Since Paulabayé moved to Grindelwald, the Alps have become an important part of his cooking. The French chef was originally from Ardennes, who moved to a Swiss mountain village two years ago Restaurant GlacierCabayé completely reimagines the food experience. The hotel has received Michelin keys since the arrival of Cabayé, and Grindelwald itself has become an impossible culinary destination, which is at the forefront of the ever-evolving restaurant site.
He told the observer that he told the observer: “I came here to make my special food and put nature on the plate.” The floor-to-ceiling windows offer panoramic views of Eiger, Grindelwald’s famous mountains and the sprawling meadows surrounding the town, currently covered in snow. “Sometimes, for me, it’s about the herbs I use. Sometimes, it’s the flavor. It depends on the season. I always want to be as local as possible, which means using something from Switzerland.”
Many of the ingredients used in the restaurant glacier come from Grindelwald or the nearby Alps. During the warm months, Cabayé forages such as wild maroon, Duranta and Salad Burnet. Milk and cream come from local dairy suppliers Egmirch Grindelwaldcan be seen from the dining room window. Grindelwald Honey appeared on the tasting menu and during breakfast, while I delivered two dishes at the nearby Thun’s mushroom culturer, Fungifuturi. Saffron comes from Mund, while various types of citrus come from Niels Rodin, Borex. Even the meat comes from a butcher in Geneva, which Cabayé thinks is “not very close” as it is a three-hour drive.
“It’s not just that I want to get things locally,” the chef admitted. “It’s important to take care of nature in the world. I do work with some big suppliers, but I want to work with local and small suppliers to help them grow and survive.”
One of Cabayé’s signatures was alpine salmon cultivated with glacial water, which he marinated in Alpinist Gin and paired with Roe, Red Cabbage and Red Crantant vinaigrette. The dish somehow evokes the evocation of the whole season, embracing the bright notes of Roe and balsamic vinegar, and the more comfortable earthy cabbage. The salmon itself slowly melts in your mouth, and this feeling comes from its specific texture.
“It’s like Norwegian salmon, not much fat,” Kabaye said. “Gin is also made with glacial water, so there’s a good story. Not every dish is like the Alps, but I’m trying to always put things from the hills on the plate. Maybe it’s [using wood] Smoking from trees or wild herbs is easier to obtain in spring and summer. ”
One of the changes in Cabayé’s hotels is to divide the restaurant in the lobby into two different spaces: the restaurant glacier and the more casual little glacier. The former offers only five to seven courses (and a whimsical little trolley that reaches the end of the meal). The latter is more like a tavern, although guests don’t need to book a table and the service is more laid back. Petit Glacier offers some essential Swiss favorites such as beef t and veal fries, as well as French variants like Perch Meunière and Chicken. Everything is cooked in the same kitchen by six chefs, which is a difficult act. “It’s complicated,” Kabaye admitted. “It’s a lot of pressure when we have restaurants, bistros and terraces.”
Despite this, working near the mountainous areas still allowed Cabayé to develop his foraging skills more fully. The 31-year-old chef first learned to forage wild herbs from the famous French chef Marc Veyrat from La Maison des Bois of Haute-Savoie, although he has been cooking since childhood. Cabayé has worked in restaurants since he was 14 and attended the culinary school in Champagne, France, when he was only 15 years old. After completing five years there, he had the opportunity to work with Veyrat and Franck Giovannini, such as the Del’Hôtel del’Hôtel de Ville de Ville Crissier in the restaurant. These experiences have brought great joy to the craftsmanship, even if it is challenging. He noted that he pointed out in Veyrat and Giovannini: “I already like it, but to be really passionate you need to find someone with passion.”
The technical accuracy learned by Cabayé is available in every dish. I had an egg dish on my tasting menu in February that showed a technique of skillfully wrapping egg yolks under leek lotion and kombu soup (kombu is one of the only ingredients that originated in Switzerland). The chef says he has been learning and looking for new ideas, usually from over 200 recipes he keeps at home. They span a wide variety of restaurants and concepts – and recently, he opened Thomas Keller French laundry recipes– Although only focusing on vegan food. “It’s important to know how to do this because diners have dietary considerations,” he said. “But French chefs, we love butter, it’s important.”
Chefs prefer classical methods. He would rather cook a small piece of a fish than try to spread the bag. Cooking meat and fish during service is his favorite job. He lined up every day: “I like to be too much in the kitchen to be a chef, not the one who makes it,” Kabaye said. “Maybe one day. But now, I want to master it because I like being with customers, teaming and cooking.”
After years of high pressure work, Michelin-starred kitchens, Cabayé found it easier to maintain his own well-being at Grindelwald. He often runs and takes advantage of nearby skiing, often hitting slopes before work. He remembers standing in the kitchen for most of his time from 6 or 7 a.m. until 11 p.m. when he found this new Swiss mountain lifestyle to be more suitable for him. Restaurant Glacier also closes for several weeks each spring, offering opportunities to learn about compression and travel. This approach allows Cabayé to relax and make sure he does not put the same pressure on his team.
“You can give anything [attitude] You want to be with your team and the chefs, but if they are a little scared of you, that’s awful. “He said. “This changes with the new generation. In the past, it was like, “If you’re not happy, there’s a door.” But it’s hard to find good people, so you can’t do that now. ”
Grindelwald is a small town with a rich pizza venue and a traditional Swiss restaurant serving hotpot. Although Switzerland itself has a large number of Michelin-starred restaurants, Grindelwald has never been called a cooking Mecca. However, over the past few years, chefs like Cabayé have brought a new spirit to scenic areas that attract skiers and summer hikers in the winter. Currently, Grindelwald has five restaurants in the Michelin Guide: Restaurant Glacier, 1910, a barbecue restaurant consisting of Hausers, Schmitte, Fiescherblick and BG’s BG’s BBG. Most of the chefs behind them are young, such as Cabayé, and are far less interested in showing the place than the mountains.
“Here, it’s not, I want to be better than you,” Kabaye explained. “It’s for yourself, that’s all. We’re working together to put Grindelwald on the map. Last year, we hosted the first one The best taste of Grindelwald In May, we will do this again this year. It’s really good because we all cook together. ”
This is not to say that Cabayé doesn’t like challenges. The chef has participated in many high-profile competitions throughout his career and won the Cuisinier d’Or in 2021. Next goal: His own Michelin star.
“To me, it’s the customer, but of course we have to do that,” Kabaye said. “It’s good for us if they come. But if not, then it’s more important for us to satisfy our customers.”
Cabayé’s precision and his native natural-style approach certainly seem worthy of Michelin. He knew it might take some time to get recognized, and all his experience in the Michelin-starred kitchen told him that if there were no stars, improvement might be needed. “Maybe it’s a Michelin star in the future, but we don’t have any pressure on that,” he said. “We can continue to make things better.”
