Journal Gstaad Palace 02

Gstaad Palace

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Every guest is a king and every king is a guest.

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DGrosmangin/MCMorazzani

Atlantic: a carbon emerald necklace reflecting all the loveliness of twilight. adler, joailliers depuis 1886 GENEVE 23, rue du Rh么ne +4122 819 80 26 . GSTAAD 26, Lauenenstrasse +4133 744 66 80 . LONDON . HONGKONG . TOKYO

www.adler.ch

EDITORIAL

BY ANDREA SCHERZ

BEING A KING

service and hospitality. We can’t do anything about the magnificent mountain scenery, unspoilt nature, lush alpine meadows – they’re just there (but even they need to have care and attention lavished on them – thanks be to the farmers). But we can work on quality and service. We can improve, continuing to focus on what we do, what we have and what we are.

It doesn’t take much to be happy, and whoever is

Switzerland isn’t a country for cheap holidays. It

happy is a king. Many people are probably familiar

never has been, and visitors don’t expect it to be

from childhood with these lyrics of German com-

either. If guests want a discount, they go to Turkey,

poser August Mühling – I, at any rate, sang these

to Spain or wherever. What guests expect from us is

words at school till the cows came home. Solo and

top quality – in every area of the hotel. They’re

in canon. Today, 30 years later, they have a very

looking for constancy. In prices, too. And they want

special meaning again: They’ve become a sort of

authenticity, personality and originality. To be

credo for me.

regarded as friends and to find unparalleled service.

To be feted by employees who genuinely and enthu-

Without doubt, the strong Swiss franc doesn’t make

siastically live out the role of host down to the

life easy for us hoteliers. Especially in the mountain

smallest detail. This is where our potential, our fu-

regions. And, yes, there are guests who have wan-

ture and our entire right to exist lie. And that’s why

dered off to go skiing in lower-priced Austria or in

I’m happy – and a king. Because all that is some-

the French Alps. It’s likewise true that they benefit

thing I can control, influence, shape and mould

from massively reduced prices there. But what is

every day. As I said, it doesn’t take much and yet it

also true is that whining doesn’t help. I also don’t

leads to so much …

think much of the price reductions, and I certainly can’t do anything about the strong franc. I can, how-

Yours sincerely

ever, remember what made the Swiss hotel industry

Andrea Scherz

so great. And strong. I’m thinking here of quality,

7

Nature stands there clad in white.

Winter has come overnight.

In all its glory ...

9

“Why does it seem to me as if the more distant snowflakes tumble to the ground more slowly than the small, cheeky ones that whirl about right on the other side of the window?” he asks at the end of his e-mail. I snap the laptop shut, walk over to the window and touch the glass with both hands. It’s cold; the world outside is plunged into a wintery whiteness. Overnight, the full-stomached clouds have emptied themselves and have long since moved on.

There’s no more tumbling in the air, no whirling before my eyes, neither right behind the pane of glass nor further away. The sky is blue, inviting you to leave the hotel room and explore this “pleasant mixture of mountains, rocks and lakes”, which Alfred von Haller enthused about in his poem “The

10

Alps”. That was in 1729, in a golden age of the city-

the people around me, who trudge past me, in order

state of Bern. From then on they came, the guests

to cheerily conquer the mountains soon after; I only

from abroad, more and more and again and again, to

see their colourful ski suits that punctuate the

discover the beauty of this region, which even today

white. Dancing flecks of colour in the snowy land-

has still not been exhausted. Quite the contrary.

scape. Internally, I dance along, to the crunching music of frozen ice crystals. Snow. There are sup-

One of the first days of winter in the beautiful Ber-

posed to be so many different words for it, for this

nese Oberland. It’s a place where you can breathe

cold pleasure. They say the Inuit have more than

deeply. And that’s what I’m doing, taking deep

100 of them. “But that’s not true,” an acquaintance

breaths. I fill my lungs, as though wanting to lift off.

once told me, it was just an urban myth.

The crunching of the snow beneath my boots proves I’ve still got both feet on the ground. Again and

Even so, I can still think of 50 descriptions, or rather,

again. The noise becomes the soundtrack of the

she can think of them – British singer Kate Bush.

walk, a short ramble that also leads me away from

On the album’s title track “50 Words for Snow”, they

all of the other noise in the world. I no longer hear

are enumerated by an actor.

11

Mountainsob, whirlissimo, deep’nhidden, blown from polar fur ... There are countless terms for snow. But no matter what you call it, you can enjoy it properly in the Bernese Oberland.

I’ve listened to this song countless times. On the way back to the hotel, I try to remember the expressions, to fish them out of the convolutions of my brain, like wriggling alternatives to the familiar: “drifting, twisting, whiteout, blackbird braille ...”

There’s also “crème-bouffant, creaky-creaky”.

When I get to “vanishing world”, I’m already back in my cosy room. I snap the laptop open and start to write him an e-mail, telling him everything. Starting with how beautiful it is here – and how much I miss him. palace.ch Text: Andrea Keller Photography: Thomas Senf/Thomas Ulrich/Rainer Eder

12

JOURNAL 14

7

EDITORIAL Being a king

36

GSTAAD INSIDE Rooted in tradition

8

IMPRESSIONS Nature stands there clad in white

44

PHILIPPE GEX A little of what you fancy

17

Favourite Places Restaurant Bären

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APROPOS WINE The perfect wine

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SUUFSUNNTIG A local alp celebration

50

Zbären KITCHEN Swiss Kitchen Manufacture

24

Marina nickles Master of the rooms

56

DANIEL VON SIEBENTHAL Herbs from the Alps

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TRADITION Tschanz Architektur

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GOLDEN OLDIES Herbert Beyer

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SPOTLIGHT IGN. DESIGN.

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Peking – paris Driving the impossible route

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PORTRAIT Hansruedi Oehrli

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RIDING SCHOOLS VOEGELI Happiness lies on the back of horses

INDEX 68

SLEEPING BEAUTY A tale of another Palace

72

WOLVERINE A thousand miles of dust

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Meindl Alpine style in Gstaad

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INTERVIEW Andrea Kracht

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TRUE STORIES We were playing poker

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PILCHER'S CLASSIC CARS The story of two brothers

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GRAFF DIAMONDS The most fabulous diamonds

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FASHION Style is forever

90

NOUVELLES

93

APROPOS Cuisine My go-to recipe

94

HOTEL Beau Rivage

96

IMPRINT

15

www.perrier-jouet.com

D R I N K R E S P O N S I B LY

FAVOURITE PLACES

BY MARK VAN HUISSELING

MY CHANGE OF SCENERY

eminently comfy. There’s a simple bar in the front room and an open fireplace in the back room. A slate on the wall announces that the speciality is raclette heated in front of a fire (in winter anyway). That was somehow obvious from the look of the pub (and the fire), even if the typical aroma of raclette is almost undetectable. The second speciality (available all year round): entrecôte of beef on a hot stone.

When you reside in the Gstaad Palace, with half

I ordered it and wondered why the waitress didn’t

board, that is to say you are eating in one of the

ask how I wanted it cooked – until the hot stone and

hotel’s restaurants, you find yourself in a situation

the meat were in front of me, cooking away (the

which could hardly be bettered. Which is why you

meat). When it was medium, I started to eat.

need a contrast: most people want a change, even if it’s a change from something pleasant.

To be honest, I wouldn’t have cared much if I’d no longer been able to start my car, parked in front

Gstaad lies far back in the Saanenland valley; the

of the building. Even though I had a junior suite at

village that bears the name Gsteig near Gstaad is even

the “Palace”, I would like to have stayed overnight

further away. The street that takes you there leads

at the “Bären”, at the end of the known world – or at

to Aigle, but you feel that the valley, maybe even the

least the world that I knew. I assume you can sleep

world, ends here. In other words, you feel good in

well and soundly there. I know at any rate that you

the village, far away from everything. For a town-

can eat well, drink nice Bordeaux wines and sit

dweller, there’s something soothing about that. The

comfortably at the “Bären” in Gsteig.

“Bären” is the biggest building in the village. That’s one thing it has in common with the “ Palace ”, whose owners have leased it. It’s hard to find any other similarities. The “Bären” has a restaurant that

baerengsteig.ch Restaurant Bären Gsteigstrasse 1 · CH-3785 Gsteig bei Gstaad + 41 (0)33 755 10 33

looks the way you’d like a pub to look but normally never encounter – two rooms, lots of wood, and

17

SUUF SUNNTIG

A local alp celebration with yodel, cowbells and the choosing of the most beautiful cow – that is “Suufsuntig.”

Cheese maker Walo Perreten recounts the legend this old custom is founded on.

