendy area, so I got a great sense of how much the Swiss love good food.
I found it so interesting to watch the customers: to see family celebrations side-by-side with business lunches and big crowds of friends gathering to catch up.
It also made me realise how easy it is to get from the UK to Switzerland: I could be walking into the restaurant in Zurich just three hours after leaving my home in London.
But while I loved the sense of warmth and the welcome I got from the Swiss, I was always so busy and I assumed everyone else was the same. So I never really got the opportunity to stop and savour all that this incredible country has to offer – particularly when it comes to time at your table.
Because Switzerland is simply top class when it comes to food and wine and my recent trip there was magnificent.
The whole experience was amazing, meeting so many passionate people who love their country and wanted to share experiences with us. Like the cheese expert I met who explained the concept of the humidor – unique in Switzerland – or the chocolatier who showed me the painstaking process of grinding organic coffee beans in the stone mélangeur.
The whole country is so diverse and beautiful. Everything is so clean and uncluttered; nothing looks messy and the trains and trams run like clockwork. And that was before I even tasted the wonderful food and drink.
It made me think I would like to live here. And any one of the four cities I visited would do!
I came out of the train station in Zurich and was looking at the map on my phone when I got my first experience of Swiss friendliness as a lady stopped to ask if she could help direct me, quite happy to spend five minutes assisting a total stranger. My map was really playing up and she must have heard my exasperated mutter in English, as that was how she addressed me (in my own language). She took out her own phone to check where I was heading (the wonderful Hotel Marktglasse), and swiftly and cheerfully sent me on my way, wishing me a happy time in Zurich.
Hotel Marktgasse is a lovely boutique hotel within easy walking distance from the station. One of the oldest inns in Zurich and now a listed building, it is clearly very popular, as the bar and restaurant were both very busy and lively. It’s charming, individual and has a character all its own, with welcoming and friendly staff.
This visit gave me a strong sense of a more relaxed community, a great work-life balance (which we are all trying to achieve) and a true appreciation of local and sustainable produce, and – as I wandered along by the river on a pleasant stroll to my hotel, the perfume from a flower stall enveloping me as I stopped to admire the architecture – especially the superb marriage of old and new.
Simon Mouttet of the Food Zurich festival agreed with my assessment of the country, and set out to show me how his organisation reflects this – starting with a delicious tapas lunch at Bodega Espanola, a historic Spanish restaurant. I first met Simon – head of the festival – in 2018. He’s very passionate about Swiss food and wine and is a true ambassador of the Zurich food scene. His knowledge is second to none and has inspired a new generation of artisan producers.
Simon’s commitment to Food Zurich has made it one of the most exciting food events in Europe. The tour he gave me of the festival’s office was an eye-opener. Situated in the old Buchmann bakery building and an absolute labyrinth of space, light and original equipment, it is now home to many partner organisations with a similar passion for food and drink.
My visit to Berg und Tal, a gourmet grocery store, was fascinating, as owner Andras Nemeth explained the ethos behind its cornucopia of delights. Slow food is very important to him and he specialises in featuring local products with extremely high standards in quality, very often from new and small businesses, for both tourists and locals alike. His customers are an interesting mix of those who know their food and those who’ve heard of his reputation and are looking for advice. And he has all the patience in the world with whoever he’s talking to.
He clearly delights in introducing people to the food and drink he sells. I thoroughly enjoyed the Swiss whisky – which was a first for me – and the handmade chocolates he pressed on me. Of course I’ve tried Swiss chocolate before – but it wasn’t just the exquisite taste that enchanted me here; it was also the beautiful presentation.
Schwarzenbach Kolonialwaren has similar appeal and a long-standing reputation as an excellent delicatessen with superb home baking. Places like this make me want to follow my nose, to find where the heady mix of delicious scents and tastes originate and discover both traditional and modern favourites.
Jelmoli, a traditional, upmarket department store was a surprise, with its splendid food market as well as an amazing cheese counter, The Humidor. The atmosphere there is extraordinary, and initially almost overpowering. But I quickly started to gain an appreciation of the mingling of different aromas that one can almost taste in the air.
I balanced that savoury extravaganza by testing macaroons from Confiserie Sprungli, tiny exquisite explosions of flavour to suit every taste. Meret from chocolatier La Flor provided another dizzying combination of both aroma and taste as she showed me her chocolate production at every stage, including a fascinating tasting session of all the different flavours.
