It is 150 years since the first tourists came to the Engadine Valley, St Moritz, in Switzerland and in January 2014 some of the best chefs gathered at the famous Gourmet Festival to celebrate this jubilee.

Reto Mathis, Maître Rôtisseur, is not only a co-founder of the Gourmet Festival, he also owns a number of gastronomic establishments in this truly magical location some 2,500 metres above sea level. La Marmite, Europe’s highest altitude gourmet restaurant, has hosted international celebrities for more than 22 years.

Not content with the success of La Marmite, just one year ago Reto Mathis opened the quattro BAR at the ski slopes in Corviglia above St. Moritz and took over the legendary Cascade restaurant in St. Moritz-Village. His concept: enjoy what is healthy and makes you happy! But who is the person behind this extraordinary story?

Refined, trendy, down-to-earth, yet at the same time sexy - these are all attributes of Reto Mathis and his cuisine.

His philosophy? “Top-quality products coupled with innovative creations are of prime importance to me. The guest should feel that I am constantly drawing on new inspiration without forfeiting authenticity. Of course, impeccable service is also part of the gastronomic experience – for only when everything is perfect does the guest really feel welcome.”

In Reto Mathis’s kitchen, luxury is the order of the day.

Particularly well-known are his truffle and caviar specialities, which have earned him the nickname of ‘the craziest person on the mountain’. On a good day, he sells up to 120 bottles of finest champagne and 3.5 kg of caviar.

Caviar is a particular favourite, reflected in one of the specialities of the house - Carousel – a starter platter comprising home-made foie gras, salmon, truffles and, of course, caviar. His flame cakes topped with black truffles and his caviar on potato snow are also renowned far beyond the Swiss borders.

Reto Mathis’s culinary skills are, so to speak, in his blood.

In 1967, his father, leading Swiss gastronome Hartly Mathis, set up La Marmite as the first mountain restaurant for gourmets. Reto took over the restaurant in 1994 and since then has continually improved the already high standard of cuisine on offer.

Reto’s own training for the role included an apprenticeship as a chef at the Palace Hotel in Lucerne, under the watchful eye of Otto Schlegel and Anton Mosimann before graduating with a diploma from the Lausanne Hotel School followed by a stint at The Dorchester in London.

Often dubbed ‘The favourite chef of the St. Moritz jet set’, Reto Mathis is accustomed to welcoming to his restaurant distinguished guests from all corners of the globe, captains of industry and high-ranking politicians, but the chef himself has his feet planted firmly on the ground - albeit ground at high altitude.

“I treat every guest with equal respect; after all, 95 per cent of our guests are ordinary people,” he says.

Renata Cavegn, Chargée de Presse (Bailliage of Switzerland)

Photos: (c) Mathis Food Affairs