Altitude Magazine N° 11.

86 gastronomy The aim was to keep the charm of this old building but to create a synergy with the lake, the lawn and the restaurant. It is a peaceful place with a view of the estate, which is rare. I must admit that I fell in love with this view. Since then, our team has done everything possible to make the restaurant live according to the seasons and respecting its environment. In winter, for example, we offer a transparent bubble that allows you to enjoy a warm meal under the snow, in a magical setting. In summer, we even go so far as to offer meals on the lake. The restaurant is a lively place that never stops reinventing itself. The terrace is the restaurant's main asset, but we have not stopped at there. We offer a take-away service for the beach area. If you go into the restaurant, you will realise that we have also renovated the whole kitchen. It is a beautiful setting for the cooks, continuing the connection of the restaurant with nature. We now offer a kitchen with a 100% vegetable charcoal oven, without gas or electricity. In addition to being environmentally friendly, it is also a real culinary asset, adding a slight barbecue flavour to our dishes. Tell us about your team. Who does it consist of? I have two right-hand men with whom I have worked for eight years and without whom the restaurant would not be what it is, my chef de cuisine and my chef de service. We created the Zéro Dix in Anzère together years ago. It is thanks to them that the concepts work. In my opinion, they are more important than I am in the success of our establishments. It is important to work together as a team. However, there are also other people who are essential to the smooth running of the establishment and important to me, such as my kitchen and dining room managers who stay in the restaurant all year round. Tell us about your kitchen. What are your inspirations for your menu? The mix between grandmotherly recipes and vegetarian/vegan meals is surprising. Why did you make this choice between tradition and modernity? Working with local products is part of the restaurant's DNA. We work with local, Valaisan and Swiss producers. This terroir is spiced up by a very international team in the kitchen. Moreover, the resort's clientele is also international, which allows us to offer more daring dishes. The team in the kitchen is extremely competent, which is why we love to do quality cuisine at brasserie level. I have the luxury of my cooks coming up with new ideas on a regular basis, which means we often have three vegetarian/vegan options on our menu. This is a plus for the restaurant as these types of dishes are in high demand internationally. Your cuisine is varied and offers international dishes such as paella. However, your menu also includes many local ingredients, such as Hérens beef and Lötschental perch fillet. Can you tell us about the importance for you of international cuisine and local consumption? How do you choose your products and suppliers? We respect local products but serve them in a different way. The restaurant has offered a Valaisan buffet for 40 years, we didn't want to break this tradition. With this in mind, we offer a revisited raclette (melted cheese dish), for example. All the products of a classic raclette are present but in espuma. It is a summer version, lighter than the traditional raclette. You find the same flavours in the mouth but in the form of a warm mousse. We play with the cuisine while respecting traditions. I choose my suppliers as close as possible. Some even come from the commune. However, this is not possible at all times of the year. The seasons are short, which is a real challenge for all restaurateurs. Take apricots for example, they are only produced here for a few weeks. That's why I buy directly from small local producers as well as from larger companies who also buy from small producers. It's a question of juggling the two and making