Culinarium Alpinum

"Brutally regional"

Culinarium Alpinum is reinventing regional cuisine: in keeping with the motto “brutally regional”, the restaurant only puts products on the menu that they can purchase directly from agricultural producers. There is therefore no intermediary. Convenience food and heavily processed foods are strictly avoided. This means a dynamic menu selection. They only offer what is available. The result: there is no food waste because everything is used up and the menu is adapted to the circumstances. In terms of gourmet food, the Alpine region has a great deal to offer. It is important to recognise this gastronomic tradition and benefit from it. The KEDA Foundation (the name stands for the culinary heritage of the Alps) runs the “Essbare Landschaft” (edible landscape) gardens based at the former monastery. It shares knowledge on the topic, striving to bring about a recognition process that honours this culinary heritage of the Alps as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. As tenants on behalf of the KEDA Foundation, the company Gastgeber Team Peter Durrer AG implements the concept and brings it to the table in the restaurant.

Plastic is purposely avoided at Culinarium Alpinum

Drinking water for guests is served from glass bottles filled from a dispensing unit. Whenever possible, they do not use PET containers when it comes to other drinks, but instead order juices in ten-litre bags-in-boxes. This approach is also applied to the hotel rooms. No disposable items are used, and large soap dispensers have been in place since the opening around three years ago. Guests staying overnight can obtain blocks of soap from a central soap station if required. Instead of throwing them away afterwards, they can take these with them in a bag. Care was taken to select only Swiss wood and Swiss products in the modern, high-quality rooms with their minimalist design.

Although the old Capuchin monastery was renovated a few years ago, it is still a historic building that has not been updated in terms of energy efficiency, and is poorly insulated. It is heated using wood chip heating, and only where really necessary. This means that if a room is not being used, it will not be heated. Therefore, energy is not consumed unnecessarily. 

Around 24 full-time positions are currently divided between 38 people working at Culinarium Alpinum. There are also four apprentices. The age range is between 16 and 67 years. Opportunities also exist for refugees: efforts are being made to support them in preparing for the job market, with language courses and other integration measures. Employees are always given options for further training at all levels.