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THE spirit of sharing Swiss-style is on the menu at the Mövenpick Hotel Bahrain, thanks to the arrival of its newly-appointed executive chef, Alfred Zuberbühler.
He is aiming to warm the cockles of diners throughout January and February with traditional snowy mountain fondue recipes from the Alps.
Forget about dipping marshmallows and slices of fruit in pouring hot chocolate, the Swiss do it with savoury flavours and melted cheese.
“The secret and success of fondue is the sharing spirit, this get-together and have a good time, it is perfect for the cold period as it has a warm feel,” said Chef Alfred, 40, after a cocktail reception to celebrate his arrival in the kingdom.
“Fondue has been eaten in Switzerland for hundreds of years, mostly by farmers and in the Alps. However, it became very popular in the 1950s when special utensils were made available on the market such as the famous caquelon (special pan) – after that it reached into, probably, every single kitchen in Switzerland.”
The traditional Swiss fondue is made out of different cheeses according to each diner’s preference.
“It can be mild or strong in taste,” explained Chef Alfred. “The cheese gets slowly melted and is then kept warm over a little fire.
“You eat it by dipping pieces of bread into it … but you must be careful, if you lose your bread in the cheese you traditionally have to buy a beverage for your table companion!”
As well as the classic Swiss Cheese Fondue featuring Gruyere and Vacherin melted in white wine, there are also ‘Fondue Bourguignonne’ offering tender beef fillet cubes, plunged into hot oil and served with Zucchini, eggplant and peppers, fries and various dips and condiments and ‘Fondue Chinoise’ with beef, veal, chicken and fish simmering in a broth-filled hot-pot right at the table.
“There are endless possibilities to enrich a fondue table, especially chinoise and bourguignonne – you can add all kinds of grilled vegetables, or fruits, chips, crackers … just anything you would like to enjoy in between,” Chef Alfred added.
Chef Alfred worked at the Mövenpick Ulysse Palace & Thalasso in Tunisia, Mövenpick Hotel Doha in Qatar and Mövenpick Resort & Spa El Gouna in Egypt for two years before joining Mövenpick Hotel Bahrain.
The Swiss-born chef started cooking when he was 15 for his parents and always aimed to become a professional chef. He also worked at the Badrutt’s Palace Hotel in Switzerland serving a host of visiting VIPs, celebrities, business leaders and leading politicians.
Alfred had some unique experiences in the Maldives, particularly when his hotel was hit by the December 2004 Tsunami and he had to finish his time there being evacuated. St Moritz provided him with something a little stressful, with the chance to participate in many gourmet festivals and meet the world’s best chefs.
Married to Sandra, the couple have two children – Jan Andri, 10, and Nadine, seven. The chef also likes to cook at home for his family and particularly enjoys conjuring up pasta dishes and Asian food. And, he is confident his fondue delights will prove popular in the Bahrain market every Saturday, Sunday, Tuesday and Friday night at the hotel’s Silks restaurant.
There is ‘no better way’ to make the cold days shorter than with a fondue on the table, says Chef Alfred.
