ANNUAL MEETING IN THE GARDEN OF VEVEY’S GRAND HÔTEL DU LAC
GOOD MOOD IN THE GARDEN
The annual general meeting of the Grandes Tables de Suisse chefs’ association gave chefs from all over Switzerland the opportunity to spend the afternoon in the garden of the Grand Hôtel du Lac in Vevey, the new workplace of their president, Guy Ravet. Guy Ravet has restored the association’s lustre thanks to his great personal commitment: “A lot has changed with us, and it’s a pleasure to be part of it”, said the star chef.
THE NEW 2023 MEMBERS
Large photo above: Mattias Roock (Castello del Sole, Ascona), Federico Paladino (Osteria Enoteca Cuntitt, Castel San Pietro), Samuel Carugati (Krone, St. Moritz), Lukas Klaus (Krone, St. Moritz). Moritz), Lukas Kiener (Zur Gedult, Burgdorf), Mohamed Azeroual (La Cène, Fribourg), Richard Stöckli (Alpenblick, Wilderswil), Clément Bourgeois (Le Soleil de Châtillon, Châtillon), Nicolas Darnauguilhem (La Pinte des Mossettes, Cerniat), Grégory Wyss (Gerber Wyss Restaurant, Yverdon-les-Bains), Mike Wehrle (Bürgenstock Resort, Obbürgen), Mauro Capelli (Restaurant du Théàtre, Monthey) and GTS President Guy Ravet, from left to right.
DIVERSITY AND COMMITMENT
One of the few items on the agenda was, of course, the admission of new members – eleven new members in 2023, six having left the Grandes Tables through resignation or retirement. Among the new members was Bürgenstock’s head chef, Mike Wehrle, responsible for four GaultMillau restaurants in the resort overlooking Lake Lucerne. “I love the diversity and commitment of Grandes Tables,” explains the executive chef to justify his membership.
CHEFS WITH POTENTIAL
While many young chefs from all parts of the country have joined the Grandes Tables over the past two years, growth is no longer central for Guy Ravet: “If five or six good colleagues join the Grandes Tables every year, that makes me happy. I’m looking for cooks who may have 15 or 16 points, but who have the potential to have 17 or 18,” says the chef at the helm of the two restaurants at the Grand Hôtel du Lac in Vevey.
THE DISH OF THE DAY
For the recreational part of this annual meeting, Guy Ravet and General Secretary Kurt Eicher drew inspiration from the GaultMillau Garden Party. People enjoy it more than a formal gala evening,” explains Ravet. Eminent chefs from the French-speaking part of Switzerland will be present at the various cooking stations: Stéphane Décotterd, for example, will be serving translucent Arctic char with a subtle woody sauce and candied potato. Marie Robert proposes a magnificent ravioli with mussels and asparagus. But THE dish of the day is to be found at station number two, at Franck Giovannini’s: slow-cooked langoustine in herb sauce, accompanied by langoustine flan and zucchini flowers. A feast for the eyes and the taste buds.
THE GIOVANNINI ARM AFFAIR
For occasions like this, he has a very simple method, explains the 19-point Giovannini chef, a glass of Laurent-Perrier La Cuvée Brut in hand: “I always wait until everyone has decided what they’re going to cook, then I choose a product that no one else is preparing”. His dish looks impeccable, despite the fact that the 49-year-old chef is still suffering from the after-effects of an accident: “I injured my shoulder skiing this winter and I still can’t lift my arm properly,” he says. No worries for Chef of the Year Benoît Carcenat, who arrived a little later: “We were fully booked for lunch service, but now I’m happy to be here,” says the cheerful French chef.
Text: David Schnapp | Photos: Adrian Ehrbar