H 20

Her eyes are closed. Gently, the girl with the alphorn plays an old tune of mountain and valley. Her silhouette stands out against the Wildhorn mountain, towering on the far side of the valley. A solemn and touching moment. When the alphorn fades away, the pastor commences his “Sermon on the Mount”, and for a second, we are very close to heaven, up here on the Walig, an alp above the Gsteig village where the “Suufsunntig” (literally: Quaff-Sunday) is celebrated. That very morning I didn´t yet know anything about this tradition. The weird name made me think of other things than the sound of the alphorn and a Sunday service under the Saanenland sky. In his sermon, the pastor mockingly referred to the term “suuf”: Only those from the valley, he said,

wouldn´t know that it denoted just any mouthful. I

with a buttery, braided white loaf, a Bernese spe-

think he looked in my direction when he said it. The

cialty, and coffee. I ask Walo where he thinks the

dairyman will take a mouthful of the cooked milk

custom of “Suufsunntig” comes from. The pastor is

directly from the kettle to taste it before he begins

right, says Walo. But hardly anyone, he continues,

the cheese making. That moment, the pastor said, is

remembers the old legend that tells of the custom´s

the dairyman´s small daily thanksgiving, thanking

origins. An old legend? Curious, I put down my

the Good Lord for milk and cheese. “Suufsunntig”,

coffee cup, and Walo begins: “One evening ages ago,

therefore, is the thanksgiving celebration of the alp.

a dairyman wanted to bring his cattle back to the stable. He didn´t hear the cows´ bells, so he started

After the sermon, I join Walo and Erika Perreten at

looking for them, but in vain. There are many dan-

their chalet´s kitchen table. The air is fragrant with

gers in the mountains, and many a cow has fallen

the wood fire, crackling away under a large copper

over a cliff. The dairyman returned to his hut with a

kettle. In it, the milk is thickening until Walo can

sad heart. Without cows no milk, and without milk

cut it with the cheese-harp. We sit at a strong wooden

no cheese. The cows didn´t come home for another

table. Erika dishes up homemade cheese, along

two days.

21

O

“On the evening of the third day, however, he heard bells chime. With relief he saw that his cows had come home. To his surprise he noticed they had vine leaves in their hooves. The next morning, he discovered that they were jinxed, and his joy over the cows´ return abated: they wouldn´t give milk any more. He went to the monastery to ask the Capuchins´ advice. The monks told him that to break the spell he was to invite all the paupers from the valley and feed them.

“He did as he was told; one Sunday the people from the valley walked up to the alp, where the dairyman entertained them. The next morning, he got up with first light and heard his cows low. There was

milk again. Since that day, the mountain dairymen invite the people from the valley to the alp once a year. With this gift to them, they thank the Good

gstaad.ch and walig-hut.ch Text: Lukas Tonetto Photography: Patrick Stumm

Lord for milk and cheese. Up here, we have observed this custom since the days of yore.”

I take a bite of Walo´s cheese. In the distance, I can hear the booming of the heavy cowbells. The crowd has moved on to the Walig alp, where in the afternoon the most beautiful cow will be chosen. There we will be celebrating the “Suufsunntig”, sitting on long benches, listening to the ländler band playing and the choir yodeling, enjoying a rural lunch and a good mouthful: because today, on this special occasion, there’s not milk, but wine or beer.

23

MASTER OF THE ROOMS

Creating a home from home.

In conversation with Marina Nickles I make exciting discoveries about how to sensitively handle space, light, form and colour.

Anyone who travels a lot knows two things: the lux-

I wanted to confront Marina Nickles with these

ury of being at home and the hotel rooms of the

questions. She is one of the interior designers who

world. From Etap in Rotterdam to the Peninsula in

creates the rooms in the Palace. “Which room are

Hong Kong, I could move around the rooms blind-

you in?” she asks me right off, when I meet up with

folded: bathroom, desk, sideboard, TV, bed. There

her for a chat in the penthouse. “Ah, you’re in the

are exceptions, of course. But they often sadly prove

acqua room,” is her comment on my room number.

the rule. Did the Plaza in New York or the Raffles

She realises that she can barely ever achieve the

Hotel in Singapore surprise me? Well, it must be

actual goal of every interior designer: the complete

down to the price range I can afford. What does a

reinvention of the hotel room. The rigid walls of the

hotel room really have to offer so that you feel a

building set limits to imagination, limits which she

touch of luxury?

breaks, however: “Of course, we change the floor plans of the room!” The roomy entrance and the three-piece bathroom suite in my room, she explains, are the result of rebuilding. “In the spring of 2012, we had 12 weeks’ time to redesign ten more rooms

and bathrooms. And we renovated everything: the

Speaking of “terrified”, even I am appalled in each

woodwork, furniture, carpets, curtains. Everything.”

hotel room, I say, specifically by the pictures. “Art is

She says this with an ardour I hadn’t expected of her.

very important!” she says. But also very difficult.

“Birds are forbidden. There are people who hate

We sit down on a wooden balustrade. I want to know

birds.” Or pictures in the style of a Dali replica, also

where and how she starts with a redesign. “I start by

an absolute no-no. “But, you know, there are regular

being terrified. Don’t you get that feeling, too?”

guests in this world for whom any change at all is an

Sure, who doesn’t feel that way at the beginning of

absolute taboo.” Guests who have sometimes stayed

a project! And then? It starts with a colour. The se-

in the same room for ten or twenty years. They feel

lection of the materials. Principally the curtains.

at home like that. “This isn’t our room!” they com-

The best concept comes to nothing if the material

plain, when the ambience becomes more consistent,

selected is not available in the desired colour. Bit by

fresher. She sighs. Smiles. The sun shines in the pent-

bit, the design is composed around the colourful

house. Time has passed. “One more question.” Can

material. “The fastest part of the job is the actual

she sum up her work in one sentence? She replies

creation.” The hard work is talking to the suppliers.

without hesitation: “To create home from home.”

In my view, too, this is true luxury. palace.ch and marinanickels.com Text: Lukas Tonetto Photography: Patrick Stumm

27

TRADITION About the company In 2001, architect Peter Tschanz handed over Tschanz Architektur, his life’s work, to his son Michael, who is following in his father’s footsteps, combining old values and new ideas. The firm has put its personal stamp on many well-known buildings in and around Gstaad thanks to its characteristic style and elegant work. The Tschanz brand has been a safe bet at the Palace Hotel for years and, thanks to its personal touch, the firm has become a preferred supplier.

TSCHANZ ARCHITEKTUR

WHEN EXPERTS MEET LAYMEN

Anyone wishing to make his dream of a personal

lacks both this professional perspective, and to a

chalet come true needs money. Quite a lot of money,

large extent, knowledge of the problems as well as

especially in Gstaad. Gstaad is expensive. One also

the necessary skills to deal with them. It’s precisely

needs a reliable partner who can understand and

here where the actual ability of the good architect

fulfil the dream. Not just on paper. In reality. With

lies, in not assuming that the technical perspective

all the ups and downs, joys and hardships inherent

is the only correct point of view, but in communi-

in building or conversion projects. And this is where

cating his wide knowledge and assessments in such

you separate the wheat from the chaff.

a way that the layperson, despite his incomplete and faulty understanding of the issues involved, can

Those who have at some point or other dealt with

grasp the architect’s vision. If he can manage that,

the issue in depth or have already built something

he’s won. Not just the order. But also the customer’s

know that the devil is in the detail (and the wood-

trust. And that’s what it’s all about in this profes-

worm sometimes in the wood). One needs a lot of

sion. Because there’s a lot of money involved. And

strength and nervous energy. Time and money.

a whole lot of emotions. (leo)

Unfortunately. And, sadly, communication between architect and client is usually a case of communication between an expert and a layperson. No wonder a lot goes down the drain: while the architect may know more about the matter and can do many things the layman cannot, because he perceives, thinks and evaluates things differently, the building owner

tschanz-architektur.ch

IGN. DESIGN.

SPOTLIGHT About the company Quality and sustainable consumption are generally also a matter of budget.

Especially if the customer appreciates the outstanding,

ON A JOURNEY ACROSS THE ATLANTIC

wants something special or simply sets great store by craftsmanship. IGN. Design. in Sempach is precisely the right partner for such a demanding clientele. Its team of 20 experienced designers and furniture makers uses fine woods to create fantastic and unique pieces for interiors.

“My elephants” is what actress Marlene Dietrich

let time roll backwards. This also pleases business-

tenderly called her trunks. Surrounded by them like

men and craftsmen who make money from this

good and reliable friends, the diva posed on the

­desire for a reversal.

deck of the SS Normandie for a photo for American fashion magazine Harper’s Bazaar in 1936. The

Speaking of craftsmen, it’s the combination of tradi-

seven giants accompanied the actress on her jour-

tion, nostalgia and modernity that guarantees this

ney across the Atlantic from Bremen to New York.

group of people a future. And again, it’s craftsman-

Besides the initials of the performer, the tops and

ship that collects, preserves, opens up and makes

sides displayed the labels of grand hotels from all

accessible accounts of the everyday life of past times.

over the world.

One successful example of this is the trunk (Model IGN. CASE. 4211) from days long past. Its style and

Since then, a lot of time has elapsed; the way we

elegance celebrate pure nostalgia. Its design, solid

travel has changed – as has the luggage. What re-

craftsmanship. Whether in the chalet, in the loft or

mains are wanderlust and a yen for adventure. In

in the office, it fits in well everywhere. It tells us

addition, there’s now a deep longing for the genuine

stories. It puts us in mind of far-flung countries and

and the proven, according to the witnesses of past

stimulates our appetite for adventure. (leo)

times. Romance and good entertainment are also welcome. Taken together, this is called nostalgia. As

ign-design.ch

revivals in fashion, film, music and literature show: everything that was once popular in the past will ­always come around again. Tired of sheer rationality, progress and technology, we nibble melancholically on the crumbs of the gateaux of the past and

31

Portrait Hansruedi Oehrli Lukas Tonetto met the amiable craftsman from the Bernese Oberland at his indispensable workshop in the depths of the Palace.

