You don’t need any additional motivation to visit the Burgenstock Resort on Lake Lucerne. This is one of the world’s most spectacular hotels, combining the grandeur of a Bond villain’s lair with the aesthetics of an Alpine postcard. Merely reaching the place requires taking a catamaran across the lake and a funicular up the mountain. At the top you'll find a 10,000sqm spa and views to take the breath away. Sophia Loren and Audrey Hepburn were not only former guests but literal residents of the adjacent chalets – Hepburn was even married in the Burgenstock chapel.
However, any gourmand should time their stay to the Chefs United event the hotel hosts annually. This year was its fifth and the sixth already has a date set. The idea is simple: for one evening, some of Europe’s finest chefs descend – or should that be ascend – on Burgenstock to showcase their signature dishes. It’s basically the buffet dinner of your dreams and I was lucky enough to experience it.
Burgenstock Resort
The event took place in the Grand Ballroom, dripping with chandeliers, accessorised with white trees and other seasonal decorations. Step outside onto the terrace for a smoke and witness the distant lights of Lucerne glimmering across the vast silent shadow of the lake. So yeah, the surroundings are pretty special and we haven’t even got down to the scoffing.
And scoff you will. All around the ballroom are various food stations inhabited by the heavyweight chefs who’ve journeyed here at the invitation of Mike Werhle, the hotel’s culinary director. Each of them serve a single dish, happily small enough to ensure you could sample multiple offerings rather than be forced to choose. Moderation may be an admirable trait but sometimes gluttony is a virtue.
The chefs
Emmanuel Renaut, owner of three Michelin stars, offers kohlrabi as a risotto with black truffle. Next door you will find Ludovic Douteau, culinary director of Lausanne’s Royal Savoy, preparing bruised wild boar cheek ravioli. From the Royal Automobile Club of Pall Mall (woo!), Matthew Marshall serves up what he describes as “the best scallop you’ll ever eat” – they were swimming off Orkney a couple of days ago. The queue for his scallops, the largest at the event, suggests many people agree with him.
My absolute favourite was Alina Meissner-Bebrout and her poached trout fillet with sauerkraut and pickled cucumber. She won Michelin young chef of the year and already holds a star for the German restaurant bi:braud at the age of 24. Oh and also Maitre Fromager Rolf Beeler, resplendent in a red jumper, tirelessly slicing various cheese blocks with a blade that was basically a small guillotine. The man is nicknamed ‘the Pope of Cheese’ for good reason.
Poached trout fillet with sauerkraut and pickled cucumber
Orkney Scallop
All the food is prepared at the station: the ravioli is boiled and folded in front of you, hordes of swollen scallops sizzle in the pan, beef joints are cooked on miniature wood grills before being sliced and plated. (Warm work queuing for that one.) Sometimes this results in a bit of a wait but the preparation is part of the fun; I loved watching Christian Scharrer (Weissenhaus Resort, two stars) carefully construct his Baltic sole on the plate, layering garnish upon garnish with quiet intensity.
Once you’ve tried all the savoury stations – plus various canapés – the mind naturally wanders towards pudding. The body should likewise wander to the desert tables in the corner, a remarkable collection of chocolates and pastries, many of which were shaped like something Christmassy. (Rudolf, Santa, candles, a sled.) Most intoxicating (ahem) was the shooter created by Damián Carini, executive pastry chef of the Burgenstock. Named Fire and Ice, it combined iced passion fruit puree with a healthy dose of bourbon. You knocked it back in one and asked for another.
Canapés
The chocolates
As well as the chefs, there were two other VIPs of the evening. Firstly, the staff who somehow kept the room relatively shipshape despite dozens of small plates and empty glasses multiplying every moment like the brooms in Fantasia. Secondly, the Knight’s Club Band, an infuriatingly good-looking five-piece whose vivacious performances repeatedly got the room rocking, no small achievement when the room in question is 60% cheese by the time of your second set. (Everyone must pay homage to the Pope.)
The next Chef’s United event will take place in October 2025. Can't wait until then? Well with ten restaurants and bars spread across the resort, you can expect a decent scran any time of year. Not to mention the luxury bedrooms, countless amenities (indoor tennis, anyone?), bracing Alpine air and the spa experience of your dreams. Come for the food, stay for – well, everything else.
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6363 Obbürgen, Switzerland; Burgenstock Resort
