The fifth edition of the ceremony for the Mérite Culinaire Suisse (Swiss Culinary Merit) took place on March 11, 2024, at the Hotel Bellevue Palace in Bern. This national award recognizes excellence in Swiss gastronomy. In addition to the Mérite Culinaire d’Honneur for Chef Carlo Crisci, the jury selected five other chefs and three pâtissiers-confiseurs (pastry chefs and confectioners). Each received a special red scarf establishing them as part of this exclusive group, now comprised of 41 members.

A jury of 15 chefs and journalists from Switzerland’s different linguistic regions, organized by the Fondation pour la Promotion du Goût, picked this year’s laureates for Mérite Culinaire Suisse. This award has been presented annually since 2020. The winners are Swiss chefs that have a distinguished career, both actively working and those who have retired. For the past five years, Federal Councillor Guy Parmelin has announced each new round of laureates. Every year thus far, this event has taken place at the Hotel Bellevue Palace, the official guesthouse of the Swiss government.

Mérite Culinaire d’Honneur

Carlo Crisci – For 37 years, Chef Carlo Crisci managed Le Cerf restaurant in Cossonay (Vaud) with his wife Christine. President of the jury, Dario Ranza, described Crisci as a poet, when he presented him with the Mérite Culinaire d’Honneur. Since his departure from Le Cerf in 2019, Crisci has authored the popular vegetable cookbook, Sans Chichi: 70 coleurs de légumes.

Mérites Culinaires – Chefs

• Dominique Gauthier – FP Journe Le Restaurant in Genève (Genève).
• Peter Knogl – Cheval Blanc at the Grand Hotel Les Trois Rois in Basel (Basel-Stadt), which has earned three Michelin Stars.
• Nenad Mlinarevic – His restaurant portfolio includes Bauernschänke, Neue Taverne, Neumarkt and Brasserie Süd, all based in Zürich (Zürich).
• Marie Robert – Executive Chef at Café Suisse in Bex (Vaud).
• Fabrizio Zanetti – Executive Chef at the Suvretta House in St. Moritz (Graubünden) and culinary director of the St. Moritz Gourmet Festival.

Mérite Culinaire – Pastry Chefs and Confectioners

For the second time, Mérite Culinaire Suisse honored three pâtissiers-confiseurs (pastry chefs and confectioners):

• Séverin Gerber and Grégory Wyss – Gerber Wyss in Yverdon-les-Bains (Vaud).
• Thomas Schwarzenberger – Konditorei-Confiserie Schwarzenberger in Küssnacht am Rigi (Schwyz).

For more information:

Mérite Culinaire Suisse (Swiss Culinary Merit), Fondation pour la Promotion du Goût, Avenue Dapples 21, Case postale 99, 1001 Lausanne, +41 (0)21 601 58 03, concours@meriteculinaire.ch