Hansruedi Oehrli helped change the world of the Palace by remaining loyal to it. The ardent craftsman, born 1951, husband to Ruth and father of a daughter and a son, has been working at the Palace for 39 years, mostly behind the scenes. One of the hotel´s unsung heroes.

“… and outside it was minus 20.” Hansruedi Oehrli

clean, slightly dim workshop. A brightly lit work-

pauses briefly in his account. Even in the glow of

bench, the tools on the wall precisely ordered and

the neon light of the workshop, his eyes are as clear

readily to hand, welding equipment, a soldering

as the water of Lake Lauenen. “The waiters,” he

iron. All this reminds me fondly of my grandfather’s

continues, “were already laying the tables for the

workshop, which I loved being in as a child; the air

banquet, so I didn`t have a minute to spare.” He

was full of the odour of work and tools. Oehrli con-

speaks and pushes some pliers lying on the work-

tinues: “The banquet was supposed to take place on

bench a little to one side. I have already fully im-

Saturday evening. At 3 p.m. I was told that it was

mersed myself in the realm of Hansruedi Oehrli.

less warm than usual. An hour later, we found water on the floor. But not the usual dehumidification

His realm? It consists of the tools and equipment

water from the radiators. The pressure on the pipes

that keep the Palace giant going, along with hun-

had collapsed.

dreds and hundreds of meters of heating pipes, ­water pipes and cabling. The nerve centre of this realm lies in the depths of the hotel and is a small,

33

“Imagine if we had blown only air cooled to minus twenty degrees into the banquet. The guests would probably not have stayed long.” His eyes take on a roguish look. It’s a joy listening to him speaking in his rustic Saanenland dialect.

Hansruedi Oehrli is virtually the rock on which the hotel stands and has just about every circuit diagram of the building in his head. His story is also one of a man who helped change the world of the Palace by remaining loyal to it. After nearly 40 years’ service behind the scenes of the Palace, nothing perturbs him much. Or is there something that does? His right-hand man, Gerardo Vazquez, who has also been at the Palace for more than 40 years, enters the workshop. He looks quite serious. An emergency? There’s water in a shaft. Probably just a leaky tap, I think to myself. But the word “just” doesn’t seem to exist here. Oehrli issues instructions. His eye for detail is synonymous with the adeptness with which problems are solved, and the Palace’s peak performance would barely be conceivable without “Team Oehrli”.

Amazing really that after all this time hardly anyone knows him. He accepts this fact with his usual calm.

The essence of a good spirit in the house is that it cannot be seen. “Imagine a lamp in the bar gives up the ghost when you’re having an aperitif in the evening. My ladder and I would be a bigger bother than a broken lamp!” The wall phone next to the door rings. The leaking tap is still causing problems.

Hansruedi Oehrli sets off on his way. He has the plan of the building in his head. Invisible, hidden from the eyes of the guests, he guarantees the perfection for which the name “Palace” stands. palace.ch Text: Lukas Tonetto Photography: Patrick Stumm

35

GSTAAD

INSIDE The cattle drive into the mountains is a festival: the cows are decked out and wear the heavy cowbells that echo everywhere, their deep tone determined by the rhythm of the animals.

ROOTED IN TRADITION Here in the mountains, farmers’ lives are still tightly bound up with the natural cycle. The seasons, the weather, and the needs of the animals determine the rhythm. Over the intervening years, there have been some changes here in Saanenland: time does not stand still here, but it’s farming that still leaves its mark on the region. No matter how open-minded they are, the farmers lead their own, not always easy, lives – and maintain their traditions.

Sometimes numbers help convey the nature of a tract of land better and faster than flowery descriptions.

And they shed light on how people live, what they busy themselves with, and what traditions they uphold. That’s certainly the case in Saanenland, where everyone who comes here soon notices how many pastures, how many cows there are. And how many who live here are obviously farmers. So, in figures: more than 18 % of all those employed here work in farming or forestry. An above-average figure, although the primary sector only accounts for less than 4 % in all of Switzerland. Also, Saanenland still has about 80 working high-alpine farms and 100 alpine dairies. Naturally, only very few can live from farming alone, even here, despite state subsidies.

Many have a second job; 40 % of the farms have diversified, and process and market their products themselves; quite a few farmers clear snow for the local authorities, or do forestry work, or they work in tourism, which has been important here for more than a hundred years – and which has naturally left its mark on the landscape.

39

Nevertheless, the typical image that foreigners often have of Switzerland is accurate here in Saanen­ land. The great importance of farming shapes the course of the day and the year, as in times past. Nature, the seasons and the needs of the animals still determine the rhythm – despite all the technical improvements that have also become common currency in the last few decades. It’s a hard life. And a proud one.

The inhabitants are proud not only of the landscape and the mountain world, but also of their animals: the robust, mountain-climbing, brown-flecked cows from the Simmental valley, of whom there are now – a genuine export success – more than 40 million around the world; likewise the typical white goats that yield twice as much milk as other breeds.

The goat is no longer the “poor man’s cow” as it used to be thought, but part of the important local production of alpine, planing, and mountain cheeses.

They are subject to strict conditions, and not just with regard to hygiene. Alpine cheese is made from raw alpine milk, between 10 May and 10 October, and has a characteristic firm rind and a diameter of 30 cm to 50 cm. Planing cheese (“Hobelkäse”) is an alpine cheese that is stored longer and similarly carefully tended and turned; mountain cheese is made from the milk processed in the valley. Cheese production that seems to outsiders to be routine and effortless is, in fact, not just a science in itself, but a handicraft in the truest sense of the word.

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42

The mowing of the grass and the harvesting of the hay for the winter is not easy on the partly-precipitous slopes. Maintaining paths, alpine pastures and fences is strenuous work. As is tree-felling and forest management. And then there is the great moment, towards the summer, when the farmers decide the weather is right for them to drive their cattle up to the alpine meadows. The cattle drive into the mountains is a festival: the cows are decked out and wear the heavy cowbells that echo everywhere, their deep tone determined by the rhythm of the animals. And since life is laborious and hard, now and again you just have to party. The parties held on the alps in July and August are called “Suufsunntiga”, or “drinking Sundays”. The name says it all: besides

the selection of a prize cow and the social gathering,

The “Amtsschauen”, during which 180 of the pretti-

a lot of drinking is done. White wine from the nearby

est cows of the Saanenland are shown, take place

Waadtland region has always found its way into the

more seldom – only every six years. Even more

mountain valleys.

exclusive are the top shows, which started recently.

Here, each cooperative is allowed to show one cow

The regular cattle auctions are also a chance to get

per hundred on its books. About 50 cows “battle”

together and exchange news. Not too long ago, an

to win the sought-after titles of “Miss” and the

advert announced: “35th cattle auction/Gummalp,

“Nice Udder”. As an outsider, you have truly found

Gstaad. Saturday, 6 August 2011, noon. To be auc-

yourself in a different world, here in Saanenland.

tioned: 70 heifers, 40 pure best-quality Simmentaler as well as FT and RH cows, all cows heavily in calf. Some have been awarded 90 points. Refreshments on site throughout.” As you can see, you have

gstaad.ch Text: Konrad Tobler Photography: Gstaad Tourismus

to be in the know to understand what apparently exotic cows these are that are being offered for sale.

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A LITTLE of what you FANCY …

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It’s so quiet, you can almost hear the heat. Glasses

Syrah and Riesling, ideas he brought back from his

with cool, tempting white wine clink in the shimmer-

journeys overseas and to Germany. Chasselas grapes

ing air. Together with Andrea Scherz, the director

are late-maturing and thrive in the hot microcli-

of the Gstaad Palace, and vintner Philippe Gex, I’m

mate of the vineyard. A Mediterranean-like climate.

standing right at the top of his vineyard in Yvorne –

Even pines and fig trees grow here. At one time,

the wine region that’s closest to Gstaad. And it’s this

Philippe says, the vines grew even higher up. He

fantastic vineyard that provides the grapes for the

raises a glass to the now protected forest. Woe to

wine served evening after evening by the sommelier

him who fells a tree. Philippe asks a rhetorical ques-

at the Palace.

tion: “Isn’t every vine a small tree, too?” That’s what Philippe is like: he doesn’t just make wine; he lives

“Santé!” Philippe cries, taking a hearty sip. For me,

and breathes it, too. In the vineyard, he’s a poet, and

it’s a very special experience, drinking his “Pierre

what flows into the glass tastes as good as a success-

Latine” in the vineyard – that is to say virtually on

ful poem sounds to one’s ear. Everything is made by

site. On the mountain high above the Rhône Valley,

hand. The mountain’s too steep to allow machines

besides Chasselas grapes, he also cultivates Merlot,

to be used.

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Just how steep we discover when we go down through the vines. We hold tight to the “clos”, the walls so typical of the region. Andrea smells his hands. They exude a strong smell like the stony ground, which mineralises the wine, giving it character. In the middle of the vineyard, we stand in front of a solid stone gate set in a high wall. “Absolutely unique” is what Philippe calls this small cellar beneath the vines. At first, darkness and a pleasing freshness surround us: a mysterious place, probably a storeroom for machines and the “bouillie bordelaise”. Philippe laughs again. The “bouillie” is no snack, but a no longer used fungicide for vines. In the past, farmers used to plant Bordelaise roses around the vines. Their thorns were meant to deter horses from straying into the vines. The susceptible roses were sprayed with pesticides. Coincidentally, it was discovered that the vines close to the roses were protected from fungal infection. The fungicide became known throughout Europe as “bouillie bordelaise” or Bordeaux mixture. Another story which only a vintner can tell.

