In the new editions of the GaultMillau and Michelin 2013 restaurant guides, issued within six weeks of each other this fall, the Lake Geneva Region comes out at the top of the Swiss ranking. For the first time, the three GaultMillau awards go to chefs from the region.
With three chefs from the Lake Geneva Region collecting the GaultMillau awards, the region retains its status as the culinary capital of Switzerland, with a record number of restaurants recognized by the GaultMillau gourmet guide. This year again, the region tops the Swiss list with 1,324 points for a total of 96 awarded restaurants. And for the first time ever, the culinary guide’s three prestigious awards were given to restaurants in the region.
David Tarnowski (Le Montagne, Chardonne) was voted “Achiever of the Year for Western Switzerland”, while Georges Lelièvre (L’Union, Arzier) won the title “Discovery of the Year for Western Switzerland”. Yet the most coveted award is the “Chef of the Year”, which went to Benoît Violier just six months after he took over the Hôtel de Ville in Crissier.
With 19 stars for 14 restaurants, Vaud is the region with the most gourmet awards per capita. This year, two restaurants have each received their first star: Julien Retler (Petit Manoir, Morges) and Lionel Rodriguez (Trois-Couronnes, Vevey). Benoît Violier’s Hôtel de Ville in Crissier will keep its third star despite the departure of Philippe Rochat and thus remains one of the top two restaurants in Switzerland.
Gastronomy has always been a major communication theme for the Lake Geneva Region Tourist Office. With its Lavaux wine-growing region listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and its exquisite gastronomy, the region is considered a “culinary paradise”.
Lake Geneva Region