Cooking at 1,500 mt: our snowy adventure in the Swiss Alps.

Hello food and mountains lovers,

This winter, I’m swapping city kitchens for snowy peaks as I start an exciting new winter chapter as a chalet chef in Verbier. It feels like a dream to wake up surrounded by the majestic Swiss Alps every morning. Honestly, some days I have to pinch myself to believe this is real, but than I opened the window and the cold air remind me that is real!

What makes this adventure even more special? I get to share it with my fiancée, Erica. She’s the chalet’s hostess, and her warmth and charm instantly make our guests feel right at home. We’re like a tag team: while she’s busy creating a cozy vibe and making sure everyone’s happy, I’m in the kitchen, creating meals to match the magic of our surroundings. It’s a pretty sweet setup, and let’s be honest, working together in this beautiful place just makes it even better.

Now, let’s talk about the kitchen. It’s tiny, minuscule, really…and cooking for up to 18 guests every day is no joke! Continenatal breakfast, freshly baked afternoon cakes, delicate canapés for pre-dinner aperitifs, and full three-course dinners all come out of this small but mighty space. It’s a bit like playing culinary Tetris: every pot, pan, and plate has to fit just right, but I’m learning to love the challenge. There’s something oddly satisfying about creating big flavors in a small space.

One of my personal goals for this season is to keep things fresh and exciting, even at high altitude. Verbier is a treasure trove of local ingredients: creamy Swiss cheeses, earthy mountain herbs, freshly baked bread, and even some locally cured meats. It’s all about finding inspiration in what’s around me and putting my own twist on it.

This isn’t just about ingredients, though. It’s about embracing a whole new way of cooking. Yeah, because cooking at high elevation it’s different! But I will tell you about it in the next article! And yes, there are moments when it feels overwhelming (did I mention the kitchen is tiny and the working hours endless?), but those moments are far outweighed by the excitement and the sheer fun of it all.

So, here’s to a winter full of flavor, laughter, and snowy memories. I’ll be sharing more updates, recipes, and stories along the way, so stay tuned. This adventure is just getting started, and I can’t wait to see where it takes us!