Back at the winery, we sit down in the courtyard in the shade of a tree. A quiet moment, in which Philippe tells us secrets relating to his wines. But as is often the case with secrets, the solution is obvious. “The wine is made in the vineyard.” He doesn’t belittle the work of the cellarer, but explains: “No-one has ever pressed a good wine from a bad grape. But the contrary is possible.” When we enter the wonderfully cool cellar, some of Philippe’s friends are already sitting within the old walls. Wine is poured out and delicacies handed round. We raise our glasses. “Isn’t wine one of the simplest things there is?” says Philippe, also raising his glass. “You press it, ferment it, and it’s ready.” It’s that simple and, one is inclined to add, that delicious. pierrelatine.ch Text: Lukas Tonetto Photography: Patrick Stumm

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Ag. Santi+Santi ph. M.Listri

APROPOS WINE

BY ANDREA MAFFEI

THE PERFECT WINE

own taste. One’s individual perception in the here and now. Furthermore, one is allowed to experience the fact that wine can taste pretty much like anything. Wild and animalistic. Or earthy and mature.

Does it remind you of a morning walk in the woods?

Of fresh earth, moss and undergrowth, or of a nice incident from your childhood? Whatever the experience, the essential thing is that it’s appropriate.

And rarely does one find two people whose opinions are the same. Once again, no matter. It’s still

Does it exist, the perfect wine? Yes, it does. Really.

appropriate. You see, that’s why, in my view, there

But be careful: this statement is based explicitly on

are no rankings that stand up to critical scrutiny.

personal feelings and experience – which is why I’m always a bit at loggerheads with all these rank-

Wine and wine preferences are subjective. Whether

ings. A wine that Robert Parker likes doesn’t have to

we like a wine and how we classify it in our scale

appeal to me (or you), not by any means. Or maybe

of values is determined not just by the taste, but by

I can, at most, only conjure up a weak smile for an

external factors such as the environment and one’s

oh-so-fine drop of wine that Hugh Johnson praises

current mood. And that’s not so different for so-

to the skies.

called professional wine critics. Personal preferences come into play even in their assessments. So

Do you think this view is a bit impudent? Or even

don’t allow yourself to be confused any longer. The

arrogant? Well, anyone who has taken part in a

perfect wine is the one you like. What is much more

wine-tasting session at some time has realised how

important is not having to pay for one’s enjoyment

subjective such evaluations can be. Or don’t you

of wine with a hangover.

think so? Free from the usual doctrines that only stand in the way of one’s personal experience anyway, one can approach the wines here in a totally carefree way. The only thing that counts is one’s

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ZBÄREN

I

t’s not just chalets in Gstaad that have a dream kitchen from Zbären: even on the Côte d’Azur or in New York, passionate chefs love the perfection and fine touch of the friendly family firm.

KITCHEN

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The GoldenPass Express pulls into Saanenmöser station. We have barely got out before the lettering “Zbären Swiss Kitchen Manufacture” catches our eye. We head to the showroom, enter and realise that our journey is not yet over. It continues. To France? To a castle in Périgord? Or maybe rather to the classy but rustic chalet world of Gstaad or a villa on Lake Geneva? We can’t say for sure. What we can be certain about is that we immediately feel good in the atmospheric world of the tasteful showroom. We get a feeling of “coming home”, which grows with the warm welcome we receive from brothers Matthias and Benjamin Zbären. Ideally we’d really prefer to sit at the solid wood table at the back of the showroom, set in a charming country

kitchen made from old spruce wood. We shouldn’t

Countless hours of manual work have gone into

let this pleasure pass us by, but first we want to look

every kitchen. What we especially like is the fact

and feel the craftsmanship. Running a hand over

that most of them exude a touch of vintage charm,

the surfaces and fronts made of wood produces a

but are nevertheless – or maybe precisely for this

pleasantly warm feeling.

very reason – modern. This is because, among other things, the company often uses old wood from the

Peeking into the kitchen cabinets and drawers

Simmental valley and Saanenland. The company

is a delight: each kitchen is unique, perfectly de-

buys it in from all over Europe, mainly from Swit-

signed right down to the last detail and custom-

zerland and France. The wood is then subjected to

made to suit their location. One minute, we’re deal-

extensive treatment in the firm’s own joinery.

ing with a stately palace kitchen, then a more rustic interior, then again something completely futuristic, depending on the house in question. “The kitchen has to fit in with the house and be authentic; we set great store by that,” says Benjamin Zbären.

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As is generally known, the cooker is the heart of any kitchen. With a classic Zbären kitchen, it comes from the La Cornue studio in France. The fronts of La Cornue cookers are made of enamel, and the cookers run on gas. An electric version is now also available. Furthermore, the vintage-style cookers have a large vaulted oven. We’d love to take one home with us, if it didn’t weigh 200 kg. The cooker from the Château series is the masterpiece of La Cornue. It’s custom-built – which is completely in keeping with the company’s philosophy.

But now it’s time to take a comfy seat. Benjamin and Matthias Zbären serve up cheese and raw meat ­specialities from the Saanen region, along with a good Burgundy. The designers talk of how the company has developed, how their grandfather used to live at the top of the mountain, how there was just a single cow in the barn. At the end of the 1940s, he started a small joinery, which two sons took over in 1975. The father had always been a lateral thinker, a visionary, and it’s thanks to his creativity that the joinery has become an international kitchen manufacturer. Today, this operation employs 30 people; two years ago, the firm moved to its new production facility in Lenk. A third of the kitchens made there ends up in the houses and chalets in Saanenland, where the firm has its roots. Another third goes to the rest of Switzerland and the remainder abroad – from the Côte d’Azur to New York via Moscow. zbaeren.ch Text: Christina Hubbeling Photography: Michel Jaussi

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HERBS FROM THE ALPS An offbeat herb farmer and how monk’s beard, buck’s horn plantain and Japanese chrysanthemums found their way into the Alps of the Bernese Oberland.

Whenever I think of alpine herbs, I think of the

Von Siebenthal is understating things, of course.

famous Swiss herbal candy, those small, cubic sweets

That’s typical of him. He’s from here. Down-to-earth.

for coughs and hoarseness, made from speedwell,

Doesn’t use big words. But why is he growing herbs

marsh mallow, horehound and 10 other medicinal

and not running a dairy, like mountain farmers have

herbs that are all supposed to thrive high up in the

done since time immemorial? It wasn’t a hard deci-

Swiss Alps, which is why they develop such healing

sion for him to make. Widely travelled, he returned

properties. At least according to the advertising and

from the USA nearly 20 years ago and knew even

our childhood memories. But can there be culinary

then that he would have no future as a mountain

herbs from the Alps?

farmer with a small dairy business. Since then, he has been experimenting with herbs, because every-

I remember that my father, who came from Veneto,

thing doesn’t grow equally well here, even with a

wasn’t aware of basil in his childhood; at that time,

greenhouse. Which is why the entire environment

it only grew in hot southern Italy. And now culinary

has to be just right: soil quality, no frost (hence the

herbs are supposed to be growing in the Alps, 1000

greenhouse), good distribution channels, enough

metres above sea level? The herbs do actually grow

customers in the region – and imagination? Von

in the Alps, but only because someone is crazy

Siebenthal sees everything pragmatically.

enough to grow them there: Daniel von Siebenthal, a farmer from Gstaad, a bit of an oddball. “I’ve even been profiled in a trade journal. Growing vegetables and herbs at this height is a bit unusual.”

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O

On average, he grows 12 culinary herbs: chervil, rosemary, classics such as thyme, sage, chives or

flat-leaf parsley. “Experiments for experiment’s sake aren’t worth it,” he explains. “I also grow tasty

coriander. But it’s a risky business because the herb

is not regularly in demand. I’m a businessman and I have to grow what’s profitable and what the market demands.”

The market also responds to von Siebenthal, the farmer. Peter Wyss and Hugo Weibel, the legendary chefs in the Palace, incorporate the local supply.

“When we get something from the region, we naturally include it in our menu plans,” says Hugo Weibel.

This way, the hotel guest in the Palace gets more

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than just an excellent dinner from the kitchen

the 16th century. Just as exotic are the Japanese

of the two chefs, who have been awarded Gault-

chrysanthemums. All these are plants that have

Millau points. Whoever dines in one of the Palace’s

grown in von Siebenthal’s herb garden. And who-

restaurants also tastes the flavour of the region –

ever is crazy enough to plant a thriving herb garden

thanks to market gardener Daniel von Siebenthal.

in the Bernese Oberland also has the courage to grow the slightly salty, sour-tasting monk’s beard.

