The Bürgenstock Resort Lake Lucerne has welcomed Chef Marc Haeberlin of the legendary three-star Michelin restaurant L’ Auberge de L’Ill in Alsace as signature chef for its restaurant at the Palace Hotel, RitzCoffier by Marc Haeberlin.

The fourth generation of Michelin-starred chefs in his family, Haeberlin helms the award-winning L’Auberge de L’Ill and will be looking to share his creative talent and expertise with food lovers from around the world, none more so than the growing numbers of Middle East travellers to Switzerland.

According to figures from Switzerland Tourism, between January and November 2016, 327,551 GCC visitors generated 920,398 room nights in Switzerland with an average spend of $430 per day. Visitors from Saudi Arabia accounted for more than 50 per cent of GCC overnight stays, followed by the UAE. GCC visitors spend more per day in Switzerland than in any other region in the world.

Bruno H. Schöpfer, managing director of the Bürgenstock Selection, said: “An expanding multi-ethnic, young and affluent society, supplemented by a growing tourism sector continue to drive the GCC region’s appetite for food, with Dubai, in particular, quickly establishing itself as a world leader in gastronomy. Top chefs Gordon Ramsey, Gary Rhodes and Jason Atherton all have restaurants in Dubai.

“We have found many travellers to Switzerland from the Middle East enjoy a great appreciation for quality and international cuisine.”

L’ Auberge de L’Ill is an illustrious French icon dating back to 1878. The restaurant received its third Michelin star in 1967 and celebrates 50 years of three Michelin stars this year. Taught by his father at an early age, Chef Haeberlin trained under some of France’s most celebrated master chefs, including Paul Bocuse, René Lasserre and Gaston Lenôtre as well as Jean and Pierre Troisgros.

In announcing the collaboration with Chef Haeberlin, Schöpfer added: “Marc Haeberlin is recognised as one of the world’s finest chefs and after 50 years of creating memorable cuisine, he continues to innovate. Chef Haeberlin describes his style of cooking as ‘a cuisine of the region, using regional products and a lot of passion’. This is an appointment of creative quality.”

Interestingly, the RitzCoffier at Bürgenstock Resort’s Palace Hotel pays tribute to Auguste Escoffier and César Ritz. The world’s first celebrity chef and its first luxury hotelier, whom the restaurant is named after, met in Lucerne. Before going on to their triumphs at the Savoy in London and the Ritz in Paris, the two began their celebrated partnership at Lucerne’s Hotel National, where Ritz hired Escoffier to manage the kitchens in 1881. Both were well known innovators. Escoffier aimed to simplify the art of cooking by doing away with heavy sauces and elaborate presentation.

On entering the RitzCoffier, guests of the Palace Hotel will be immersed in the ambience of a 19th century kitchen. The original 18th century fireplace from the Grand Hotel at the Bürgenstock Resort takes centre stage. More than 100 copper pots – similar to those used by Escoffier and put to use by the resort’s chefs between 1873 and 1940 – hang from the walls which are also graced by blue and white tiles, while the oak floors feature an elegant herringbone parquet. Mr Schöpfer has even managed to salvage the antique wooden doors of the Grand Hotel’s original fridges and its 19th century oven.

Switzerland’s stunning luxury resort has also recruited Bertrand Charles as RitzCoffier’s chef de cuisine. He has worked as chef de cuisine under Michelin-starred chefs such as Jean Pierre Vigato of Apicius and Jean François Piège at the Hotel de Crillon. Charles has also directed the kitchens of luxury hotels in Morocco, Mauritius and the Philippines. - TradeArabia News Service