Martin Göschel

The chef is called Göschel – and so is his small fine-dining restaurant. At the "Martin Göschel", the boss, who holds the top spot in the Saanenland with 18 points, can showcase his talent and live out his ambitions. The four-course meal he serves to the "Alpina" guests at just six tables is actually an eight-course tasting menu. Before each course, there is a "morsel" to set the tone. The best combination comes with the lamb from the canton of Appenzell: first, pulled lamb made from braised shank meat with herbs. Then the lamb fillet, elaborately wrapped in pleasantly dry falafel batter. Served alongside are fresh peas, raw peas, and boiled peas. "I like the crunch, and it also fits the season," explains Göschel about his "pea mania." This lamb bite has great potential; we could easily imagine it as a standalone dish. Back to the start. A table full of amuse-bouches, presented beautifully! We like the airy soufflé fries the most. Components: tarragon, mild cream cheese, and caviar. The croquettes are also charming, prepared by Marcos Martin, the Spanish cook on the brigade. Then it gets luxurious: Wagyu carpaccio (rib eye) from the Götzental region in Lucerne, sliced paper-thin into squares. Green asparagus is included, along with a mini cannelloni filled with asparagus mousse, chervil, and small pieces of raw vegetables for texture. Very refreshing! The chef sources the fish of the day from an impressive aquaculture facility in Bremgarten: trout and char, red and white (!), wrapped in crispy phyllo pastry and served on a bed of herbs. Surprise number one: The saffron for the sauce is grown in Fläsch, Graubünden, not in Valais as is industry standard, but it is of good quality. Surprise number two: The accompanying mussels do not come from the sea, but from Lake Zurich! They are farmed, fingernail-sized, and prepared by the Göschel team like vongole clams. Quite a labor-intensive process. After the lamb comes dessert: rhubarb, blackberries, and sweet clover. "Sweet clover too sweet," we note, comforting ourselves with impressively delicate friandises from a treasure chest.

Chef Kugota loves the big ones. The tuna supplied to him by Bianchi for Gstaad can weigh up to 140 kilos. Chef "Tsu" picks up his sharp knife, dissects, carves, and portions the noble fish. This is part of the foundational training for ambitious chefs in Japan. We go after the best and most tender cut: Otoro. Out-of-this-world sushi! The same applies to the sushi rice. The chef slices off a piece of tuna and, based on its fat content, measures out the tiny amount of wasabi he mixes into the rice. Chef Tsutomu's station is the sushi counter. He leaves what comes out of the kitchen to his wife Yuku, who has previously worked for Nobu Matsuhisa. Mr. and Mrs. Kugota form a dream team that makes "Megu" at "The Alpina" likely Gstaad's hottest spot, operating with two seatings per evening even in summer. The pride of the house is the seven-course "Omakase" menu. But the à la carte menu is so tempting that this time we browse through it. We start with "Hassun", featuring a selection of Japanese appetizers; according to Kaiseki tradition, the plate for this must be exactly 24 centimeters long. A surprise for us non-Japanese: Chawanmushi (savory egg custard) is served refreshingly cold in summer, at the upscale "Alpina" topped with lobster medallions. In contrast, the salad was warm: "Chef's hot mixed salad" with sautéed vegetables over crisp leaves. An extra kick came from the umeboshi paste (salted plum) and the well-balanced "Megu" dressing. Then it was time for Kanzuri. The chili paste from Niigata Prefecture is produced through an elaborate fermentation process using togarashi, salt, rice koji, and yuzu. We paired the Kanzuri with an excellent yellowtail carpaccio (topped with sansho pepper) and, above all, with the crispy shrimp in impressively thin tempura batter. The sauce was spicy but not overpowering. An appetizer has been on the menu since "Megu" opened and remains highly popular: crispy green asparagus coated in "kaki no tane" (rice snack) crumbs and lemon. It looks shamelessly delicious and is perfect for diving right into. For the main course, flames shoot up: Kagoshima Wagyu from the river-stone grill, cooked Kuwayaki-style. The guest takes hold of the chopsticks and controls the cooking time for the sirloin and tenderloin themselves. A key part of the success is the Italian restaurant manager Andrea Piras, a founding figure, with a fascinating specialty: sake! He has visited numerous, sometimes hard-to-reach Japanese breweries and skillfully curates his rare selections to complement the "Megu" cuisine. Umami on the plate, umami in the glass.

The modern Brasserie Monti in the luxury hotel The Alpina is Gstaad's surprise hit of the season. Eighteen-point chef Martin Göschel steps back, preferring not to pamper and confuse his clientele in the new restaurant with bold combinations; instead, he cooks dishes that everyone knows and loves. This perfectly captures the spirit of the times. Guests are welcome to share starters if they wish: a massive "Big Burrata" arrives at the table, along with carne cruda (made from veal fillet) and vitello tonnato. A few dishes are outstanding, such as the classic shrimp cocktail. For this, Martin Göschel relies on noble, freshly cooked Black Tiger prawns, prepares the cocktail sauce fresh each time, and gives it a kick with a touch of chili; the classic starter is served in an elegant cocktail glass at room temperature, which suits the prawns perfectly. The foie gras is also excellent: the chef and his 35 (!) cooks (with the talented Martina Siegrist on the demanding saucier station) poach it at a low temperature. Its creaminess is captivating, and the use of port wine and Madeira makes itself quite noticeably felt. A cornerstone of the "Monti" concept: the "Meat Trolley"! An elegant meat cart is presented with justified pride: well-aged rib eye, beef fillet, double veal chop, tenderloin, and chateaubriand, primarily sourced from the cult-favorite "Buure Metzg" butcher shop in the village! The server dons white gloves, picks up a sharp knife and a digital scale, and slices exactly what the guest desires. The kitchen ensures the perfect level of doneness and the requested sauce: veal jus, béarnaise, albufera. Special requests for larger parties are fulfilled without complaint when ordered in advance. During our visit, two enormous filets mignon Wellington were sliced tableside, revealing their Instagram-worthy pastry patterns, and two plump, juicy geese (with crispy skin) were carved. As a father himself, Martin Göschel knows from personal experience what children enjoy. That is why the orecchia di elefante—a breaded giant veal schnitzel modeled after the Milanese version—also makes it onto the "Monti" menu. The fish offerings do not fall short either. The snow-white Saint Pierre with black truffle and very Italian-style risotto is excellent, and the bouillabaisse comes in a premium version that only a luxury hotel can afford. There are no intimidating rockfish swimming in the soup; instead, it features half a lobster, half a langoustine, scallops, turbot, sea bass, and sole. Naturally, the chef adds an extra kick here as well: saffron threads provide a powerful depth in the deep bowl. Rouille sauce and garlic bread are served alongside. A bit too much garlic all at once.