But even if he doesn’t want to run the risk, I cannot

Risk or no risk.

imagine that someone like him doesn’t experiment a bit. At my insistence, he reveals names from distant regions of the world: cape gooseberry, a berry from the highlands of Peru, which von Siebenthal calls

palace.ch Text: Lukas Tonetto Photography: Patrick Stumm

physalis. Or monk’s beard, also called barbarella, one of the plantain family, which thrives on Mediterranean coasts and far into southwest Asia and was already being used in our cuisines as early as

59

HERBERT BEYER

GOLDEN OLDIES About Herbert Beyer The artist from Oberaargau is fond of his independence: a one-man-enterprise, he works without agent or gallery, mostly on commissions. Murals and

HOW TO PAINT A GOLD CAR

paintings on canvas form the core of his distinct œuvre. He has developed his own visual language, yet likes to surprise his audience with frequent changes in style, topic and technique.

His paintings can be suave, almost conventional at times, but also sensual or edgy and powerful.

The likeable 53-year-old can hardly be described as

In one of his recent works, Beyer chose as his sub-

“classical”: neither his person nor his work. Rather,

ject gorgeous vintage cars from the 1930s to the 60s.

the term “Rock’n’roll” hits the spot. Beyer likes his

They represent a childhood dream as well as his

work to be visually striking, to get the audience´s

continuing fondness for these beauties. He tracked

attention, yet he is not a narrator. He wants his sub-

down the rare and shockingly expensive cars all

jects to speak for themselves, to hold their own.

over Switzerland, and he took hundreds of photo-

Therefore, he never uses frames for his works on

graphs from all possible angles, in different light, al-

canvas: “I think they only confine the view and kill

ways focusing on unique parts and details. Under

the setting,” says the opinionated artist. About

the title “Golden Oldies” he then developed a one-

other aspects of his trade he is also quite outspoken:

of-a-kind series, an impressive and very personal

Paintings are there to be seen, to be looked at, he

portrait of a lifetime´s passion. With palette knife

says, they should not be bought just because they

and brush, he applied coats of translucent paint,

have a big name on them and then be locked away in

producing a monochrome, glazed effect. Close-ups

some dark vault. For his own paintings, he likes a

of the cars merge with the various backgrounds and

perceptive, alert audience, not just buyers, but

scenery to form a unity in shades of gold. For

people who enjoy what he has created and make

“Golden Oldies”, Beyer created ten different designs.

it part of their life.

Each original painting has been converted into a limited edition of ten prints, which are then reworked by the artist, thus making each a unique, valuable piece of art. (leo) herbert-beyer.com

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PEKING - PARIS About the ERA The Endurance Rally Association (ERA) kick-started the entire Historic Rally movement back in the 1980s, and since then has organized over 60 major events through more than 50 countries around the world. To stage an

ENDURANCE RALLY ASSOCIATION

DRIVING THE IMPOSSIBLE ROUTE

event like the Peking to Paris Motor Challenge is no easy task.

Mountains of paperwork to conquer, a myriad of tiny but vital details to keep track of, countless government departments, controlling authorities and shipping companies to deal with: a test of endurance in itself.

If you think classic and vintage cars should be

In 1997, on the 90th anniversary, the ERA staged the

treated as museum pieces, you might want to stop

first re-enactment of the historic event, the first

reading now. The contestants in the fifth Peking to

ever rally for classic and vintage cars to cross China.

Paris Motor Challenge are certainly not of this ilk.

They also cracked open the border between Tibet

They are going to drive their vehicles – the oldest a

and Nepal which had been closed for 40 years.

1917 La France Tourer Speedster and a 1924 Rolls

They drove on into India and Pakistan, and were the

Royce Silver Ghost – on dirt and gravel roads, through

first rally to cross Iran since the 1977 London to

Inner and Outer Mongolia, the Gobi Desert, Russia,

Sydney Marathon.

Ukraine; always well clear of the main routes, and no-one will make it to the finish line without at least

While the route is mostly authentic, it has been

a scratch.

adapted to better accommodate rally needs, especially to avoid what since 1907 have become major

Not a pleasure cruise, but a challenge indeed for cars

traffic arteries.

and crews – even today, more than a hundred years after this amazing feat took place for the first time.

The 2013 edition of this remarkable event will be

When Prince Borghese and four other contestants

the first to come through Switzerland. After an epic

shipped their cars to Peking in 1907, they were intent

journey of 14,000 kilometers, the fleet of cars will

on proving that the motor car could provide an in-

reach Gstaad on Thursday, June 27, 2013, en route

dependent means of travel. Rallying was still in its

to Paris. (kap)

infancy. In fact, the term “rally” was not yet in use for this specific kind of motor madness.

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pekingparis.com

HAPPINESS lies on the back of HORSES

If you find the expression “wellness oasis” used for

alpha male). Whether Voegeli was born on the back

horses, then you might possibly think of a horse

of a horse, he doesn’t say. You get to know the rest

farm belonging to some billionaire’s widow in Cali-

of his life pretty fast. He’s had a fairly eventful one

fornia, not of a riding school in Saanenland. But

for nearly 70 years, but one thing has remained

when you have seen the Gstaad-Saanen equestrian

constant: horses. His grandfather was a coachman

sports centre, then you’ll realise that “wellness

and horse trader near Interlaken, also his father;

oasis” is somehow appropriate. There’s a solarium

he started like them but then joined the cavalry,

for horses, a riding arena nearly as big as a football

later becoming the director of the National Horse

pitch (30 by 65 metres, and covered with sand that

Centre in Bern. These days, along his wife, he runs

would be too fine and bright for anything else –

riding schools in Unterseen and Gstaad and in addi-

such as a so-called “city beach” where young towns-

tion to this, he breeds Freiberger horses.

people spend their summer evenings). And the roughly 30 air-conditioned individual stalls are as

He took on the business nearly 10 years ago, when

clean as rooms in the nearby hotels.

the now clean and new-looking Gstaad-Saanen

equestrian sports centre was a crumbling old build-

Ernst Voegeli is in charge of the riding school and

ing. Renovation work started in 2010 and, since last

horse-boarding stable. “Fed. cert. riding instructor,

year, the building has been in pristine condition: the

manager” is what’s on his card. Even without the

rooms and flats for staff and Vogel’s deputy are as

card, you’d know: he looks just the way a riding

modern and well-kept as the stabling for the horses.

instructor should (straight posture, tight breeches, cowboy boots) and exudes managerial qualities (an

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A

As with most businesses of this kind, the most significant part of the income that covers costs comes from the owners of the 15 horses in livery. Fees from riding lessons are lower, but lessons are nevertheless important – anyone sitting on one of the six horses or two ponies belonging to the school, learns how to ride; then if bitten by the “horse bug”, shall we say, may later buy his or her own horse and allow him to have a good time chez Ernst Voegeli.

The topography of Saanenland is hard to beat when it comes to being suitable for riding – what can be nicer than to sit on a horse under the sun and gaze at the foothills of the Alps near Bern? Voegeli says that conditions will become slightly worse, however,

because the equestrian sports centre is almost exclu-

the centre is also a “wellness oasis” for two-legged

sively surrounded by country that is used and worked

creatures becomes evident after a ride in the direc-

on by farmers. And they don’t need any riders on

tion of Gstaad-Grund. Where over a beer one can

their meadows. In addition, fences, which are eve-

join Ernst Voegeli in the “Reiterstübli” pub, which

rywhere, make riding difficult. He’s right, of course.

incorporates the wooden walls of the old stables.

But those occasional riders who live, for example, in Zurich and are more used to riding on the outskirts of town might see this as high-level complaining.

And they can confirm the saying that the Voegelis use as their advertising slogan: “Happiness lies on the back of a horse.” To be precise: “Wellness oasis for two- and four-legged animals” is what is on the Gstaad-Saanen Equestrian Sports Centre home page. Why it’s a “wellness oasis” for four-legged creatures has been described here. And the fact that

reitschulevoegeli.ch Text: Mark van Huisseling Photography: Riding Schools Voegeli

Sleeping Beauty

A tale of another Palace

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The magnificent songwriter Cole Porter got right

than the saddest and most deserted library and that

to the heart of it when he wrote “Ev’ry time we say

is the now-closed Bar du Grill, where not too long

goodbye, I die a little”. When the Palace closes its

ago glasses clinked, ice cubes danced in the bour-

doors in mid-season, the spirit of the place is briefly

bon and, between the sounds of groovy live music,

extinguished – and rises later like a phoenix from

people chatted, mused and laughed in the lan-

the ashes.

guages of the world – and where lonely silence now rules. Or Gildo’s Ristorante, where we ate homemade ravioli and drank delicious Sassicaia. But the fine wine and the merry evening in this Italian res-

In his melancholic novel “The Unbearable Light-

taurant are now suddenly just a silent memory. And

ness of Being”, Milan Kundera wondered if there

even the concierge’s loge, where Andrea, the con-

were anything sadder than university libraries. I am

cierge since 1974, used to watch over the night-time

familiar with these deserted university libraries.

welfare of the guests, has been abandoned.

There really are more joyful places. There’s only one place in the world that is even more melancholic

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All the fragrances, the soul of the hotel, have wafted away like the cigars in the smoking lounge or the scent of flowers, the bouquet of the wine, yes, ­simply the aroma of life. When the Palace extinguishes its lights at the end of March, a sense of melancholy settles not just over the Grand Hotel but over all of Gstaad. At night, even the large floodlights fall silent, and the “Castello”, as I call it, is no longer illuminated. Gstaad becomes a totally normal mountain village.

