Sven Wassmer had an inkling that this could be the year he was going to get that third MICHELIN star. At least that's what he told "GastroJournal" in August. We can now confirm that he was right to trust his gut feeling. As of today, 17 October, the restaurant Memories is officially "worth a special journey", making the 35-year-old chef and father of two one of the best chefs in the world.
Born in Fricktal, he gained experience under Andreas Caminada and Nenad Mlinarevic, among others, before becoming head chef at 7132 Silver in Vals, which was awarded two MICHELIN stars under his tutelage in 2017.
Since Memories opened in 2019, Sven Wassmer has been head chef of the Grand Resort Bad Ragaz's restaurant, which won two stars right off the bat in 2020.
The Alpine region is Sven Wassmer's treasure trove. His bold dishes are in touch with nature. His ultimate mission is to "inspire experts and connoisseurs alike".
And he really pulls it off. Having turned up on many occasions for test meals, our full-time inspectors have returned a clear verdict.
Our online editorial team had access to the meticulously written reports, in which each inspector describes their personal experience – one report was 2 344 words long! They have lasting memories of their meals here – as the name of the restaurant would suggest – and their enthusiasm is infectious.
“What a show – with absolutely no showmanship or gimmickry!”
The reports feature rave reviews of creations such as "Oona caviar / horseradish / chives", "Val Lumnezia Arctic char / burnt Alpine cream / fir oil", "Knöpfli (Swiss spaetzle) / toasted yeast / Périgord truffle", "Lake Maggiore wild pike-perch / lamb's lettuce / fermented mushrooms", "Retired suckler cow from the Hinterhof Metzgerei / white Lötschental potato" and "Mountain hay ice cream / frozen yoghurt / cassis / cherry blossom". You can opt for a seven- or 11-course set menu.
"I experienced something really great here today...!" enthuses one inspector. "What a show – with absolutely no showmanship or gimmickry! A test meal that proved to be an extremely impressive and masterful culinary performance. A kitchen team that has understood what matters in the absolute Champions League!" was the verdict of another inspector, who has been exploring the culinary world on behalf of the MICHELIN Guide for 26 years. "The dishes are robust, wonderfully balanced and clearly display the chef's signature style. Very accessible cuisine that one wishes one could enjoy more often!" wrote another.
"The quality of the ingredients is exceptional. In terms of flavour, a meal at Memories is absolutely spectacular. The dishes are pared down. Their strength lies in the fact that they have been stripped back to the essentials," writes one inspector.
Sven Wassmer himself also says, "the longer I cook, the more I leave out".
“The longer I cook, the more I leave out”
The restaurant, which has a completely open kitchen, is described by our team of inspectors as exuding a chic, casual elegance. The service team is "classy" and "excellent, perfectly coordinated, highly trained and just as relaxed and charming as the interior." The wine list is excellent and comprehensive, with several small "books" to help you keep track. The pairings for the individual dishes include some of the best wines from the Bündner Herrschaft region.
No doubt about it: we're going to make a reservation right away!
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Hero Image: © Grand Resort Bad Ragaz / Memories
