The “Chef of the Year” in Switzerland is called Benoît Carcenat. And the gastro guide himself is getting fatter, as if the industry hadn’t had any lean years.
Benoît Carcenat received the title of Chef of the Year in his «Valrose» in Rougemont.
In autumn, many kitchen crews in the country dance with the leaves, with joy at the verdicts of the two most renowned restaurant guides: Michelin has just awarded its stars, now Gault-Millau is following with its points. And even though such awards do not say everything about the achievements of a kitchen, they are always eagerly awaited, both by the industry and by discerning guests who are willing to spend money.
Gault-Millau lets industry experts know in advance, based on the invitation sent as “confidential”, where a bang will take place: where the announcement and awarding, including a feast, takes place, there is something special to celebrate. This Monday the entourage was invited to Rougemont in the canton of Vaud, more precisely to the Hôtel Restaurant Valrose.
Just arrived – already selected
The couple Benoît and Sabine Carcenat took over this house just a year ago. And now the 44-year-old Frenchman, who has spent almost half his life in Switzerland, has been named “Chef of the Year”. In the documents, Carcenat, who was taken under his wing in the legendary “Hôtel de Ville” in Crissier by his namesake Benoît Violier, who died in 2016, is quoted as having a refreshingly unpretentious principle: “Even simple things can be done very well. That’s what I love about cooking.” But of course he gets the title and his 18th point for his flair for more refined things and for creations like a kind of jerky he makes from a mackerel.
Brightly shining stars are good for the industry, also as a guide for young professionals. But in hundreds of kitchens, above-average performance is achieved without those responsible for it moving into the limelight. The Gault Millau Guide 2023, which goes on sale this week, tries to shine at least a strong beam of light on some: Among the climbers of the year, he explains, among others, Marco Campanella, who gets the 18th point in the “Eden Roc” in Ascona, and the 47-year-old Silvia Manser, who reached the 17th point in the family business “Truube” in her home village of Gais AR. In the Appenzellerland, she is only trumped by Tobias Funke, who now climbs to 18 points in the “Fernsicht” in Heiden.
Olympus is shrinking slightly
Year after year, the Swiss Gault Millau creators around Urs Heller proudly emphasize that their edition is getting bigger and bigger. This time, the record number of 870 restaurants is listed, 89 chefs are celebrating their debut with points, with an eye on the younger crowd also increasingly taking into account trendy restaurants. In the canton of Zurich alone, 17 new businesses are being added, 12 of them in Zurich itself, by far the city with the most points in the country. Three chefs celebrate their 17th point there: Daniel Zeindlhofer (“Igniv”), Antonio Colaianni (“Ornellaia”) and Kenichi Arimura (“Sushi Shin”). Luckily, according to the verdict of the Gault Millau testers, something is also blooming in the top gastronomic desert of Winterthur: Alexander Bindig starts in the “Trübli” with 15 points and Michael Dober in the “Rosa Pulver” with 14 points, the venerable After all, “Taggenberg” with Angelina Lesky at the stove has now been achieved again.
It’s still a long way from there to gastronomic Olympus. It has three stars from Michelin and 19 points from Gault Millau, since the maximum of 20 points is considered unattainable in this country. Bernard Ravet sold his house and yard in Vufflens-le-Château VD and gave up the “Ermitage” after 33 years because of his age, now the round of 19-point chefs is reduced to a sextet: Andreas Caminada (Fürstenau GR), Tanja Grandits (Basel ), Peter Knogl (Basel), Heiko Nieder (Zurich), Franck Giovannini (Crissier VD) and Philippe Chevrier (Satigny GE).