There’s a time for living and a time for resting. The hotel needs this quiet time in order to gather strength for new life. When its doors close, the building is like a creature from a fairy-tale world

that slowly nods off and slumbers. It stiffens and,

ringing. Unmistakable harbingers of the coming

seen from the outside, becomes somewhat bleak

season. Bookings are noted so that the freshly-

and rigid. Curtains in the lounges and suites are

restored suites and the rotisserie can be brought

taken down. All the lamps, which had until just

back to life again. I sit down in the quiet peace of

recently been expending warm light, are packed in

the Lobby Bar for a while and listen: through the

paper, even the nostalgic lamps in the GreenGo

silence, I suddenly hear the familiar sound of clink-

nightclub. The kitchens are cold, cleaned and cov-

ing glasses and ice cubes dancing in bourbon.

ered with protective foil. But life does not disappear completely. A different life moves in. Instead of swing and jazz, construction noise fills the house with vibrations. The corridors smell of paint. The

palace.ch Text: Lukas Tonetto Photography: Valentina Suter

long, narrow carpets are rolled up and, in the passageways, the noise of paperhangers, painters and upholsterers hard at work can be heard. Meanwhile, in quiet offices, keyboards are rattling, phones are

71

A THOUSAND MILES OF DUST A man can do without short-lived trends, but not without his handmade American boots. They are essential. Timeless. A true eye-catcher.

Wolverine – if these shoes were a film … well, they wouldn’t actually be a film but a television series. “Rawhide”. 217 episodes, produced in the US between 1959 and 1966, dusty, dirty, raw. And in the thick of this Wild West adventure: the young Clint Eastwood. The series was last shown on German TV in the 1990s, under the title “ A Thousand Miles of Dust”, which brings us back to Wolverine and the magnificent footwear that can survive a thousand miles of dust, and whose premium collection bears a similar name: “The 1000 Mile Boot Collection”.

Men of action certainly wore Wolverine Boots in the past, whether conquering ladies’ hearts, battling against cattle rustlers, building the railway line – or even

72

strolling on the paved streets of our mod- supplied the leather for Wolverine boots ern cities. At any rate, the brand has been and shoes for more than a hundred years. around since 1883. This makes it, without The tanning process to produce the sodoubt, one of the oldest shoe brands in called “Genuine Shell Cordovan Leather” the world. takes six months. That’s quality for you – The successful company was founded and that’s only the beginning! Some modin Rockford, Michigan, by Gustav Adolf els go through a 300-step process before Krause, a German. One can imagine how the finished shoes are available. the third-generation shoemaker and masThe result is simple and beautiful at ter tanner, with his carefully-trimmed the same time, treasured by the working moustache and carefully-made boots, man as well as by the modern, sophistimarched along the Grand River of what cated dandy. So with this in mind: Keep was then a small town, making a power- walking on the wild side, cowboy. (ank) ful impression. It’s perfectly possible that Krause was, at some stage, accompa- wolverine.com nied by a business partner from Horween and Co. The latter is another American company with a long history, one that has

ALPINE STYLE IN GSTAAD Good service is priceless. So are Meindl`s classy, high quality creations.

Lorenz Bach and his team show what really matters.

Hardly any customer’s wish cannot be satisfied in the boutiques of Lorenz Bach.

One key reason for this is surely the diverse and unique assortment of goods that regular customers of many years’ standing can find here. Another is the care with which the enterprising owner selects different brands for his shops.

One may suspect that, in this regard, he thinks a bit like Lukas Meindl, the founder of the traditional Austrian brand.

In 1935, Lukas Meindl, a shoemaker in Kirchanschöring, sewed his first pair of leather trousers. At that time he probably didn’t have the idea of “branded goods” in mind. But then again, he probably did have a good feel for quality and tradition, and he made those trousers with the best deerskin using the best craftsmanship. In principle, to this day, this attitude and approach have never changed. The renowned label allows itself be completely guided by its many years of ex­perience, without, however, being old-fashioned or backward-looking.

With rustic charm, character and a love of tradition, handed-down tailoring skills are given a modern flair. So customers who focus on quality, who are looking

for something unique and who also want to gain a sensory pleasure from their purchases, are in the right place. Both at Lorenz Bach’s as well as at Meindl’s. At Bach’s, they maintain their connection with these values and respect for longstanding tradition. And at Meindl’s, they know that the human hand is superior to any machine. (leo)

meindl-fashion.de

73

Interview Andrea Kracht Hans Georg Hildebrandt met the affable hotelier in Zurich for a one-to-one conversation.

In 2009, the venerable Hotel Baur au Lac in Zurich celebrated its 165-year anniversary, making it one of the world’s oldest five-star hotels, still owned by the founding family, now in its sixth generation.

Andrea Kracht is not only the owner of the traditional 5-star hotel, but, since 2010, he has also been the Chairman of the Executive Committee of the Leading Hotels of the World.

74

Andrea Kracht, you’re the owner of the Baur au Lac

LHW has been in existence for quite a while now.

and chairman of The Leading Hotels of the World

When and how precisely did the organisation start?

(LHW). How should a hotel be set up so that it is

It was founded in 1928 in order to market “icon

able to belong to such an exclusive marketing or-

­hotels” in Europe and Egypt abroad, namely in the

ganization? LHW commissions an independent

USA. In 1971, the group comprised 100 hotels and

firm, Leading Quality Assurance, to inspect all ho-

­finally began to operate on a global basis. Today,

tels belonging to the organization at least once a

Leading Hotels is also a reservation system and

year. Young people who travel all year round, and

helps hotels with their PR, marketing and sales; it

who know all our guests’ requirements down to the

even does this with its own offices in major cities

last detail, visit the hotels.

around the world. The company has 340 employees, a turnover of $ 80 m and, in 2011, generated around

That doesn’t sound very complicated. Well, 850

1,200,000 overnight stays for the participating

criteria, focusing in particular on the delicate issue

­hotels. The members are all individual hotels char-

of service, are checked and you can also ask to be

acterized by a distinctive style. You cannot confuse

inspected several times a year, as we do.

a Leading Hotel with one belonging to a chain.

75

How do you actually pronounce the name of your

With your exhibition series “Art in the Park”, you

hotel? “Baur” isn’t a French name, but most people

have also called attention to yourself in the art world.

in Zurich pronounce it like that. There are no rules.

How did this new type of event come about? Years

German guests choose the German pronunciation,

ago – on a glorious summer’s day – my wife Gigi in-

but in Zurich many people really do go for the

terviewed the artist Fernando Botero on the terrace

French sound of the name. In Swiss German, people

of our garden. During the interview, it struck him

say “Buur au Lac”!

that one of his sensual ladies would fit very well into the garden of the hotel. This eventually led to the

Does the Baur au Lac have something typical of Zu-

concept of organizing annual sculpture exhibitions.

rich, despite its international nature? Despite the

The ninth show is being held this year.

long history of the building, we try to be modest.

And when my daughter, the seventh generation,

The cuisine at Baur au Lac is on the classic side.

takes over the running of the hotel one day, that’s

Will there ever be avant garde cuisine in your hotel?

the way it should stay. We have very close links to

Probably not. We set great store by the French tradi-

Zurich. The guest takes centre stage. We don’t

tion, which is why we generally hire chefs from

­accept any guest with a large entourage. Nor do we

French-speaking Switzerland, where the French

see here groups of congress guests with name tags

school is upheld. This doesn’t mean, however, that

on their lapels who will come to Zurich only once in

we don’t include some individual modern elements.

their lifetime. On the whole, one can say that typical Zurich characteristics such as understatement and

The Leading Hotels of the World organization com-

discretion continue to be honoured here. And that

petes with a lot of hotel groups that are similarly

is something that is still highly appreciated in this

aimed at wealthy travellers and aggressively adver-

town.

tise themselves. How do you distinguish yourself from your competitors in the age of online market-

Modern things such as flat screen TVs also embody

ing and bonus programmes? Leading Hotels also

a modern attitude towards life. How do you manage

has a loyalty programme. It’s called “Leaders Club”

to integrate seamlessly something like that into a

and you can buy a membership in it. In return, you

classic hotel such as the Baur au Lac? That really is

don’t get any points or miles, but the right to up-

a challenge for independent hotels like ours. We

grades, early check-in and late check-out as well as

comply with the requirement of constantly adjust-

breakfast, and a complimentary night after 5 stays.

ing the comfort of the bed and bathroom as well as

That seems to me to be a very persuasive offer, in

the usability of the lights and television to meet

keeping with our members’ style.

guests’ expectations. We try to endow the hotel with a certain timelessness, which is not marred by new objects. Incidentally, in the summer of 2013, interior designer Pierre-Yves Rochon will redesign

bauraulac.ch and lhw.com Text: Hans Georg Hildebrandt Photography: Gian Marco Castelberg

our hall, a true classic of Zurich.

77

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Š Copyright Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Limited 2012. The Rolls-Royce name and logo are registered trademarks.

