YOU HAVE TO BE ON TIME FOR THE PARTY

The amuse-bouches are neatly arranged on their trays, tightly packed together. But with so many guests at the GaultMillau Garden Party at the Grand Resort Bad Ragaz, it’s a bit of an elbow-grab to get to these little delicacies, prepared by four members of the Grandes Tables de Suisse: Patrick Mahler (Focus, Park Hotel Vitznau), Pascal Steffen (Roots, Basel), Tobias Funke (Fernsicht, Heiden) and Romain Dercile (Fleur de Sel, Cossonay). These Michelin-starred chefs did not rest on their laurels: in the end, 2400 amuse-bouches were offered to the guests. A Titan’s task, devoured in the blink of an eye. Too bad for those who arrived late, even by a few minutes. Patrick Mahler, for example, kept filling his tartlets with duck foie gras and topping them with a little beef tartare, with the help of Raul Garcia, his talented sous-chef, always at his side.

REQUEST SENT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT

“Our president Guy Ravet sent me an e-mail in the middle of the night. We were in the process of finalizing the organization of an event, so I was able to reply immediately”, explains the chef. His colleague Pascal Steffen also made a point of joining in the festivities. The 17-point Basel chef personally enjoys attending events of this kind. But today, he wanted a change, to see what it’s like on the other side of the mirror. “We have to accept this kind of proposal from time to time, as it allows us to make a name for ourselves. Besides, this garden party is, for us, like an alumni reunion.”

THE NEW KID ON THE BLOCK

Romain Dercile, also a 17-point chef, is usually to be found in the kitchens of La Fleur de Sel restaurant in Cossonay. But today, he was also in Bad Ragaz, preparing a cauliflower and black garlic tartlet. “I was pretty serene, even though it’s my first time here”. Tobias Funke didn’t look nervous either. This jack-of-all-trades knows how to manage stress. “It’s a bit hectic at the beginning, but then we can enjoy the event”.

A DYNAMIC PRESIDENT

If the Grandes Tables de Suisse field such a strong team at the Garden Party, it’s thanks to the efforts of their president, Guy Ravet, who has brought a breath of fresh air and, above all, new blood to the association. “The Grandes Tables were a bit old-fashioned. I wanted to bring in a new generation. Pascal Steffen and Tobias Funke were the first to be convinced. Their decision was a great help to me, as many other chefs followed suit. Today, it’s once again highly regarded to be part of the Grandes Tables”. But how did the President choose the chefs for the Garden Party? “Quite a few members were interested. The quickest to respond were selected. Having said that, I do try to ensure a certain balance, for example with the presence of French-speaking and German-speaking people”.

ALL GONE IN NO TIME

So, how would you sum up the Grandes Tables’ presence at the Garden Party? I’m very satisfied,” says Guy Ravet. And it seems that the guests were equally satisfied. The four chefs saw their preparations disappear in no time. “Fortunately, I had brought more ingredients than were officially required. My team was able to offer more tarts than expected”, smiles Patrick Mahler. But even with these extras, the amuse-bouches didn’t last long.