Ueli Kellenberger

If you are occasionally in the St. Gallen Rhine Valley, you should not miss the Restaurant Rössli in Bad Ragaz. You will enjoy this charmingly furnished small hotel restaurant as much as the reception by the owner couple Doris and Ueli Kellenberger.

Ueli Kellenberger was interested in nutrition and food at an early age, having grown up in a butcher’s family and thus automatically becoming familiar with this area. Therefore it was soon clear to him that he would like to become a cook one day. His career has taken him to the best restaurants in Switzerland, such as the Suvretta House in St. Moritz, the Castello del Sol in Ascona and the Hotel Kulm in Arosa. Ueli has made cooking not only his profession but also his passion. The Rössli chef is always looking for new inspiration and spends his free time discovering new wines and products. His leitmotif? To find people who share his love for the art of cooking.

The “Rössli” was originally an inn owned by the Kellenberger family, who also owned the adjacent farm and butchery. The restaurant was completely renovated in 2003 and converted into a gourmet restaurant with a modern, elegant and inviting interior, where you can enjoy exceptional dishes together with great wines that the two have discovered on their travels throughout Europe.

When we asked Ueli Kellenberger to describe the cuisine he serves in his restaurant, which is rated 16 points by GaultMillau and 3F by “Feinschmecker” magazine, he explained that he finds his inspiration in international cuisine. This becomes apparent when guests discover that their plates are full of the world’s menus: scampi from South Africa, Carnaroli risotto and vegetables or crispy fried pike-perch fillet with zucchetti, green curry and basmati rice. The menu keeps its promise and invites you to a pleasurable exotic trip in the middle of Switzerland.

For the chef it is important to cook with absolutely fresh products, especially from the region of Bad Ragaz. So he obtains the meat from the family butchery that his brother runs today. The majority of the products he uses come from organic production, “for the simple reason that they taste better”.

Doris in the reception and dining room, Ueli at the head of the kitchen: this has been the formula for success for this impressive duo for 23 years. The secret of their success? The couple adhere to a strict separation of duties while making important decisions together, which guarantees a balanced working environment. In a competition, Ueli and Doris only compete on the golf course!