‘We don’t do copy and paste’

Situated between Switzerland’s Sierre and Crans Montana, the Le Rawyl restaurant impresses guests with ambitious, classically inspired cuisine in a homely ambiance and with magnificent views. Discover Germany, Austria & Switzerland met up with the talented chef and restaurant owner, Bert De Rycker, to find out more.

Do you like traditional culinary delights with a modern twist? If so, it may be time to head to the Le Rawyl in Crans Montana. Here, chef de cuisine Bert De Rycker and his team prepare modern-traditional cuisine with a twist.“It’s very important for me to have my own identity and my own style of cooking. We don’t do copy and paste. That’s why I always try to find new taste and texture combinations,” De Rycker explains, and adds:“I want to break the rules and rethink classic dishes. That’s why I always keep telling my staff that one of the world’s most dangerous sentences is ‘but we have always done it this way’.”

This unconventional approach can be seen in excerpts from the restaurant’s changing menu: how about salted and slow-cooked pig’s neck, served with large Carabineros prawns, carrot confit and ginger, or smoked eel with caramelised goose liver, sauerkraut and fennel seeds? When going for a meal at Le Rawyl, guests can be sure to experience out-of-the-world taste sensations with a special twist, as the restaurant certainly isn’t your average gastronomic establishment. “I try to work with ingredients that I find locally or in the region. Other restaurants try to cook luxury products to perfection – which is great, but my philosophy is to prepare a dish from simple ingredients and to make it spectacular,”says De Rycker.

An own identity

While the food is gorgeous at Le Rawyl, the restaurant is well worth a visit in itself as it has its own identity. While guests can look forward to a cosy, homely atmosphere and great service, De Rycker has come up with