Le Cerf

What might we expect from one of the great chefs of Switzerland? Deluxe timepieces, of course. This and much more is what personifies Carlo Crisci. An evolutionist chef in his classicism, distinguished by elegance, wisdom, precision and an enormous sense of professionalism. A refined, erudite, technical and stylistic chef whose dishes burst with identity, exceeding himself, little by little, in accordance with the times. Everything he does and proposes is studied and re-studied, tested and re-tested. Everyone’s feast is insured. And what a balanced, harmonious feast it is… admirably harmonious. Harmonious and surprising, astonishing in its unending knowledge. A stately cuisine with an evident personality noted in the constructive forms, the composition of flavors, the chromatic sensitivity and, of course, the pervasive good taste that abounds. This is elevated gastronomy called on to provoke marvel on behalf of all gourmets, regardless of their predilections and tendencies. It is beyond simple categorization of good and bad (something worth its weight in gold these days); it is transcendent.

His passion for wild herbs is obvious when the first hors d’oeuvres arrive, offering an assortment of five different kinds, beautifully arranged, supported by a multitude of sauces, accompaniments and dressings; pure, green nature expressed without extremism or extravagance. The reflective originality is also perceived in the arrangement of the elements in consonance with the tableware, with curious forms that visually echo the flavors. In other words, there are many reasons to be impressed, of all sorts.

Virtuosity comes as a guarantee here, and imagination is always calm and collected… merits that make it difficult to pick out single dishes. The laborious beef mille-feuille with Arnad pork fat is stellar with its magnificently arranged and balanced layers of loin and fat with tussilago, stuffed morel mushrooms, ratte potato puree, meat glace and garlic confit… one of the most intelligent and accomplished beef dishes we can remember. In a similar tone of reformation and historic perfection, the foie gras and vegetable stew, served in a sealed glass container to preserve the aromatic intensity of the ingredients and the cinnamon perfume it is infused with. Another marvel of architecture and flavor: mosaic of fresh cod and crab – triangles of practically raw fish filled with shellfish and covered with thin slices of leek, arranged vertically and horizontally – accompanied by a stunningly delicate woodsorrel sauce. The turtle (for its appearance) of Norway lobster, simply hot, wrapped in fine slices of green and white asparagus and strips of both colors, momentarily sautéed, with vegetable minestrone and vernal grass sauce is another admirable creation enjoyed by all the senses. The same can be said for the ivy-crusted red mullet with marrow matelote, and so many, many more that leave one simply saying: hats off to you, Sir.