The sixth 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. The jury awarded the Mérite Culinaire d’Honneur this year to Bernard Ravet and Lucien Moutarlier. Five other chefs and three pâtissiers-confiseurs (pastry chefs and confectioners) were also honored as Mérites Culinaires. Each received a special red scarf establishing them as part of this exclusive group, now comprised of 50 members.

Left: Chef Bernadette Lisibach with pastry chef and confectioner Martin Schnyder, Mérite Culinare 2025; Right: Chef Zineb “Zizi” Hattab, Mérite Culinaire 2025, and her partner, Marc.

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 with a distinguished career, both actively working and retired.

For the past six years, Swiss Federal Councilor Guy Parmelin has announced each new round of laureates. Since its inception, this event has taken place at the Hotel Bellevue Palace, the official guesthouse of the Swiss government.

Mérites Culinaires d’Honneur 2025

Bernard Ravet – Chef: He has been described as one of Switzerland’s “founding fathers” of Swiss gastronomy in French-speaking Switzerland. Bernard Ravet, with his wife Ruth, managed the highly-regarded Ermitage restaurant in Vufflens-le-Château.

Lucien Moutarlier – Pastry Chef and Confectioner: In 1985, Lucien Mourtarlier and his wife, Angela, opened their bakery, pastry and confectionary shop in Chexbres. Today, they have five locations and are joined by their three sons.

Mérites Culinaires 2025

Chefs

Zineb “Zizi” Hattab – This remarkable chef runs three plant-based restaurants in Zürich—Dar, Kle and Cor. Her restaurant Kle has earned a Michelin star. She has also penned an award-winning cookbook.

Paolo Casanova – Chef at the Stüva Colani in the village of Madulain, Paolo Casanova works closely with local producers. He has a passion for learning about local edible plants from the Engadine valley, where he now calls home.

Nicolas Darnaughuilhem – Since 2021, he has led the kitchen at La Pinte de Mossettes in Cerniat. This special location has a rich history, and Nicolas takes advantage of the fresh produce from his local gardener, Thomas Philippe, for a truly seasonal cuisine.

Franz Faeh – Executive Chef at the Gstaad Palace for the last 10 years, Franz Faeh grew up in the Bernese Oberland. After a number of years successfully working at Regent Hotel restaurants in Bangkok, Hong Kong and Jakarta, he has returned to his Swiss roots.

Pastry Chefs and Confectioners

Adrien and Guillaum Charlet – Boulangerie-Pâtisserie Charlet in Gryon opened over 30 years ago. Founded by Ghislaine and Didier Charlet, today their two sons, Adrien and Guillaume, are part of the business.

Martin Schnyder – In St. Gallen, Confiserie Roggwiller has a history spanning more than 150 years. Along with the bakery, Martin Schnyder and his family run a traditional tearoom. This is a well-known place to go in St. Gallen for biber.

For more information:

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