Après-ski in St. Moritz is always special, and as of today, the world-class ski resort in the Swiss Alps is the epicenter of gourmet experiences as part of the St. Moritz Gourmet Festival, which invites guests on an après-ski upgraded journey inspired by the flavours of an 1001 Night's Gourmet experience.
Tonight's Porsche Grand Opening marks the start of a series of creative culinary events, bringing delicious dining to a new level in the beautiful setting of Switzerland. All images Professor O. Mroz©️
The “Porsche Grand Opening” at the “Grand Hotel des Bains Kempinski” in St. Moritz is a fantastic opportunity to get in the mood for the nine-day Gourmet Festival.
The world-class ski resort of St. Moritz, has been synonymous with glitz and glamour since the resort opened its first deluxe Hotel Kulm. Illustrious guests have included Hollywood royalty Audrey Hepburn, Marlene Dietrich and Charlie Chaplin, as well as artists, thinkers, and members of important families, royals, and nobility from all corners of the world.
Professor Olga Mroz, Dame of Honour and Konstantin Zeuke, General Manager Kempinski St. Moritz at the opening ceremony of the St. Moritz Gourmet Festival
St. Moritz is an alpine culinary destination in and of itself, with haute French cuisine, rustic farm fare, and Nobu menus served amid the Belle Epoque splendor of St. Moritz's deluxe hotels.
Add to that 8 days of a jam-packed program. Après ski takes on a new meaning on St. Moritz's main shopping street, the world's most elevated high street, which features legendary names in fine jewellery and fashion from Cartier to Gübelin Jewellery, as well as Zegna and Stefano Ricci.
One of the festival highlights takes place immediately at the beginning. The "Porsche Grand Opening" at the "Grand Hotel des Bains Kempinski" in St. Moritz is a fantastic opportunity to get in the mood for the nine-day gourmet festival.
After a champagne reception, guest chefs and local chefs will serve up first samples of their diverse culinary skills at various gourmet stations in the Grand Hotel’s magnificent "Les Saisons" restaurant. At the same time there is an opportunity to meet the chefs in person.
LTR: Michael Lehnort, Gen. Man. Carlton Hotel St. Moritz, Fabrizio Crespi, Executive Chef Carlton Hotel, and S. Lehnort, Carlton Hotel
Guests may look forward to treats prepared by guest chefs Najat Kaanache, Sami Tamimi, Silvena Rowe, Tomer Tal and Zineb Hattab, as well as the award-winning executive Chefs from the partner hotels. First-class champagnes, wines, and spirits will accompany the food. The top chefs will represent the best of "Middle Eastern Cuisine" from European and MENA Restaurants.
Following the previous festival, which brought together famous Swiss chefs in 5-star Swiss hotels for a spectacular Swiss experience under the motto "Swiss made," 2023's edition guest chefs, Michelin-starred names, and celebrity chefs will compete to seduce guest's with culinary creativity infused with tastes of Middle East. On the opening night, guests can sample different "gourmet islands," prepared by five guest chefs and the executive chef from partner Hotels will serve samples of their culinary skills.
Professor Olga Mroz, Dame of Honour and Chef Rolf Fliegauf of two-Michelin-starred Ecco Ascona, Ecco St. Moritz and Ecco Zurich at the opening ceremony of the St. Moritz Gourmet Festival
The magical Middle Eastern culinary experience culminates at the venerable Kulm Hotel, which put St. Moritz on the map as a winter destination. Dating from 1856, The history of winter tourism and deluxe hotels in St. Moritz can be traced to the opening of the Kulm Hotel in 1856. Its Grand Restaurant is famous for having the first electric lights in Switzerland in 1878. Thanks to this hotel, St. Moritz developed into a top ski resort over 150 years ago and remains a mecca for those who have travelled everywhere and seen everything.
The St. Moritz Festival is, like everything here, unique to this resort. While other resorts have luxury hotels that invite guest chefs for the delight of their distinguished guests, the Festival is unique in that all resorts and properties work together to make this a celebration of epicurean excellence. It offers a perfect storm of glitz, glamour, and culinary perfection, all within the backdrop of one of the poshest ski resorts that the Alps has to offer.
"The guest chefs of the St. Moritz Gourmet Festival 2023 unite influences of different culinary cultures in their dishes and combine traditional ingredients and preparation methods of the Orient and North Africa with modern cooking techniques of the Western world," says Fabrizio Zanetti, head chef at "Suvretta House" and culinary director .
