Andermatt Swiss Alps beckons again with sustainable culinary diversity on the mountain
On Saturday, July 3, the Andermatt Swiss Alps cableways will be resuming their operations, taking hikers and outdoor fans up the mountain. But the year-round destination also stands for first-class catering and warm hospitality – in the village as well as on the mountain. Gourmet fans in particular are sure to be excited, since on Saturday The Japanese by The Chedi Andermatt and Gütsch by Markus Neff – Switzerland’s two probably highest situated restaurants with one Michelin star and 14 Gault Millau points each – are opening their doors again, inviting guests to enjoy culinary pleasures with unmatched views. At Andermatt Swiss Alps, dining is always aligned with sustainability – in keeping with the spirit of the initiative Andermatt Responsible.
With over 1,890 hours of sunshine per year, the region around Andermatt Swiss Alps counts among the top 10 sunniest locations in Switzerland. As a year-round destination, Andermatt Swiss Alps welcomes mountain enthusiasts, outdoor fans, gourmands and homeowners – more precisely: Welcome home.
Gourmet pleasure at 2,300 metres
Using the Gütsch Express gondola, fans of fine dining can reach two renowned Swiss
restaurants:
The Japanese by The Chedi Andermatt
and
Gütsch by Markus Neff
. Starting
Saturday, July 3, these two gourmet restaurants are again beckoning with outstanding food
and an unforgettable view of the Gotthard, the Oberalp Pass and the Urseren Valley. At The
Japanese by the Chedi Andermatt, star chef Dietmar Sawyere will thrill diners with exquisite
Japanese dishes, while at Gütsch by Markus Neff, 2007 Swiss Cook of the Year Markus Neff
will perform magic for guests with clear, elegant compositions created with respect and love
for local products. Both restaurants were awarded a Michelin star in February 2021.
Culinary arts with the environment in mind: minimum transport routes and maximum inhouse
production
For the year-round destination, sustainable catering is especially important: “With our label KM Zero, our restaurants with the Mountain Food brand avoid all delivery routes wherever possible,” explains Stefan Kern, Chief Communication Officer of Andermatt Swiss Alps. For instance, the Andermatt Swiss Alps kitchens prepare fresh pasta and desserts every day for inhouse operations. Seven bakers at the village bakery produce fresh bread not only for Andermatt Swiss Alps operations but also for the entire valley. In order to avoid food waste, all remnants are composted or used for other purposes. For example, old bread is collected and processed to make new products, like breadcrumbs or croutons.
Commitment to prevent plastic litter in the countryside
In order to preserve the environment around Andermatt, steps are also taken to keep litter in the mountains to a minimum. In particular, plastic waste poses a great challenge in this respect. Plastic that is disposed of in nature after a hike will decompose into microparticles, which can make their way into the water cycle and from there, by the act of eating, into humans. “Our goal is to leave behind as little plastic litter as possible in the countryside,” says Kern. “For that reason, we do not offer beverages in PET bottles at the Mountain Food restaurants.” Also on the golf course, a fountain provides golfers with free water to fill up their bottles. All of these steps go hand in hand with the initiative Andermatt Responsible , which stands for climate-friendly, sustainable tourism in the Andermatt region, with the goal of facilitating tourism operations in a way that preserves resources.
Andermatt Swiss Alps AG
Andermatt Swiss Alps AG, with registered office in Andermatt, plans, builds, and develops the year-round destination of Andermatt. In 2009 Andermatt Reuss came into being, with apartment buildings, hotels, and chalets. The Andermatt Swiss Alps Group also owns Andermatt-Sedrun Sport AG with its cableways, the catering brand Mountain Food, the Swiss Snowsports School Andermatt, an 18-hole, par-72 championship golf course, and the Andermatt Concert Hall. With the hotels, the sports infrastructure, the wide range of events on offer, and the properties, Andermatt Swiss Alps is pursuing the vision of becoming the “prime Alpine destination”. In doing so, it is committed to an intact environment and a sustainable future that will enable coming generations to have an extraordinary home. During high season, the Andermatt Swiss Alps Group has more than 1,000 employees working at the locations in Altdorf, Andermatt and Sedrun.
