CULINARY MERITS

HEAD CHEFS

MARYLINE NOZAHIC

The GaultMillau crowned her Discovery of the Year in 2005, when she was working in Vugelles-la-Mothe, and later Chef of the Year in 2012, by then established in Cheseaux-Noréaz. The Guide Michelin awarded her its star in 2017 — and every year since. Today, however, Maryline Nozahic is receiving a very different distinction. One that speaks directly to a chef whose love for local products is deeply rooted. A chef whose talent in the kitchen is amplified by the attentive service of her husband Loïc, himself trained as a chef. Maryline and Loïc Nozahic: a couple who break the codes of the classic restaurant — and whose table is more than worth a visit.

www.latabledemary.ch

JULIA PFÄFFLI

At the Wirtschaft zum Löwen in Bangerten, Julia Pfäffli celebrates Swiss cuisine in its purest form. Rösti — and the real kind! Traditional Metzgete and game. Slow-braised dishes, Sunday roasts! The ingredients she works with come from the immediate surroundings: the neighbouring farm, her own garden, the village butcher, local hunting. Julia Pfäffli cooks with deep honesty and a strong sense of place — while holding herself to the highest standards of craftsmanship and quality. No wonder: at the Löwen, the head chef brings together her culinary roots with the skills gained during her years on the road. After completing her apprenticeship with the legendary Chrüter-Oski, she ventured out into the world of points and stars, worked alongside top chef André Jaeger, and cooked at the stoves in St. Moritz. In 2012, Julia Pfäffli returned home to Bangerten in the Bernese Midlands and took over her family’s inn in the fifth generation. Long since, she has left her personal mark on the establishment — while respectfully upholding what has always mattered at the Löwen: Swiss cuisine in its purest form.

www.loewen-bangerten.ch

DIDIER DE COURTEN

From the very start of his apprenticeship, Didier de Courten established himself as a champion of a cuisine that is refined, authentic and full of flavour. Refined, because at the age of 30 he earned two Michelin stars, and seven years later joined the elite circle of 19 points in the Gault & Millau. Authentic, because this devoted lover of Valais has always elevated the products of his region. And flavourful, finally, because his cuisine is precise and full of character. At the age of 54, after an intense career as both chef and owner, Didier de Courten stepped away from the stoves—but not from gastronomy. For the past four years, he has been managing nine high-altitude restaurants, including the Espace Weisshorn, a high-end and eco-responsible establishment, as well as six hotels belonging to the Société des Remontées Mécaniques de Grimentz-Zinal. In 2025, he launched Epicurialpe, a festival of Alpine flavours bringing together leading chefs and artisans of taste. This Mérite Culinaire Suisse honours the career of a talented, tenacious man, proudly rooted in his origins.

www.espaceweisshorn.ch

PETER SCHÄRER

Zurich’s Kronenhalle is an institution, renowned far beyond our national borders. For the exclusive art on its walls, for the timelessness of its atmosphere—but also for its cuisine. Guests do not come here seeking trendy surprises on the plate, but rather sliced veal fillet with rösti, the legendary chocolate mousse, or whatever the other Kronenhalle classics may be called. In the kitchen since 1991—now for a full 35 years—stands Peter Schärer, who has held the position of head chef since 2002. He is a pillar of the house’s success: Schärer leads a 33-strong kitchen brigade and keeps—most of the time, at least—a cool head. With both discipline and warmth, he trains apprentices year after year. And not least, he ensures that across the roughly 200 seats in the historic dining rooms, everything is—and remains—exactly as it should be. The Kronenhalle is an institution ; Peter Schärer most certainly is one too.

www.kronenhalle.com

CULINARY MERITS

CONFECTIONERY CHEFS

STEPHANIE MITTLER

Anyone in Switzerland in search of artful desserts inevitably ends up at the Restaurant Mammertsberg in Freidorf, Thurgau. There, since 2022, Stephanie Mittler has been creating imaginative desserts year in, year out (and as industrious as a little bee). Never sugary and heavy, they are instead fresh and light. For the Bavarian-born pastry chef, who also holds the position of sous-chef and bakes the bread, the creation of such a final chord in a multi-course menu almost always begins with the producer. For, very much in the Caminada tradition, she relies on regional and seasonal products. She draws a seasonal arc from garden-grown rhubarb and sorrel in spring, to Thurgau berries in summer, and on to the neighbour’s flavourful quinces in autumn. In other words: Stephanie Mittler sources virtually all her ingredients within a radius of no more than ten kilometres. And in winter? Is it any surprise that she then turns to products she preserved during the warm days of harvest? This is how terroir-driven cuisine works—consistently, right through to the final course.

www.mammertsberg.ch

CHRISTIAN BOILLAT

Christian Boillat was born in Porrentruy in 1971. It was, however, in the canton of Vaud that the young Jura native completed his apprenticeship. And not just anywhere: he trained at Maier in Morges, a highly respected establishment. Building on these solid foundations, the ambitious Christian wasted no time. In 1997, at the age of 27, he settled in Saint-Prex, where he founded his own company. Since then, he has continued to develop it without pause. Today, he stands at the head of a small empire of excellence in pastry, chocolate-making and baking, with around one hundred employees and six locations: alongside Saint-Prex, the confectioneries in Rolle, Signy, Morges, Crissier, Lausanne and Ouchy have been added over the years. His tea rooms have become a must for any self-respecting epicurean, and his catering service enjoys an outstanding reputation. It must be said that Christian Boillat has never compromised on product quality. He has also invested strongly in training in order to pass on his artisanal know-how. A rigour and perseverance in the pursuit of excellence that quite naturally earn him the Mérite Culinaire pâtissier.

www.confiserieboillat.ch

PAOLO LORASCHI

Master creator, Head of Production and Vice Director of Confiserie Al Porto, with locations in Locarno, Ascona, Bellinzona and Lugano. For more than 35 years, he has been active within the company, distinguishing himself through excellence in the creation, development and refinement of its products. Alongside this, he has consistently devoted significant and sustained commitment to professional training, also serving as a trainer for the WorldSkills, thereby making a decisive contribution to the promotion and growth of new generations within the profession. A leading figure in the world of competitions, he has carried his own name—and that of Swiss pastry-making—to levels of recognition far beyond national borders. His creations, crafted from the finest raw materials, are marked by their strong impact and by flavour pairings that are both harmonious and memorable. The jury of the Mérite congratulates Paolo and is honoured to present him with this Award.

www.alporto.ch