Grand Chef Franz Faeh (on the left in the photo above), Conseiller Culinaire of the Bailliage of Switzerland. has been delighting guests with culinary pleasures at the Gstaad Palace for nearly 10 years. His talent is renowned beyond Switzerland’s borders and this year he has been honoured twice for his dedication.

Franz Faeh's connection to the Gstaad Palace runs deep. Both his father and grandfather worked at the Grand Hotel and as a young boy, Franz would walk past the imposing building every day. So, it's no surprise that he completed his culinary apprenticeship at the Palace in 1978. Even back then, he knew: “One day, I’ll be the Chef here.”

His journey then took him across Asia, where he cooked for distinguished guests, including the Thai royal family. But nearly t10 years ago, it was time for the well-travelled Chef to return home - to the Palace, where his career had begun. This time as Culinary Director.

The hotel’s kitchen is open to both staff and guests. “We offer 140 dishes, but guests can eat whatever they want,” says the Gstaad native. Custom requests are also welcomed and prepared with the same freshness. Especially impressive is that no matter what is ordered, it is always freshly prepared.

A year full of awards
In March of this year, Franz Faeh was inducted into the ranks of the “Culinary Merits of Switzerland”. The honorary title was personally presented to him by Federal Councillor Guy Parmelin. This is far from the first award in the impressive career of the 64-year-old Franz, yet it is one that holds a special place in his heart: “I’m the first person from Gstaad and the first chef from the Saanenland to receive this award.”

The 15-member jury honours his vast knowledge, extraordinary skill and commitment to preserving Switzerland’s culinary heritage. The top chef proudly describes it as “the icing on the cake of my career.”

In the photo above, Federal Councillor Guy Parmelin is in the centre. On the right is Edgard Bovier who proposed Franz Faeh. They have been good friends for a long time given that Edgard is the former Michelin-starred Executive Chef of the Lausanne Palace, who, in 2020, chose to leave the Palace where he had been since 2004 to take over management of the Café du Cerf.

The next accolade followed soon after. In May of this year, the Grand Chef was named “Chef of the Year” by the Karl Wild & Andrin Willi Hotel Rating 2025/26. The two experienced hotel and gastronomy experts praised Franz Faeh’s exceptional talent and culinary excellence at the Gstaad Palace. And who knows - perhaps another award is just around the corner. It wouldn’t be a surprise.

Thomas Kuhn
Bailli Délégué
Member of the Conseils d’Administration and Magistral