The 29th St. Moritz Gourmet Festival is inaugurated during the "Porsche Grand Opening" at the "Grand Hotel des Bains Kempinski" in St. Moritz. This stylish reception is a kickstarter to the following six evenings of exclusive gourmet dinners and gourmet safaris only interrupted by the highly anticipated intermeco and the legendary "Kitchen Party" with the master chefs available to meet guests again and surprise them with delicacies at "Badrutt's Palace".
Chef Rolf Fliegauf of two-Michelin-starred Ecco Ascona, Ecco St. Moritz and Ecco Zurich
Special events such as the "Fascination Champagne" and wine event with Caratello in "Suvretta House," the "Ecco Tavolata" with Rolf Fliegauf, the "Culinary H3" in Pontresina in the "Grand Hotel Kronenhof" and the "Hotel Saratz," and the "Mountain Brunch" with spectacular views at the "Paradiso" can tantalize palates.Wine enthusiasts will love the exclusive tasting event at "Waldhaus Sils" with Martel Wines St. Gallen.
Chefs from Fes in the West to Dubai in the East unite in St. Moritz
At hotel “Waldhaus Sils”, Chef Musa Dağdeviren from “Çiya” in Istanbul, is a guest of Executive Chef of Executive Chef Gero Porstein. Dadeviren was featured in the Netflix food documentary series "Chef's Table." His mission: with his cuisine, he wants to create a kind of food atlas of Turkey, serving dishes exclusively made with seasonal products from small producers and farmers in the region.
At the "Hotel Saratz," Executive Chef Kari Walker welcomes Silvena Rowe, from Dubai, co-founder of award-winning restaurant "Omnia" in Dubai and owner of "Al Botanica," as well as the restaurants "Nassau" and "Indian Kitchen by Chef Silvena" in the prestigious golf and country club "Jumeirah Golf Estates."
Haute Cuisine Chef Athanasios Kargatzidis from "Baron" in Beirut is Mauro Taufer’s guest at the "Kulm Hotel St. Moritz." Born in Greece, he grew up in Canada and studied at the renowned Dubrulle Culinary Institute in Vancouver. He developed his own culinary signature during his travels all over the world, but always refers to his Greek roots in his modern fusion cuisine. Kargatzidis co-founded the Beirut restaurant "Baron," which was ranked first in the "Middle East & North Africa's 50 Best Restaurants - Lebanon" and 12th in the "Middle East & North Africa's 50 Best Restaurants" of 2022.
Tomer Tal, from "George & John" in Tel Aviv, is a guest of Executive Chef Gian Nicola Colucci at the "Grand Hotel des Bains Kempinski." Raz Rahav, from "OCD" in Tel Aviv, will cook with Executive Chef Fabrizio Crespi at the "Carlton Hotel" in St. Moritz. In 2016, Rahav fulfilled his dream and opened the restaurant "OCD" in Tel Aviv, where his 19-course experience menu is served to only 19 guests per evening.
Executive Chef Fabrizio Zanetti of "Suvretta House" welcomes Palestinian Chef Sami Tamimi and culinary author from "NopiI" and "Rovi" in London, who teamed up with Yotam Ottolenghi to open "Ottolenghi Deli" in Notting Hill in 2002 and has since added five branches to his portfolio of restaurants.
Executive Chef Janko Glotz at the "Nira Alpina" hotel hosts Najat Kaanache from "Nur" in Morocco. The former actress is today not only a committed women's rights activist but has also been named twice "the best Moroccan cook in the world" and was the first and so far only Moroccan cook to work with Ferran Adria in the gourmet restaurant "El Bulli." Chef Alan Geaam of "Alan Geaam" (1 Michelin star) represents Paris. At the St. Moritz Gourmet Festival, he is a guest of Fabrizio Piantanida at the Grand Hotel Kronenhof in Pontresina.
Chef Gal Ben Moshe comes from "Prism" (1 Michelin star) in Berlin; he will be a guest of Rolf Fliegauf at the Hotel "Giardino Mountain." Executive Chef Maxim Luvara from the Badrutt's Palace Hotel welcomes Zineb "Zizi" Hattab from "Kle" (1 Michelin star) and "Dar" in Zurich, which serve exclusively vegan dishes. In 2020, Gault Millau named Hattab "Discovery of the Year," in 2021 she was awarded the "Green Star," and in 2022 she received her first star from the Michelin Guide.
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