Pan-fried veal fillet with morels & melting gnocchi with parsley by Franck Giovannini (Photo: @Adrian Ehrbar)

Ideally launched in the summer, this concept that combines fitness and gastronomy is likely to make more than one follower… the sports coach and former high level athlete Jérémy Peltier created “Sport X Gastronomy by JP360°Transformation”. The goal? To call upon great chefs to develop customized recipes that are easy to reproduce at home. A balanced cuisine made with seasonal foods that always keeps a gourmet aspect. No more drastic summer diets that make you want to follow them, from now on everyone can enjoy themselves while keeping their figure, but also, the sporting efforts will be rewarded and the objectives reached thanks to a food rebalancing.  In order to facilitate the realization of the recipes, the founder of the company proposes to discover them online and to place an order on Tuesday before 5:00 pm in order to receive on Friday, a parcel from Manor containing the products to realize it. An accessible and fun way to cook with pleasure and without feeling guilty. We met Franck Giovannini, three-starred chef at the Hôtel de Ville in Crissier, who agreed to play the game.

Grandes Tables Suisses: Where did the idea for the collaboration come from?  

Franck Giovannini: I’ve known Jérémy Peltier for several years and when he told me about the project I was immediately attracted to the idea. Indeed, we have been making it a point of honor at the Crissier City Hall to offer light, gourmet dishes for several years now, emphasizing plants and seasonality.  It is really a desire of the modern epicurean who wishes to enjoy himself within our establishment without having to face dishes lacking in finesse and refinement.

GTS: In terms of cuisine, you have imagined 8 different dishes. Was it difficult to design low-calorie gourmet dishes?  

FG: No, we have been designing dishes without butter for several years in the restaurant, so we stayed on the same logic! The idea was to limit the calories while keeping a certain greediness, to do this we did not compromise on the quality of local products. The goal was to make each recipe appealing, complete and generous. The feedback is very positive! The other challenge was to imagine dishes that you can make at home. Obviously, the recipes require a little work behind the stove, but are totally feasible, we obviously tested them all to make this moment fun and enjoyable for everyone. I also really like the idea that Manor delivers the products related to the recipe directly to the house because it is not always easy to find all the ingredients for a recipe.

GTS: Do you have any highlights to share with us?  

FG: For example, we offer a fine tart of zucchini and candied tomatoes or vegetable ravioli of peas and fava beans but also a Royal Delicacy of green asparagus. And let’s not forget the desserts, because greediness also passes through there! We propose a shortbread with the first red fruits of the season.

Find out more about the JP360°Transformation project here: https://www.jp-360.ch/sport-gastronomie

As well as all the information on the Hôtel de Ville de Crissier here : https://www.restaurantcrissier.com/

Ambrogio Stefanetti, chef of the Vecchia Osteria Seseglio restaurant in Chiasso, excels in the art of sublimating traditional cuisine to make it exceptional. To do this, the chef tells us his tip for making trout from our lakes to perfection.

I must admit that I love lake trout and the way I prefer to cook them is very simple: after gutting them, stuffing them with herbs and salt, I grill them. For a trout weighing about 400-500 grams, calculate about 12 minutes per side. It’s delicious! Crispy on the outside and tender on the inside.

Traditionally in Ticino, trout is prepared in carpione, which means that it can be kept and eaten for several days.

A very classic recipe is trout al blue, which is boiled in a vegetable stock to which wine and vinegar are added. Serve it with a lemon mayonnaise: a real treat!”

  Find all the information about the restaurant Vecchia Osteria Seseglio: https://www.vecchiaosteria.ch     

Photo : @Adrian Ehrbar

The story goes that in 1901, a winegrower from Dardagny decided to build a small restaurant on the Place Longemalle in Geneva in order to sell his wines more easily. 79 years later, the unique soul of the building seduced Mr. Favre and his wife who saw the potential of the place. Together, they renovated the establishment in 1985, which became a popular meeting place for the inhabitants and visitors of the city of Calvin.  

Located at the entrance to the Old Town of Geneva, a stone’s throw from Lake Geneva, the Hôtel de la Cigogne is ideally situated. Filled with charm, the historic residence contrasts with the bustle and excitement that reign in the city of Geneva every day. Its shaded terrace invites passers-by to take a break and enjoy a moment of relaxation and serenity, on a sunny afternoon or in the calm and privacy of a long summer evening.

Once the doors of the building dating from 1555 are pushed open, it is a timeless place that awaits visitors and that instantly plunges them into another era full of history. The singing sound of the fountain and the crackling of the large fireplace instantly transport the visitor into another world, a distant, historical one, that of the Geneva of yesteryear. On the ground floor, a large mural recounts the history of the city; Mr. Favre had entrusted this project to a few young student painters from the region, whose mission was to place the city’s well-known buildings in an imaginary setting, inspired by beautiful Venice. For this reason, the fresco tells the story of a timeless Geneva where characters and monuments from different eras cohabit. We find the Salève, the St-Pierre cathedral, the Grand Theater or the Hôtel de la Cigogne, with its feet in the water.

The original woodwork, works of art and refined furniture create a warm and welcoming atmosphere, where each element is steeped in history, such as the Louis XII, XV and XVI armchairs, or the original 19th century tapestries. On the first floor, the 50 tastefully furnished rooms have also been designed with great attention to detail, to offer guests a cosy, upmarket welcome for an exceptional stay.

Tasty seasonal dishes can be enjoyed in the sumptuous décor of the Restaurant de la Cigogne. Originally a simple drinks bar, the restaurant was transformed into a chic brasserie in the 1980s, and finally became a renowned gastronomic restaurant at the beginning of the new millennium. However, traces of its past history can still be seen, including the original bay window and the central doorway that once served as the restaurant’s entrance. The combination of the rustic, imposing mahogany woodwork and the fine tableware lends the room an elegant and delicate atmosphere.

The cuisine reflects the hotel’s image: simple, refined and modern, while remaining steeped in tradition. Chef Nicolas Pasquier draws all his creativity from the original raw product, and is inspired by his visits to the market and the seasons to create exceptional dishes, always with passion and in search of perfection.

In 1997, Mr. and Mrs. Favre also became owners of the Hotel Longemalle, located right next to the Hotel La Cigogne. The second establishment was also modernised, this time in the spirit of a chic boutique hotel, with design decorations and bright colours. This is how the fabulous Longemalle Collection story began.

Three generations later, the Favre family is still as attentive to the needs and requirements of its clientele and is very attached to the two hotels. Their objective: to offer unique emotions in two exclusive locations in the centre of Geneva, thus creating memories that will last forever.

All information and reservations are available on the websites of both hotels: https://www.longemallecollection.com