The Chef Who Warms the Alpine Chills

What drives a fair-weather-loving foodie to the snowy peaks of St. Moritz? A Michelin-star meal and a hunky, clever chef. Our Rome-based contributing editor Erica Firpo reports from the Swiss Alps.

ST. MORITZ, Switzerland – Schokoladenpretzel and vermicelles. Fladen and mailänderli and nusstorte. These are a few of my favorite things. Swiss pastries alone are the key to enduring our yearly settimana bianca, a ritual "white week" of early mornings, layered clothing, and snow.

I have to be honest: I don't believe in cold weather. I am not genetically nor environmentally inclined to head to a mountain at any time of the year. But I do so for love. Not because my husband Darius is an avid off-piste skier and we live in Rome, Italy (aka a train ride to anywhere!), but for love of a fork and knife.

Food, you say? Yes, I am an excellent eater, what Italians call the proverbial buona forchetta — a good fork. And I have come to the conclusion that I have no problem wearing extra layers if the gastronomical returns are, well, astronomical. For the past two years, I have been spending ski week in Switzerland — for pastry shops and Michelin stars.

The dining room at Cà d'Oro. Photo courtesy of Kempinski Grand Hotel des Bains.

We head to St. Moritz, a bizarre gastro-Blade Runner with everything from fondue to fine dining (and apparently — or so they tell me — skiing). While Darius skis with his merry band of off-duty instructors, I eat. My favorite place is Cà d'Oro, the one-Michelin-star restaurant at Kempinski Grand Hotel des Bains.

Kempinski is a super-modern renovation of a historic St. Moritz hotel. (Imagine the huge entrance hall. That's what it's like.) The design is simple, modern, muted, and high-quality, but not opulent or boutique-y. Everyone knows who you are, and they're all very friendly. I loved our room, which had a kitchen and a balcony. You can ski in and out and recover in the enormous spa. The pool has a two-story ceiling and the services are incredible. But let's get back to the food: I have never had a better hotel breakfast than the one I did here. It was the cornucopia of mornings.

Chef Schmidberger. Photo by Erica Firpo.

I don't know if my real St. Moritz gastro-epiphany happened when I met 32-year-old Matthias Schmidberger, the Macklemore-loving Cà d'Oro kitchen rock star who (besides being typically chef-cute) has an incredible instinct for food pairing and creativity. Or if I saw the light while playing flatware chess with Matthias' waitstaff whose utensil and beverage knowledge was complete grandmaster level. It was probably both. I have never been so happily surprised as when I meditated on my fork and placed that first bite of astice marino in my mouth. And the rest is history.

Cà d'Oro is a seasonal restaurant, open for the winter season, usually from the end of November until March. Matthias is in St. Moritz from September to April. He spends the off-season sourcing products and fine-tuning his menu; I spend it trying to figure out when I can get back to St. Moritz. When the heat turns on and Matthias is back in the kitchen, he has a work hard/play hard mentality. I asked him to tell me more about it.

Creativity at Ca d'Oro

We have to be ready the moment the hotel opens. My experiences are extremely valuable to guarantee a great quality from the beginning until the closing period. I take the summer to come up with new inspirations, but they have to fit into our concept, which means there will only be small changes to our menu. I love to play with amouse bouches, with the small pre-dessert, and with sweet delicacies.

Muottas Muragl. Photo courtesy of Romantik Hotel Muottas Muragl.

Best Way to Start My Day

I love Muottas Muragl, a gorgeous mountain with an astonishing view. I start with a good, strong black coffee and end with a fast sledge down.

Favorite Late-Night Bar

As a chef, it is a good idea to love the evening. My favorite spots are the Cà d'Oro kitchen (insert smile) and the usual places in St. Moritz: La Barraca, Stübli, Vivai, and, for special occasions, the King's Club.

Where to Ski

My favorite slope is Piz Nair, Corviglia.

Where to Go to Escape St. Moritz

There is a German saying: "the carrot which is hanging in front of you will be in your hands after every season." During the season, there is no need to escape. It is a wonderful place with a lot of opportunities for me to relax: biking, swimming, sitting in a piazza with ice cream, skiing in winter, hiking, and celebrating with my team.

FIND IT

Cà D'Oro
Via Mezdi 27
St. Moritz, Switzerland 7500
+41-81-838-30-81
info.stmoritz@kempinski.com