YOU HAVE TO BE A LITTLE CRAZY TO DO THIS…
ALE MORDASINI IS ON THE RISE AMONG THE SWISS CHEFS:
Two years ago he won the renowned Swiss cooking competition «The Golden Chef». Now he’s preparing for the Bocuse d’Or, a kind of Wimbledon for the industry. Ale Mordasini (30) tells how the life as a top chef really is.
He won the Swiss Indoors two years ago and is now training for the equivalent of Wimbledon. This is what Ale Mordasini’s plan looks like if you use your own words. In September he will represent Switzerland at the Bocuse d’Or, one of the most important cooking competitions in the world. Mordasini compares it to the following: «For a tennis player that would be like training for Wimbledon.» Two years ago he became the Golden Chef. This is one of the most important titles for chefs in Switzerland. «The largest and most prestigious competition,» as Mordasini calls it. So the Swiss Indoors champion ships, to stick with his tennis comparison.
Ale Mordasini in front of his workplace, the Relais & Château Hotel Krone Regensberg ZH
In the test kitchen for the Bocuse d’Or training kitchen with commis Manuel Hofer (left).
We started training in 2019, and then the lockdown hit in 2020
His main job is as the head chef at the Relais & Château Hotel Krone Regensberg in Aargau, kanton ZH. The step to become the head chef in a traditional restaurant took place in a phase that turned out to be challenging. He took office at the beginning of 2019, and then Corona hit almost exactly a year later and with it a time of uncertainty for the entire industry.
“We worked with, what we had….,” says Mordasini, looking back on the past year. Renovations for the new kitchen were planned and improvements initiated. However: between May and December 2020, the restaurants were open and under strict regulations. “I cannot complain, it went very well here as we were almost fully booked, he says.»
He would have preferred to work at the beginning of 2021, but – unlike most chefs – he can draw a positive aspect from the gastro lockdown: «I had more time to prepare a lot for the Bocuse d’Or finals. Conversely, this also means that the Aargauer will have more time for the Krone Regensberg in the next few months.
Mordasini cheering after winning the Golden Chef 2019 with his commis Patrick Güntert.
It’s like a sport for me, and its fun
Ale Mordasini likes competitions, and he likes the sporting comparison. «I’ve already enjoyed sports as a child, I was always a competitive type.» Now he no longer measures himself on the soccer field, but at the stove. His love of competition was confirmed by winning the 2019 Golden Chef finals in Bern’s Kursaal. “The feeling that fills you when your name is that of the winner: indescribable,” he recalls. He had prepared cod as a starter, and the main course was poulard with a truffle stew and poulard liver cream, with a potato ball and two vegetable garnishes. Everything was completely stress-free – despite the spectators, despite the cameras, despite the unusual environment with numerous show kitchens in the middle of the Kursaal. «My clerk and I had trained well and were able to deliver as planned.»
But there were highlights on the way to the final. “There were several laps, the field got smaller and smaller. I particularly remember the semi-final in the Glattzentrum on a Saturday between all the weekend shoppers. A unique backdrop. » Since that day, Mordasini has ranked competition success after competition success. After all, he also had to qualify for the Bocuse d’Or first. He made it in the European final in Estonia at the end of 2020.
In addition to the competitive nature of all these occasions, there is something else that fascinates Mordasini: «The tinkering.» When we talk to him on the video call, he’s just taking a half-hour break from it. He is in his own test kitchen. «The drive is to make something possible that seems impossible. Or that shouldn’t logically work. » Incidentally, Mordasini does not have a favorite creation: «I always enjoy doing something new.» In addition to perfect taste, the dish should also be well designed, clean and aesthetically pleasing.
The Art of Cooking
One can see in such discussions that Mordasini comes from a generation that follows a Ferran Adria or a René Redzepi. Cooking has always been considered an art. After all, it means: «The eye eats too.» But the generation of Ale Mordasini takes the term art even more literally. Once people spoke of “molecular cuisine”, a term that – to stick to chemical terms – has now evaporated. “What fascinates me about this type of cooking is that you are never finished. There are always more recipes and options. » Always more experiments.
But that’s not enough of modernity. When Mordasini talks about his competitions, when he looks back at the Golden Chef and at the Bocuse d’Or, he says: «It is important that we tell a good story.» As in many areas of life, it is about emotions, calculated surprises, the big bracket, and a narrative. To make this “story” a reality there are around twenty people in Mordasini’s Bocuse extended team – from the closest companion (a fellow chef), and of course the commis to a mental coach. They are all part of «family» that will get us to the goal.
His story, he already reveals that much, will be about heights and glaciers.
As the boss of his own restaurant, the work-life balance is important to Mordasini. Seven days a week – twelve hours in the kitchen!
A prejudice or at least a job description from yesterday, Mordasini thinks. «In Regensberg we are only open on four days – from Wednesday to Saturday only in the evening and on Sunday for breakfast.» You need time for yourself, especially if you want to and have to stay creative and be excellent at what you do.
The plate from the European finals of the Bocuse d’Or in 2020. In detail: Glazed quail filled with quail heart and liver, quail thigh with porcini mushrooms, celery balls with tarragon oil, gold-plated quail egg with herbs and mustard seeds, crispy croustade with potatoes and onions and celery cream with apple.
In the footsteps of Kofoed and Giovannini
Mordasini closely links competitive cooking combined with the day job in the restaurant kitchen. “There are recipes from competitions that have already made it onto our menu. And vice versa.» In addition, the competitions create a network in the industry. Just a look at the Bocuse d’Or winners› lists – it shows how exciting this network can be.
Winning in 1989, the Luxembourger Léa Linster, also became is famous in Germany as a TV chef. In 2011, Rasmus Kofoed, who runs the famous Michelin Geranium restaurant in Copenhagen, triumphed – and by the way, had already achieved second and third place before his golden victory.
Franck Giovannini, has so far been the only Swiss to win a medal with bronze. He, who runs the Hotel de Ville in Crissier VD, is one of the seven Swiss restaurants with 19 Gault Millau points. Ale Mordasini want’s to imitate him. Because: Giovannini was once a golden chef too.
At the finale in Bern’s Kursaal this year, they will be able to share their experiences and reminisce together. Because Giovannini is the jury president at the Golden Chef competitions and Mordasini is a member of the tasting jury. And maybe they will pass this sentence on from Mordasini to the finalists: «You have to be a little crazy to do something like that.» But where would we go – if nobody was a little crazy?
