I know all too well what sacrifices, effort, and dedication it takes to be the best in the culinary world. As Executive Chef and Director of Food & Beverages in the Dominican Republic, I had the honor and pleasure to personally meet and cater to Henry Gault. Living near Lucerne, I am so happy to see this restaurant doing well, and congratulate and admire Ms. Meier for her talent and success.
The article below is from the Gaul-Millau Online Newsletter
Text: Anita Lehmeier I Fotos: Thomas Buchwalder, Adrian Ehrbar
WORKPLACE WITH A VIEW.
Actually, the KKL in Lucerne would have to be expanded by a third K. Because, in addition to art and concerts, culinary art is a powerful magnet for visitors far beyond the city of lights. Since Michèle Meier has been at the helm, star architect Jean Nouvel’s temple to the muses has mutated into a hotspot for gourmets. The native of Zurich, who grew up in Bern, applied for the managerial post at the beginning of 2019. In April she got started and in a short time brought the restaurant, which despite its prominent location and magnificent view, had led a shadowy existence for a long time, into the focus of fine dining fans. With the 2020 renovation, the dominant red floor disappeared, the “Red” appropriately became the “Lucide”, and Michèle Meier took off to the high: GaultMillau Chef of the Year 2021!
IN THE TOP LEAGUE.
Michèle Meier is new to the «Grandes Tables de Suisse», a fairly exclusive club for top chefs. “I felt very honored when President Guy Ravet offered me membership,” says Meier. She was very familiar with the traditional association through her former teacher Nik Gygax from the “Lion” in Thörigen. «Back then, the ‘Grandes Tables de Suisse’ were still publishing pretty little books, which I, as a founder, eagerly collected and still have today. Too bad they don’t exist anymore!” She owes her passion for cooking and craftsmanship to the legendary chef and equally choleric Nik Gygax. At her first apprenticeship, too much was worked with finished and semi-finished products, a loveless thing – not to Meier’s taste at all. But she really wanted to be a cook. Her career aspirations were clear to her early on when she was fascinated by the hustle and bustle in the kitchen of her godfather’s business – and caught fire. So she reported to Nik Gygax, was promptly accepted, and then went through his strict school. Back then, she would never have dared to dream of cooking in the same team as her great role model. In her kitchen, there is calm, harmony, and a collegial tone, after all the guests have a full view of the workplace. “We often get compliments on the atmosphere in our kitchen. The guests tell me that they like to watch us, »says Meier, not without pride. And vice versa, your team of four could also observe how the dishes are received by the guests. Meier thinks that such an open kitchen is a stroke of luck.
THE BIG EXCEPTION. With the GaultMillau title, the points (16), and the membership in the «Grandes Tables», not only fame and honor came for Meier, but also the guests. “We bridged the lockdown with taking away in the food truck in front of the KKL and with home deliveries. It wasn’t big business, more like occupational therapy. Now we are quite happy with the bookings, especially on weekends. And on New Year’s Eve we had a “full house”, says Meier – even if a full house only means 50 instead of the 70 seats that the “Lucide” had before Corona. So far, they have not had any staff failures due to quarantine, from which so many restaurateurs are currently suffering. The much-lamented shortage of skilled workers is also not a problem, according to Meier, and she was able to fill the vacancy of Chef de Rang as desired. She also found suppliers for high-quality products, the basis of her kitchen, without any great difficulty since she has been working in Lucerne, says Meier. Many have already supplied them in Cham in the “Blinker”, where Meier previously worked. “I’ve known Chälen Toni from the Geissaeheimet in Stans for a long time, as well as the fisherman Nils Hofer from Meggen. I was able to win the Chäs-Chäller and the Eigenbrötler. After I ate his bread at Nenad’s in the Bauernschänke in Zurich, I knew: I want that too!” After a meeting in the bakery, it worked out and since then the idiosyncratic Daniel Amrein has also been delivering his bread delicacies to the “Lucide”.
FULL GAS AHEAD! Michèle Meier is optimistic about the future. Hopefully, Corona will be over at some point. She and her team are ready to go full throttle. This also applies to Meier privately: in the spring she wants to take the motorbike test. She and her 750 Honda are ready. Any other plans? «Finally visit the ‹Magdalena› in Rickenbach near Schwyz! I’ve heard so many good things about Dominik Hartmann and his team.” And she finally wants to hang up the ‘Grande Tables de Suisse’ sign next to the GaultMillau one at the entrance. “I haven’t received it yet…”.
KKl Lucerne -Europlatz 1, CH-6002 Luzern
Tel: +41412267111
Michele.meier@kkl-luzern.ch
