Makers & Shakers: Hotel Employees (Part II)

Fabrizio Zanetti is the executive chef at the Suvretta House, and a St. Moritz resident to boot. Having grown up in the local area, managed kitchens around the globe, he’s back home and tells us what’s so special about living and working in the valley.

Ciao, Fabrizio! How long have you worked at the Suvretta House now?
Hello! I’m now starting on my tenth season; I began in the summer of 2015.

Where were you before the Suvretta? Tell us about your journey to that role.
I’m the only St. Moritz-born executive chef there for many, many years. I started off by doing an apprenticeship at the Badrutt’s Palace Hotel, then I went to culinary school. After that, I worked at Baur Au Lac in Zurich, Castello del Sole in Ascona, and Hotel Restaurant Ermitage in Küsnacht. Then I worked for Gordon Ramsay in London before deciding to work in China for one and a half years. I have now been back in St. Moritz for ten years, back here, back home. I have my family, and my son goes to primary school, and my wife is working here.

When you were travelling around the world, what were the things that you missed about St. Moritz? What made you want to come back?
That’s a good question. St. Moritz is still very much my hometown, and while I always love to travel and it’s important to go away, I decided to stay because it's beautiful here throughout the year.

Tell us more about your role at the Suvretta House.
I’m the executive chef in charge of all of the kitchens. In the summer season, I'm in charge of 45 chefs, and in the winter, I’m in charge of 27 chefs. There is a lot to say about the Suvretta House because it's a unique hotel. You can’t compare it to any other, but my favourite thing is still to cook. There are many executive chefs, but they spend their time sitting in an office. I like to stay in the kitchen, to come up with new dishes and to be there every day.

What are your favourite things to do when you’re not cooking?
In the winter it's skiing with my son and my wife, and I love the cross-country aspect to the sport, too – Langlauf. After 40 years of being here, you would think I would know all the places, but there is always something new. Especially around May and June, it’s great to go to Pontresina and see the Steinböcke – the Ibex mountain goats. They live on top of the mountains, and when it gets warmer, they come down and start to eat the grass – a sight to behold. I also like to drive just over the border to the Italian town of Chiavenna, to have some great food and enjoy warmer days! It’s also great to be able to do some mountain biking, hiking, and foraging for mushrooms and herbs in the mountains! I love to do this…

Which places do you like to eat and drink at when you’re not in the Kitchen?
I am asked this quite often, and sometimes it’s the places you wouldn’t expect me to say, such as Peppino's in St. Moritz Bad, Bellavista in Surlej and the Piz Hotel – Riccardo’s does a good pizza there. I also like to go to Belmont for a drink, and Chamanna up in the mountains when I’m skiing for a snack.

What about if you’re putting a picnic together? Where would you get your snacks for that?
Well, of course I’d get what I need from the Suvretta House. We have our own bakery, so I’d be able to get my croissants, rolls, and bread all from here, along with all the freshest ingredients from the best kitchen in St. Moritz!

Alice Tantardini is the Front Office Manager at the Kulm Hotel. She grew up near Lake Como in Italy and had wanted to work in hospitality in St. Moritz since she was 18. It may have taken her a couple of years, but she looks very comfortable behind the front desk of this iconic hotel.

What was your journey to the Kulm Hotel in St. Moritz?
When I was 18, I travelled to Germany to pursue my education. I focused on hospitality and had the opportunity in a hotel in Berlin to experience different departments, and I decided on the reception. After two and a half years, I was employed in Berlin for the first six months, and then I moved directly to Switzerland. I used to work in Ticino, near Lake Maggiore, and then I worked at a hotel in Arosa. Then I decided to come back to St. Moritz, working on a yearly basis at the Kulm. The front office manager before me then decided to leave. The Kulm could not find someone immediately who could cover this position, so they decided to give me a try, and I’ve been here full-time since November 2021.

What do you enjoy most about living in St. Moritz?
What I really appreciate is the nature, and what I really like is that you can enjoy being outside in a place that has the atmosphere of a village. Of course, St. Moritz is seasonal so you have months where it's really full and you can really enjoy it a lot. But there is always a lot happening, many organized events, and sometimes I am in the middle of that, with the Kulm hosting events. It’s also interesting because even after an intense season, you can still really enjoy the calm and enjoy a lot of the nature around St. Moritz, as well as the village itself!

What do you do when you’re not working, when you have your downtime, or want to relax?
After a busy day, I would maybe go to one of my favourite bars, Pavarotti & Friends, and relax with a colleague and just let go of some stress for the day. Also, something I really like to do is actually just walking. What I am now trying to do is to go once a day around the lake, because it's around five and a half kilometres, so it’s really good for your body. And it's also one hour of the day where you can let go, and it helps a lot with your head! Then – and this is not something you could do every day – but to relax, I also love to go to Muottas Muragl for the view and to do the walks up there, and have a drink or bite to eat. I like to do these things, so I recommend them to guests who are looking for something special in the area. Then, when the weather warms up, I like to go and have a picnic and enjoy a walk and a swim over at Lej da Staz. It is so beautiful over there; the nature we have in the area is so unique.

Is there anything you still haven’t done around St. Moritz that is on your to-do list?
I would really like to go ice-bathing in the frozen Lake St. Moritz. A friend of mine did it and he said, “I know that you would like to try but you would never book it!” You need permission and some paperwork that says you can make a hole and take a dip because it can be risky, but it’s still at the top of my list!

Jeremy Degras is the Executive Chef at Badrutt`s Palace Hotel and, like many of the hotel chefs in the area, has studied under some legends of the culinary world and worked at several world-leading hotels.

How long have you worked at Badrutt`s Palace Hotel?
It's been two years now! I started in August 2022, and it’s been great so far. I’m in charge of supervising all of the Badrutt’s Palace restaurants and ensuring that the food we create for our guests reflects the high standard Badrutt’s Palace has come to be known for.

What's your favourite part about working there?
The variety of restaurants and the food we produce is a really satisfying aspect of it. To think that I’m part of the hotel’s heritage and sense of tradition, as well as a part of its future development makes me really happy. Also, I feel that my role is adding to something. The quality of the guests we welcome is a unique experience as well; everyone is always really happy to arrive here, and it makes working in the hotel really special.

When you're not working, what are your favourite activities to do in the area?
I love taking bicycle rides in the forests around the area. I usually start from Lej da Staz and ride towards Celerina, and then ride back to St. Moritz via Corviglia. During the summer and the autumn, it’s a real pleasure to ride this route. After seven years of living and working in Dubai, being surrounded by so much nature and beautiful scenery really is heaven.

What’s the most relaxing aspect about the area for you?
The most welcoming aspect is the St. Moritz locals, who make you feel comfortable, and I think that’s fundamental to make you feel relaxed in any place. Also, as I said, being surrounded by and immersing yourself in nature really helps bring the blood pressure down as well!

For people who have never visited St. Moritz, what are the things they should do?
During the winter, if you are passionate about skiing, then gear up with your equipment and enjoy all the slopes around here. All of them are really easy to access, with shuttle buses to the various lifts and runs. During January and February, the Snow Polo, the White Turf event, the ICE, and a lot of other family activities are available on the lake. If you come during the summer and autumn and you are a nature lover, then going hiking is a must! There are endless hiking trails, all with unique landscapes and small huts where you can have a picnic or a lunch break and pick up some great food. Whatever the season, though, you should just switch off your mobile phone to fully enjoy the peacefulness that St. Moritz has to offer during your time here.