The Japanese restaurant within Chedi Andermatt, run by Swiss twin brothers, has earned Michelin’s highest accolade.
Those of a certain vintage will remember when the gastronomic expectations of visitors to Alpine ski resorts didn’t stretch beyond fondue, raclette and other such very pleasant—but ultimately limited in scope—mountain fare. How things have changed. These days, the most discerning winter-sports enthusiasts are as likely to be discussing tasting menus and wine pairings as powder conditions and piste classifications. And nowhere is this transformation more apparent than in the Swiss mountain village of Andermatt.
The latest edition of the Michelin Guide Switzerland has awarded three stars to The Japanese Restaurant at The Chedi Andermatt, elevating the establishment into the highest echelon of international fine dining. The accolade, announced on 2 November at a ceremony in Andermatt itself, makes it only the fifth restaurant in Switzerland to hold Michelin’s ultimate distinction.
Perhaps most remarkably, the culinary masterminds behind this triumph are not Japanese, but Swiss twin brothers Dominik Sato and Fabio Toffolon. The 37-year-olds (pictured above), who took charge of the restaurant less than three years ago, have impressed Michelin’s famously exacting inspectors with their inventive interpretation of Japanese cuisine, carried out within an intimate space at a five-star luxury hotel whose striking architecture and Asian-inspired interiors have helped redefine hospitality in this once-sleepy mountain community.
The duo’s culinary philosophy is centred around “omakase”, the Japanese tradition of entrusting the dining experience to the chef, with carefully orchestrated dishes demonstrating precision, balance and a profound respect for ingredients. The restaurant also holds 18 GaultMillau points, further cementing its position at the zenith of the Alpine gastronomic scene.
Andermatt, nestled in the Urseren Valley in the canton of Uri, now boasts four Michelin-starred restaurants, collectively holding seven stars across all three Michelin categories. Alongside The Japanese Restaurant’s three stars, IGNIV by Andreas Caminada holds two, while Gütsch by Markus Neff and The Japanese at Gütsch each hold one. The latter, also operated by The Chedi Andermatt, occupies a spectacular mountainside location at 2,344 metres above sea level, offering Japanese-inspired cuisine accompanied by panoramic Alpine views.
Such a concentration of culinary distinction is remarkable for such a tiny mountain resort: Andermatt, now, can genuinely claim to be sharing gastronomic creds with the likes of St Moritz, Verbier, Gstaad, Aspen and Vail.
The Chedi Andermatt, meanwhile, also holds two Michelin Keys in recognition of its exceptional hospitality. Those aforementioned readers of a certain vintage may also remember another now obsolete reality: Andermatt being a destination purely for downhill-bladers. Click here for more information.
