A love for the culinary arts has been a big part of Blancpain for over 30 years now with partnerships with world-famous chefs and roles as official timekeeper in several culinary contests. In 2020, Blancpain became the official sponsor of the famous Michelin Guide to promote their love for excellence, passion, and expertise.
Each year, the watchmaker and the Michelin Guide celebrate the world of Haute Cuisine at over 20 events around the world. WorldTempus was honoured to join them in Switzerland for the announcement of the Michelin Guide Swiss Awards at the Ecole hôtelière de Lausanne (EHL) Hospitality Business School. Blancpain also set up an elegant exhibition space for the occasion, designed in the aesthetic codes of a Blancpain boutique. Visitors could see some of the brand’s latest timepieces as well as talk to a watchmaker who was working on the assembly of a movement at his workbench.
Swiss stars
The Michelin Guide Stars are the Academy Awards of the gastronomy world and a recognition of the finest cuisine worldwide. Even though Switzerland is a small country, 138 stars were awarded to chefs and their restaurants across the country this year. Celebrating three stars were chefs from the restaurants: Memories in Bad Ragaz, Cheval Blanc by Peter Knogl in Basel, Restaurant de l’Hôtel de Ville in Crissier, and Schloss Schauenstein in Fürstenau.
Five new restaurants joined the prestigious list of two-star establishments, including The Japanese Restaurant in Andermatt, Mammertsberg in Freidorf, L’Atelier Robuchon in Geneva, La Table du Lausanne Palace in Lausanne, and La Table du Valrose in Rougemont. And 19 newcomers joined the one-star list. All the winners from the lakes to the mountains can be found in the Michelin Guide Switzerland 2023 – anyone looking for the finest dining suggestions, need look no further!
Young Chef Award
In addition to the awarding of the stars, Blancpain also joined the Michelin Guide in presenting the prestigious Young Chef Award, a prize that went to two chefs this year, 30-year-old twins and brothers Dominik Sato and Fabio Toffolon (Dominik took his wife’s name when they married). The duo are at the helm of The Japanese Restaurant and The Japanese by The Chedi at Gütsch, both located in The Chedi Andermatt Hotel. Although not of Japanese origin, their love for Asian cuisine knows no bounds.
Sharing a kitchen
Completing an emotional day of award-giving, five chefs then took over the kitchen of EHL to create a six-course menu served with Swiss wines for over 200 guests. Sven Wassmer (***), Stefan Heilemann (**), Cédric Bourassin (*), Julien Boutonnet and Marc Turcas served a refined menu, delighting the guests' taste buds with an array of culinary inspirations. They were assisted by the hospitality business school’s first-year students who were on hand in the kitchen and provided a first-rate table service throughout the evening.
At the end of the evening, all the students lined up in their white aprons to make a tunnel for the chefs to walk down to join the stage. Thunderous applause from the audience accompanied them, making it an evening to remember and one that underlines the excellence that unites the Michelin Guide and Blancpain.
