Geneva cook named Swiss chef of the year

Philippe Chevrier (right) is considered the country's best chef by the Gault-Millau guide Keystone

Geneva chef Philippe Chevrier has been named "cook of the year" by the Gault-Millau gastronomy guide. The 40-year-old earned 19 out of a possible 20 points for his work at the Domaine de Châteauvieux in Satigny.

Chevrier has been among Switzerland’s top-ranked chefs for the last four years, with a 19 rating each time. “He has managed to improve each year,” said Urs Heller, the editor-in-chief of the Gault-Millau, on Monday.

The guide’s editors believed it was high time to recognise the Geneva chef’s talent. “A cook cannot expect to do much better,” said Heller.

The Geneva-born cook learned his trade at the Beau-Rivage in his hometown, but he also spent time with the legendary Frédy Girardet in Crissier and Louis Outhier in France. He has worked at the Domaine de Châteauvieux for the last 12 years.

Chevrier faced stiff competition from other “19-point” chefs for the title. Bernard Ravet of Vufflens-le-Château, Gérard Rabaey of Montreux, Philippe Rochat of Crissier (all in canton Vaud), Roland Pierroz of Verbier, Horst Petermann of Küsnacht and André Jaeger of Schaffhausen complete the list of the country’s best cooks.

The best Swiss chef abroad is Florian Trento of the Peninsula in Hong Kong. The country’s best-rated wine waiter is Josef Pargfrieder of the Sternen restaurant in Walchwil, canton Zurich.

Gault-Millau’s preferred hotel is the Park Hotel in Weggis, canton Lucerne.

The guide’s inspectors visited 800 restaurants, of which 754 are listed in the 2002 guide. The Gault-Millau is, along with the Michelin, one of Europe’s most respected restaurant guides.

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