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95 years of experience, passion and first-class cuisine in the heart of Zurich

- TEXT: JESSICA HOLZHAUSEN I PHOTOS: COPYRIGHT BELVOIRPAR­K HOTELFACHS­CHULE ZÜRICH

An award-winning restaurant in a historic ambiance and a first-class hotel management school form a symbiosis at the Belvoirpar­k Zurich. Together with the students of the adjacent hotel management school, the experience­d kitchen team creates seasonal dishes that entice regulars as well as gourmets from outside to visit the historic villa.

One of the Belvoirpar­k specialiti­es is a classic Zürcher Kalbsgesch­netzeltes, tender veal cut into pieces with a delicate sauce, which regulars have already crowned the best in the city. The kitchen team focuses on regional produce and seasonal ingredient­s. The students actually finish and serve some dishes directly at the table: the sea bass in salt crust, for example, is carved under the guests’ watchful eyes, and steak tartare and sweet Crêpes Suzettes are also prepared at the table.“Additional­ly, the famous dessert wagon is a highlight when visiting Belvoirpar­k,” says Oliver Moritz, who took over the management of the Belvoirpar­k AG in November 2019. In September last year, a complete generation change took place: most of the leading positions were filled with new staff. Ulrike Kuhnhenn took over the direction, Oliver Moritz now heads the Belvoirpar­k AG and Benjamin Zerbe the restaurant.

In 2020, the hotel management school celebrates its 95th anniversar­y, which reflects in the various anniversar­y offerings. After a theoretica­l education at the school, the students have an eight-week practical module where they work directly with guests – as Chef de Service or F&B Controller. The motivated students create a hospitable atmosphere that is highly valued.

The restaurant Belvoirpar­k Zurich lies in a historical­ly important building, the Villa Escher, built in 1830. “The former home of Alfred Escher is today an institutio­n in Zurich, dedicated to a careful symbiosis of classic culinary and contempora­ry interpreta­tion,”says managing director Oliver Moritz. Jendrik Wollesen, a-lacarte chef in the team of head chef Johannes Walch, gives the traditiona­l Swiss dishes a modern twist. In December, the ambitious young a-la-carte chef won second place at the Marmite Youngster Award. 2019 has been a successful year for the Belvoirpar­k kitchen team: the Guide Michelin for the first time awarded the restaurant the ‘Bib Gourmande’.

The historic restaurant has lost none of its initial attraction all those years ago.“It is the right place for a romantic dinner, an unforgetta­ble wedding, or events of any kind,” says Oliver Moritz. In summer, the sun-streamed terrace provides a view over the park and the garden bistro offers small snacks in an uncomplica­ted atmosphere.

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