The crowning glory in Zurich, though, was dinner at the divine Kronenhalle, an intoxicating experience for all the senses. Offering gourmet regional cuisine in a century-old restaurant, with art masterpieces lining wood-panelled walls, this popular haunt of artists, musicians and celebrities is one of a kind. French-inspired dishes and classics including Zürcher Geschnetzeltes (veal in a creamy white wine mushroom sauce) are prepared at the table, adding further character and atmosphere to an already superb menu.
Breakfast the following morning was carefully chosen from the wonderful array of bread, meats, fruit, vegetables and cakes at the Oerlikon fresh market, all sliced up with a Swiss army knife by our companion, food buyer Giona Bachmann – a relic from his national service, naturally. Until recently Giona was a chef, so we had a great deal in common and he knew exactly what I would want from a fresh market, as did the well informed stall holders who were experts both at discussing their wares as well as suggesting both cooking and presentation tips.
Piping hot coffee from a nearby café helped to dispel the chill of the early-morning mist – as did the warmth and chat of the man next to me, who was securing his baby daughter Johanna in her sling while she grinned and giggled happily at us. Like so many others, he was really interested in my trip and keen to explain why he enjoyed the market.
They really summed up the welcome we got in Switzerland, with complete strangers eager to talk, offer directions and show great interest in where I was going and what experiences I would have.
And so to Geneva, arriving by train at dusk and admiring the immaculate rows of the vines, as I anticipated touring the vineyards the following morning. First of all, though: the unmatched style and luxury of the Hotel Beau Rivage, with fresh berries, meringues and local cream waiting in my room to give me just a hint of the pleasures waiting at dinner.
Viktoria Holman, in charge of the hotel’s PR, and Robert Herr, its general manager, were the perfect hosts in the Michelin-starred restaurant of Hotel Beau Rivage, Le Chat-Botté. They are both so well versed in the hotel, Geneva and Switzerland that the conversation just flowed. The serving staff were equally warm and friendly, while clearly taking the food and drink very seriously. This is a very special place and all around me I could see couples taking romantic meals, and friends and families – one complete with a well -behaved small dog contributing the occasional quiet ‘woof’ to the chat – happily enjoying the wonderful food.
I finally chose the game menu, after being tempted by practically every dish on the a la carte. It proved an excellent choice, and my companions were equally delighted with every bite. The following morning, I had a long and fascinating discussion with the inspiration behind that menu, Chef Dominique Gauthier, who has led the fine dining there for over 20 years.
This elegant Frenchman has been in Switzerland now for nearly 30 years, and his expressive description of how he runs his kitchen and his teams revealed a chef after my own heart – he clearly leads yet creates an environment which nurtures the same sense of responsibility and pride at every level.
He also takes great delight in conducting cookery classes for small groups of people – an immensely popular gift in Geneva – and assured me that they relax enough to happily let him taste their creations. His passion for fine, seasonal produce is enhanced by working closely with local artisans, to ensure the development of (and exclusive access to) exceptional produce. His constant interest in cooking is at the forefront of everything he does: he’s always open to new ideas and developments, while retaining the traditions that have given Le Chat-Botté its well-deserved reputation for exquisite food.
The following morning I lingered over the breathtaking view across Lake Geneva before wrapping up for a TukTuk tour of local vineyards Les Perrieres and Domain des Esserts, with a wine tasting session at both. Shrouded in mist, they also seemed lost in time – particularly apt as both vineyards are now in the eighth generation of family wine production.
Les Perrieres started making wine in 1794, founded by the Rochaix family. It has been passed down through the generations and siblings Sandrine, Fabian and Frédéric Rochaix now all work in the family business. Their father Bernard is still involved, while their brother Emmanuel contributes from overseas.
Domain des Esserts has a similar pedigree, with records showing that the Ramu family first started producing wine there in 1797. Now, Raymond and Réjane Ramu, along with their sons Sylvain and Damien, are the seventh and eighth generations of this family to follow in the traditions established centuries ago.
Both produce excellent wine with great character and perfect examples of the grape varieties. It’s just such a shame that only one per cent of Swiss wine is exported.
My guide decided that a visit to Cafe de Paris back in the town centre for entrecôte et frites was the ideal way to warm up again – and as I gently thawed in the busy bustling surroundings, I could not have asked for anything more delicious.
Switzerland is easily reachable via train from London or by Swiss International Air Lines. And once you land, the famously efficient public transport will take you the regions you want to visit by train, bus or boat using the Swiss Travel Pass, available from the Switzerland Travel Centre.
Discover Switzerland for yourself at myswitzerland.com
For more on Zurich visit zuerich.com/en/
And for more on Geneva go to geneve.com/en/
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