Schloss Schauenstein

Exceptional cuisine

The magnificent langoustine with lemons (from 2008) is still available upon special request. But it is pure nostalgia. At "Schauenstein", luxury is being redefined. Luxury is what grows in its own castle garden: nasturtium, which reminds one of wasabi with its pinpoint heat. Shiso leaves that taste of mint and anise, homegrown artichokes. Eggplants that suddenly take center stage on the menu and trigger waves of enthusiasm among guests. 800 different plants grow here. The castle garden is the most beautiful gift for Schauenstein's 20th anniversary. And a compass for Andreas Caminada's exciting cuisine. His most important partners on this green journey: Marcel Skibba, his reliable, curious head chef in the kitchen. And Jérôme Racine, the head gardener who keeps track of everything in the thrillingly wild park. "Vegetables, herbs, fruits, and flowers hold the greatest potential for our kitchen," says Andreas Caminada, immediately proving it. What the brigade needs is picked and cut in the garden immediately before service, or sourced through fermentation and candying in their own culinary cellar. Guests get the full dose, first at a fascinating amuse-bouche showcase in eleven (!) variations, then in the actual menu. The best starters: Croustade with roasted onions and mustard. Nori crisp with veal tartare and garden herbs. Stem celery in jalapeño broth with green pepper and unripe, still white strawberries. A grape leaf repurposed as a taco, filled with artichoke and tarragon. And then, just before the menu began, there was this lightly smoked and cured felche: Hans-Peter Gubser caught it in Lake Walen. A fabulous nut butter foam is poured over it. And the salted apricot on the plate? The guys picked it from the castle's exterior wall and fermented it over the winter. Umeboshi, Fürstenau-style. It doesn't stop with the felche. A Valais alpine zander with cucumber and herbs from the castle garden opens the actual menu. The robust fish is cured, flambéed, and sliced into thin portions; while the comparison to hamachi may seem bold, it is not inaccurate. Chefs Caminada and Skibba have also found an unusual, fascinating solution for the trout: dry-aging for up to ten days! Paired with meticulously presented favorite vegetables of the host: Swiss chard, radishes, Malabar spinach. And for extra umami, a miso hollandaise. Exciting is the main vegetable course of the evening: a peeled, lacquered, meaty BBQ eggplant, with finger limes, white currants, and mustard seeds for surprising acidity and heat. An alternative for guests with a slightly less green thumb and palate: a sous-vide cooked, butter-basted, pleasantly modest-sized Milke. The main course is delivered to the castle by Zurich-based "Artisan en Comestibles" Fredy von Escher: Sisteron lamb. Naturally, it features not only the noble loin but also the elegantly sliced, braised belly. And a fully bloomed nasturtium on top. Fits the friendly greeting on the menu: "From Fürstenau with love!". A dinner at the castle is a challenge. For the young chefs, but also for the guests: Andreas Caminada and Marcel Skibba transport foodies into their often still somewhat little-known world of herbs and flowers. All the more important are the explanations provided by the two dedicated restaurant managers, Patrizia Planer and Felix Kress. First-class is also the sommelier: Ticino native and career changer Luca Marzullo spares no effort, curates a different wine pairing for each table, and honors Switzerland's finest winemakers: Wegelin, Gantenbein, Donatsch, Tatasciore (new: Chardonnay!), Obrecht (Completer). He fearlessly also bets on a major unknown from his small hometown of Castel San Pietro in the Mendrisiotto region: "Mister Frenk", Cabernet Franc, micro-production.