A chef at the B. Violier: L'Hotel de Ville restaurant in Crissier puts the finishing touches to some caviar starters
Keystone
Switzerland now has 118 restaurants with at least one star, according to the 2018 Michelin Guide, meaning the small Alpine nation boasts the highest density of Michelin stars per resident in Europe.
This year Switzerland still has three restaurants with three stars: the “B. Violier – Restaurant de l’Hôtel de Ville” in Crissier, canton Vaud, the “Schloss Schauenstein” in Fürstenau, canton Graubünden, and the “Cheval Blanc” in Basel.
Two new two-star restaurants in eastern Switzerland were recently added to the growing list: the “Einstein Gourmet” in St Gallen and the “Taverne zum Schäfli” in Wigoltingen, canton Thurgau.
Fourteen new restaurants were awarded one star in the new Swiss edition; there are now a total of 96 dotted across the country.
Over the past ten years, the number of Swiss restaurants awarded Michelin stars has risen by 40%.
The red Michelin restaurant guide is published annually in 28 countries. Worldwide only around 100 restaurants have three Michelin stars. Japan has the most, followed by France and the United States.
The guide uses its own rating system to grade restaurants on their quality. It was originally created in 1900 to show French drivers where local restaurants and mechanics were located, initially using a single star in 1926; two and three stars were introduced in 1933.
According to the Michelin Guide, one star signifies “a very good restaurant”, two stars are “excellent cooking that is worth a detour”, and three stars mean “exceptional cuisine that is worth a special journey”.
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.
Read more
More
Franck Giovannini crowned Gault Millau Chef of the Year
This content was published on
The chef of the famed Hôtel de Ville Crissier has been named Chef of the Year by the Swiss edition of French restaurant guide Gault Millau.
This content was published on
The at-times frantic clicking on and off of a pen is the only sign of the adrenaline below the surface in this boyish-looking 42-year-old. He’s leading a lunch service at the restaurant in the Lausanne suburbs, which is adorned with three Michelin stars and 19 Gault&Millau points. Last year it was also named best in…
This content was published on
Violier, a citizen of France and recently of Switzerland, took over the restaurant in 2012 with his wife. The L’Hotel de Ville was named the world’s best restaurant in December by France’s La Liste, and had been awarded three Michelin stars and 19 out of 20 Gault Millau points. Members of the gastronomy community expressed their…
This content was published on
The restaurant was named number one in the world by La Liste, a new ranking by the French foreign ministry. When chef Benoît Violier committed suicide earlier this year, his second-in-command and old friend Franck Giovannini had to step into his shoes. He’s an anomaly in this high pressure profession.
Rico Zandonella named Gault Millau Chef of the Year
This content was published on
Zandonella, from canton Ticino, was handed the toque at the “Kunststuben” in Küsnacht, canton Zurich, by Horst Petermann in 2011. The restaurant has since been renamed “Rico’sExternal link”. The Swiss edtion of the French guide on Monday praised Zandonella’s “bold and detailed” cooking, welcoming the fact that he had “shaken up the menu, rejuvenated the…
This content was published on
Dish after calorific dish is brought out for a food tasting by Philipp Mosimann. Elder son of Swiss chef Anton Mosimann, Philipp manages the family’s London restaurant, whose seasonal, fat-free “cuisine naturelle” is so beloved of Prince Charles. Mosimann is here in the village of Kandersteg, deep in the Swiss countryside, on a mission ahead…
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.