TRUE STORIES

BY TAKI THEODORACOPULOS

WE WERE PLAYING POKER

Back in the late Fifties everyone who was anyone lived at the Palace. We had our tables reserved in the lobby and in the dining room, and later on at the Hi-Fi downstairs – now the world famous GreenGo. The English and French played gin rummy; Jimmy Goldsmith, John Zographos, the Goulandrises and I played backgammon. After a hard night of drinking and dancing, Zographos would take the Palace band across the courtyard and serenade a lady who later on married Baron Thyssen. Her family

Money and glamour are two different concepts, often

complained but to no avail. Ernst Scherz Sr. thought

confused in a society where success is primary. The

it funny.

two don’t always go hand-in-hand. Still, both are expressions of a human desire to escape the hum-

I made most of my lifelong friends in Gstaad, and

drum, and I discovered long ago that for me the best

now, fifty-four years later, I still enjoy going to the

escape lies in the Palace in Gstaad. I remember it as

lobby bar late at night and having a drink while

if it were yesterday. We were playing poker in the

bothering the young women coming up from the

lobby after a very glamorous party thrown by Coun-

Green-Go. I sometimes pose as a policeman and ask

tess Laura Camerana at the Grill. I was twenty years

them for identification. Gstaad has tripled in size

old and playing with people far richer than myself.

since those halcyon days, and friends like David

“How many ex-lovers do you have here tonight?”

Niven, William Buckley and Leonidas Goulandris

asked an Italian duchess to a female friend, a prin-

are gone, but the Palace will always remind me of

cess. “You mean at the grill or at this table?” I swal-

my youth and the incredibly glamorous ladies I

lowed hard and pretended not to hear. “Four, actu-

encountered at the Palace.

ally,” said the princess. “I counted five,” countered the duchess. I knew then and there the Palace was

takimag.com

the place for me.

79

PICHLER’S CLASSIC CARS The story of two brothers and their huge passion for beautiful cars

Can passion be transformed? In any event, the broth-

Ferrari collector of all time, Albert Obrist, was a

ers Erich and Othmar Pichler transformed theirs

frequent guest there. He was looking for a mechanic.

into metal and chrome. True witnesses of their pas-

And voilà, the rest is history.” And what was the

sion: classic cars. I could never have imagined what

story about the Mercedes 300 SL, the legendary

automotive treasures are held by Autohaus Pichler,

“Gullwing”? “Thanks to the racing version of this

with its Audi, Bentley, Bugatti, Mercedes-Benz and

car, it soon became a legend. At least, it definitely

Porsche dealerships. Treasures that make the petrol

was after it had won the Carrera Panamericana in

in your blood fizz. “Each of these vehicles,” says

Mexico in 1952, even though a vulture had crashed

Erich Pichler, who looks small next to the 1927

through the windscreen at 250 kmh, injuring the

Daimler-Benz with its triumphant star above the

co-pilot.” It’s an anecdote that Pichler can come up

head-high grill, “has its own story. For me, one of

with just like that. And another oddity that makes

the most exciting is the one relating to that car

this car so irresistible, a temptation that even the

there.” He points to a show-piece, or rather to the

dealer can hardly resist: “If I had an empty garage

car of the 20th century, the legendary Mercedes

and the wherewithal, this 300 SL would be worth

300 SL from the fifties with its characteristic gull-

sinning for.”

wing doors. Dolphin grey. Perfectly restored.

But the exhibition also offers treasures of another We stroll past a Ferrari 212 to the library and sit in

kind: Pichler pauses in front of a dark blue Fiat 500 C

the corner of the showroom. A quick look at the

Topolino from the fifties. Not a racing car. Not much

shelf – a treasure trove for collectors: a copy of “Mc-

shiny chrome. Nevertheless, an emotional item for

Queen’s Machines,” the great Jo Siffert tome, thirty

the two brothers whose parents emigrated from It-

complete years of the magazine “Motor Klassik”.

aly. This Italian classic, an unpretentious everyday vehicle, represents their roots. “This,” Pichler adds,

The foundation of their success story, their enthusiasm for all things automotive, was laid early in their

“is part of our history and our passion.” A passion for sheet metal and chrome.

lives. As a child, says Erich, whose South Tyrolean father was a car mechanic, he could see an ordinary double garage from his living room window, and this simple image triggered his dream of running his own business one day. The childhood dream became a reality. Driven by passion, supported by a happy coincidence : “ Our mother, also from the South Tyrol, served in a restaurant. The largest

82

pichlergfgag.ch Text: Lukas Tonetto Photography: Patrick Stumm

GRAFF – THE most Fabulous Diamonds

T The human fascination with the secret of 51.53ct and 50.76ct heart-shaped D a diamond’s lustre is as old as the crea- Flawless diamonds, set as earrings with tion of the human mind. In ancient tales round and pear shaped diamonds. the magic of the gemstone mesmerized audiences, and continues to do so to this The House of Graff is synonymous with day. Readers of Oscar Wilde’s “Picture of the most fabulous jewels in the world. Its Dorian Gray” are still captivated by the name symbolizes rarity, beauty, excelbeauty of its gemstone descriptions of lence and the best quality, craftsmanship the serpent with eyes of real jacinth and and diamonds. A diamond company exsnakes with collars of emeralds growing traordinaire, Graff produces polished diaon their back, of the diamond that ren- monds from rough stones that are dered a man invisible, and the agate of sourced from mines worldwide. Tens of India that made him eloquent. thousands of carats of rough diamonds are cut and polished by expert teams As legendary as the stones them­selves, around the world. From the perfectly cut certain diamond companies have reached diamond to the magnificent hand-fina status that is larger than life. Graff Dia- ished piece, each jewel is unique. monds has made history as a synonym for the proprietor of some of the world’s most legendary rare diamonds. Latest in this glittering roll-call are the Graff Sweethearts, a perfectly matching pair of

84

Graff has recently unveiled the Graff Sweethearts, a pair of D Flawless heart-shaped diamonds, the latest in an impressive timeline of rare and h ­ istorical stones.

And each diamond’s origin is carefully monitored: Graff takes exten­sive measures to ensure every one of its stones is sourced responsibly. The company is a strong supporter of the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme, a method of assuring the ethical origins of rough-cut diamonds established by the United ­N ations General Assembly. All in all, Graff is the ultimate destination for the finest diamonds in the world.

graffdiamonds.com Text: Mike Vogt Photography: Graff

86

FASHION

BY RALPH LAUREN

STYLE IS FOREVER Ralph Lauren got into fashion because he always loved wearing the preppy look – even at a time when that look was not at all popular. For many years now, Lauren’s polo player logo has identified a whole global community and lifestyle. The designer wants to make the world even prettier with his range of different collections for men and women, but wishes to remain as laid back as he possibly can.

He never follows trends, which is surely the reason why the brand is so successful. Ralph Lauren is an American interpretation of Europeans and their style, and he uses the best of both worlds.

Furthermore, Lauren shows people how to find their own new style in combination with timeless pieces. He is authentic and accomplishes the perfect interaction of the person and his products. His gentle nostalgia for a better world comes from a dream made of Hollywood movies and sports legends. In a typical American way, Lauren made a reality his idea of a world where strong and sovereign people achieve their dreams. “I know I have a signature. I know there’s a New England sensibility. I know there’s a cowboy sensibility. I think there’s a sports sensibility. They’re all mixed. But they all come from non-fashion. They all have an origin of being natural, timeless, real – comfortable sensibilities.” ralphlauren.com

88

Dear Friends Good to have you as our guests again.

Another year has gone by, and again there are interesting stories and exciting news about Gstaad and the Palace that we would like to share with you.

ents had frequently regretted that their children could not enjoy the spa’s great facilities, especially the large Jacuzzi. They will be happy to hear that the spa is now open to children and their parents on Wednesday and Sunday mornings.

At the Palace Last spring, we renovated and refurbished some of the junior suites. By now, all the corridors have undergone a makeover as well. Now they shine resplendent in their new look, complete with fireproof doors of the highest safety standard. The lobby, the hotel’s heart, has been under the care of interior designers and builders as well.

The old comfy armchairs were so popular that they had become quite worn, so there was nothing for it but to replace them. And, as Murphy’s law asserts: whenever you try to fix something, it will take longer and be more expensive than you anticipated. But in the end, the effort was well worth it. The lobby looks better than ever, and you can be comfortable again in Gstaad´s largest living-room.

Our summer alpine retreat, the rustic Walig Hut nestling 17 000 m above Gsteig, is more and more becoming the place to be for those who want to escape from our overly-connected world, or just to experience something different without eschewing the luxurious. Heidi’s shelter was built in 1786 for farmers bringing their cows out for summer pasture, and its original features have been tastefully restored.

Once again, our house came in second in Bilanz Magazine’s ranking of Best Holiday Hotels. Furthermore, our barman Andrea Buschini was voted Best Bar Manager in Switzerland. He caught the jury’s attention with his unique charm and his talent for remaining clear-headed in the most stressful times. He makes sure that even the largest crowd of our illustrious guests is being well and speedily taken care of.

At the spa we have added an extra room to offer our manicure and pedicure in greater comfort. During the winter season, the spa will close at 9 pm. In the past, par-

90

Have you tried our Fromagerie classic?

The delicious truffles champagne cheese fondue is the perfect finish for an active day on the piste. Don’t forget to make a reservation – Maître Massimo is looking forward to welcoming you!

In 2013, the Palace celebrates its 100th anniversary. Built in 1911 in chateau-style, the hotel has – since 1913 – been among the jet set’s favourite holiday destinations.

This special occasion is marked with a book that recounts the Palace’s fascinating history, with anecdotes, interesting stories, and rare photographs. Of course we will also be celebrating this anniversary – with all of you: with our friends and neighbours from Gstaad, our guests from all over the world, with everyone in the great Palace family.

