Getting to the heart of the Matter
afterwards) and Zum See, a constantly bustling spot nestled among a cluster of huts at the foot of the mountain. For friendly fine dining or a date night, Cervo Puro doesn’t disappoint – but if you’re keen to keep things cutting edge, save a spot for Aroleid Kollektive.
Opened in December – and perfectly placed for a late lunch right off the slopes, with world-class chef Marian Podola and Roberto Catra at the helm – the place is already making waves, with its exciting but beautifully simple twists on traditional ingredients (Roberto’s formative years cooking classical Japanese cuisine in Tokyo shine through).
Ordering a load of sharing platters is the way to go (the beetroot carpaccio and the swiss chard capuns took our votes as favourites).
It’s no surprise to learn that many people visit Zermatt purely for the gastronomy, never setting foot in a ski-hire shop. They tend to be loyal guests too, coming back for more time and time again. It’s easy to see why – after all, this is my third time.
My first encounter, a decade ago, was the quintessential Zermatt experience; ultra luxury. Top-end hospitality, sprawling Hollywood A list-worthy chalets and endless champagne.
The second time couldn’t have been more different, sleeping on the floor of the bare and basic chalet apartment of a friend doing a ski season – and third time around, I’m lucky enough to be sampling something completely new.
Lagom – the Scandinavian phrase-turned-lifestyle-trend, meaning ‘just enough’, or, ‘not too little, not too much’ – seemed a perfect fit for the latest venture from the team behind Bramble Ski and Haute Montagne (aka ‘super yachts in the snow’), who’ve been tailoring upmarket ski holidays in some of Europe’s plushest resorts since the mid-noughties.
With the current fast-growing focus on the importance of sustainability, Bramble has been taking steps towards making its model more ethical and planetfriendly – but, as co-founder Barry Cox explains, the time felt right to do something different, putting sustainability front and centre.
Barry admits that true sustainability within the luxury market – where all whims are catered for and expectations are high – can be tricky.
“Lagom has given us a platform to explore this,” he says, “and show how small choices can have positive