The Alps, guest territory

A paradise for European mountaineers before climbers succumbed to the delights of the Himalaya's peaks topping 8,000 metres, the Alps still retain the essence of an enclave far up in the mountains. This is thanks to their scenery and mountain summits capped by snow all year round - to date at least, and for as long as climate change permits - but also to their history and culture. Their customs, stews and their understanding of cuisine are also part of the "going off to the Alps" ritual. No ski outing worth its salt can fail to finish up with a "fondue", a "raclette" or a "reblonchonade"; nor are there any long-haul "GR" routes that are not graced with Grisons cured meats or do not include the gathering of wild mushrooms and fruit. 

On this occasion at Andorra Taste, however, we will delve even deeper into this region's cookery, and will do so from the perspective of haute cuisine rooted in a territory and committed to sustainability. Here we will be assisted by Sven Wassmer, chef at Memories*** (Bad Ragaz, Switzerland), the fourth Swiss restaurant to notch up three Michelin stars and a green star into the bargain. Wassmer's cuisine features local seasonal produce, and this has enabled him to establish close links with local farmers and producers, thereby cultivating a deep connection to the land. He will be joined by wife Amanda Wassmer, floor manager and sommelier, who has worked at Switzerland's foremost restaurants for over 15 years. She won Switzerland's Best Sommelier Award in 2017 and 2022. Amanda is now in charge of managing the beverage strategy of Grand Resort Bad Raga, and at the Memories restaurant she is the perfect complement to the recipes served up by husband Sven Wassmer, guided by passion and a sense of responsibility.

Alpine cuisine will also be showcased by Rebecca Clopath (Biohof Taratsch, Lohn, Switzerland), a chef who firmly believes that only if you know the history of all the ingredients you use for a recipe can you then work with them properly and get the very best out of them. It was for this reason that she learned how to run a farm, and for any items she cannot produce herself she places her trust in local biological producers. This chef chooses to use a cooking technique that preserves the genuine taste of food, and so she likes to hunt down rare lesser-known vegetables, or even take a walk in the forest in search of mosses, herbs or sap. 

Retrieval of territory and a return to his native country led Michele Lazzarini to give up a three-star outlet and concentrate on an agriculture tourism project in a tiny mountain village in Val Seriana, Lombardy, Italy. A 15-minute drive from Gandellino in the Bergamasque Alps, in the tiny village of Oltressenda Alta, four friends determined to retrieve the territory set up Contrada Briccone, an agricultural recovery tourism project which Michele Lazzarini joined to provide a high-mountain cuisine gastronomy experience. At this remote location, Lazzarini focuses on bringing back local cuisine, with minimum intervention on diners' plates and minimum impact on the surroundings.

And finally, French chef Clément Bouvier at Ursus* (Tignes, Val d’Isère) finds inspiration in the mountains and the forest, whilst singling out the richness of Savoie and the work of producers there. Clément has taken his passion for the forest to the restaurant and, because he cannot actually cook with nature around him, what he does is take his diners to nature, amid a forest of almost 400 trees on the restaurant floor, including the Ursus restaurant's 12 tables. In 2019 the restaurant won a Michelin star, and the French guide's Green Star in 2020 thanks to its commitment to sustainable gastronomy, particularly in view of its choice of local products and respect for seasonality.