Local news Gstaad is an ideal destination for winter sport, a paradise for bikers and hikers, an oasis for families as well as spa aficionados, the alpine capital of international topevents. To make this more widely known, especially in Switzerland itself, the Gstaad Saanenland tourism board raised its marketing budget by 50 %. With currently 60 % of Gstaad´s guests being Swiss, the core market must be developed further.

Also, new market segments in the luxury range are to be opened. China, India, Brazil and the Gulf States are up-and-coming markets. Collaborating with the local 5-star hotels, this effort will focus on the upscale guest segment.

Speaking of 5-star hotels: In December 2012 The Alpina will open its doors. It is located on the site of the old Alpina Hotel, which had been in business since 1907. After almost 4 years of construction, in its place a contemporary luxury hotel will start operations, offering 56 rooms and suites, as well as private apartments. Why not take a short, bracing walk from the Palace to take a look for yourself? The Alpina is well worth it.

The middle and lower price range hotel sector has seen additions as well. Right by the piste at the Rinderberg half-way station in Zweisimmen, the charming chalet-style Hamilton Lodge with its spectacular sun-terrace welcomes guests. Also, a former Palace employee and her husband have set up their own, pretty little hostel right by the Saanersloch valley station in Saanenmöser: Le Petit Relais offers ski in/ski out, a lovely terrace and organic cuisine.

Shopping A walk along the promenade is always interesting. This year, you will spot a couple of new shops: Louis Vuitton moves from the Park Hotel to the premises of the former fashion boutique Lörtscher-Graa, right next to the railway bridge. At the Park Hotel, a GucciBoutique will be opened.

Not only the Palace, but also the shoe shop Romang will celebrate its 100th anniversary in 2013. The company, run by the third generation of the Romang family, has built its new premises in record time and will continue to sell shoes there for all weathers.

Girard-Perregaux have given up their shop at the Promenade. Instead, the traditional fashion store Zwahlen-Hüni will move in.

Always a good spot for classic clothing and sportswear.

Some ideas The Heimatwerk Gstaad-Saanen is known for its range of creative artisanship in glass, ceramics, wood and other natural materials, sustainably made and of Swiss heirloom quality. Our tip: don’t miss the Soussol Gallery, with its magnificent display of silhouettes by four local artists.

Fancy a snow activity other than skiing?

Go for a sleigh ride! The sled run from Mount Wispile to Gsteig takes two hours and is perfect for keen and adventurous sledders. From the end of the sled run it’s only a few minutes’ walk to Gsteig, where you shouldn’t miss the wood-fired raclette at the Hotel-Restaurant Bären to warm you.

In the nearby Pays-d’Enhaut, the end of the alp season is marked with a special celebration: at the end of September, cows, goats and even pigs are elaborately decked out and then paraded through the village of Etivaz, to the sound of bells and alphorns: a unique spectacle.

At the beginning of August, the traditional cattle auction is held at the Gummberg near Gstaad. Cattle changes hands, but the auction is also an occasion to celebrate, and non-buyers are welcome, too.

Don’t miss out on this time-honoured event.

A moonlight sleigh-ride across the snowy mountain landscape will be the romantic highlight of your stay in Gstaad. Start right at the Palace’s doors, snug under toasty blankets, and explore Lake Lauenen or Turbachtal.

Dear Guests, whatever you do, enjoy it and enjoy your stay with us. We are happy to be of service.

Andrea Scherz

ONE CENTURY IN A BOTTLE

www.LOUIS-XIII.com

Apropos Cuisine

BY PETER WYSS

MY GO-TO Recipe

them in the oven. For the sauce, boil down 100 ml of good Merlot, reduce to 30 ml, add the veal jus and reduce to 200 ml. Add 100 g of finely chopped spring onions and finish with butter. Now for the fillet: season with salt and pepper and grill it to rare.

Serve on top of the polenta rings, garnished with the thyme, with crisp vegetables and mashed celeriac.

The sauce is served on the side. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 4 persons

Good heavens, how many times have I been asked

4 ×120 g Simmental beef fillet, grilled and with spices

for that certain recipe! It has to be simple, yet spe-

100 ml Merlot wine

cial. Ideally, it should bring a taste of Palace cuisine

300 ml veal jus

to the home. Now, dear guests, friends and gourmets,

100 g spring onion, chopped

I’m complying with this request and would like to

share a favorite of my home region: Simmental beef

500 ml vegetable or chicken bouillon

fillet with cèpe polenta.

50 g butter for finishing 25 g chopped onions

125 g yellow polenta

The polenta first: Boil the bouillon with the spices

and the finely chopped onions, then pour the gritty

4×30 g cèpes, cut in slices, sautéd

50 g Parmesan cheese

polenta into the boiling liquid and let it cook in the oven at 150°, covered up, for 45 minutes. Afterwards,

Salt, pepper and small laurel

add a little grated cheese and spread out the polenta,

thyme, mashed celeriac, mini carrots, broccoli flowerets

appr. 1.5 cm thick, and let it cool. Once cooled, cut

and olive oil, almond flakes

into circles of 4 cm, with a 4 cm hole in the middle.

Next, the cèpe ragout: Cut the cèpes into slices, sauté in olive oil, season to taste and add the herbs.

Fill the polenta rings with the ragout and reheat

93

HOTEL About the Region Geneva nestles prettily between the nearby peaks of the Alps and the green range of the Jura. The location of the European UN office and the headquarters of the International Red Cross – which coordinates its humanitarian missions from here, the city is also called “Capital of Peace.” Its landmark is the Jet d’eau.

The famous water fountain jets spurt up to 140 meters high. Geneva boasts a cosmopolitan flair, cultural variety and scenic environs.

BEAU RIVAGE

THE LEGENDARY HOTEL IN GENEVA

A privately owned luxury hotel is rarely found in

here. Sotheby’s used the dignified premises to auc-

Switzerland these days. The Beau Rivage, however,

tion the jewels of the Duchess of Windsor and the

is one of this rare kind. Founded in 1865 by Jean-

Baroness Rothschild. VIPs from around the world

Jacques Mayer, it is run today by the fourth genera-

have made it their home away from home: Vaclav

tion of the family, his great-grandson Jacques Mayer.

Havel, Emperor Akihito, Charles de Gaulle, Andrey

The French term “Beau Rivage” means “beautiful

Sakharov, Peter Gabriel, Tina Turner, Sting, Karl

shore”. An apt name indeed, as the venerable hotel

Lagerfeld, Roger Moore and many, many more.

is situated directly on the banks of Lake Geneva.

Their autographs in the guestbook prove that they were quite comfortable in Geneva´s most noble hotel.

Many distinguished guests have stayed here, and history was made within the hotel´s walls. For ex-

One is still comfortable at the Beau Rivage. The

ample, the foundation charter of the Republic of

owner sees to that with prudence and discretion. In

Czechoslovakia was signed here in 1918. On Sep-

this way, the legendary hotel will carry its famed

tember 10, 1898, Empress Elisabeth of Austria, the

hospitality well into the next generation. (leo)

much beloved Sissi, died in her room after the anarchist Luigi Lucheni attacked her on the quay. But there are other events to recount about the Beau Rivage: Phil Collins celebrated his third wedding

beau-rivage.ch

IMPRINT

Editor Gstaad Palace

Subscription One issue per year CHF 12.– including postage +41 (0)33 748 50 00 info@palace.ch

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Published Once per year – December

Printed by Neidhart + Schön AG Dorfstrasse 29 CH-8037 Zürich

Title Journal Gstaad Palace

Distribution Subscribers Surgeries Banks Beauty & Wellness Boutiques Chalets in Gstaad Specialist shops Hotel guests Partner network

Paper Planojet, white, offset matt Cover 300 gm2/content 140 gm2 Translations Astrid Freuler astridfreuler@tiscali.co.uk Editing Editing: Textpflege Proofreading: Louise Stein

Texts Hans Georg Hildebrandt Christina Hubbeling Mark van Huisseling Andrea Keller Leo Andrea Maffei Karin Prätorius Andrea Scherz Taki Theodoracopulos Konrad Tobler Lukas Tonetto Mike Vogt Peter Wyss Photos Gerard Brown Gian Marco Castelberg Rainer Eder Michel Jaussi Peter Knup Thomas Senf Hansruedi Spitznagel Patrick Stumm Valentina Suter Gstaad Tourismus Thomas Ulrich For some articles the publisher has made use of images provided by the respective companies.

Cover image Thomas Senf

The Palace in Gstaad opened its elegant doors in the winter of 1913. Since then a geat deal has happened in the fashionable resort, and the venerable hotel, with its long-serving employees and illustrious guests, can look back on exciting moments and an extremely moving past.

Every year, some of these stories can be read in this unusual and attractive publication, along with new, but no less exciting ones that are happening in the here and now. Plus stories that report on the breathtaking region and its indigenous people with their ancient traditions and mystic legends.

96

Our guest is not only king. He is sometimes also a spectator, a protagonist and a dear friend. And he wants to be royally entertained. Knowing this, we bring together everything that is beautiful and special and present it to you in a distinctive, majestic and unfailingly frank way. May the great joy we have experienced in observing, photographing and writing be yours when reading.

We wish you lots of fun and amusement!

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