Andermatt, 15 March 2023 – It’s a perfect match: Top chefs Dominik Sato and Fabio Toffolon take up the sceptre in the spring of 2023 in The Japanese Restaurant and The Japanese by The Chedi Andermatt. This is the first time these talented twins will run a restaurant together, and starting in May 2023 they will intrigue Swiss and international guests at The Chedi Andermatt with their culinary skills. The concept of the two fine dining restaurants with their authentic Japanese cuisine remains, and will be further perfected by these multiple award-winning chefs. Both Sato and Toffolon have worked in leading positions with the best chefs in Switzerland and Europe, and now they are combining their expertise as Executive Chefs in this five-star deluxe hotel, where they will raise the already outstanding cuisine to an even higher level. Sato and Toffolon not only represent the young generation, they also unite The Chedi philosophy of Alpine and Asian culture. www.thechediandermatt.com
Heiko Nieder, Peter Knogl, Rolf Fliegauf, Sergio Hermann, Christian Bau, André Jaeger – the list of their mentors is remarkable. For several years now Dominik Sato and Fabio Toffolon have ranked among the best cooks in Switzerland and received numerous awards (such as Cook of the Year at the Anuga), and have impressed gourmets and culinary experts with their Asiatic-inspired creations. Dominik Sato will continue to lead the fine-dining restaurant des Congress Hotel Seepark in Thun through April 2023, and Fabio Toffolon will remain chef de cuisine in the Bern restaurant Zum Äusseren Stand until the end of March. With their 33 years, the twins have already won 17 and 16 GaultMillau points respectively and one Michelin star each. As of May 2023 these Schaffhausen natives will join forces in The Chedi Andermatt as Executive Chefs of The Japanese Restaurant and The Japanese by The Chedi Andermatt on the Gütsch, at 2300 m the highest altitude Japanese restaurant in Switzerland.
Same concept, fresh breeze
“The twins Fabio Toffolon and Dominik Sato are ideal for our two Japanese gourmet restaurants. They impressed us not just with their Japanese dishes and their expertise, but also with their down-to-earth naturalness. It’s fascinating to see their closeness to their guests. This unusual combination perfectly matches The Chedi spirit, bringing together the highest quality and likeable casualness. Their culinary creativity and excellence are an ideal fit with the values we live every day in The Chedi Andermatt. The entire team is looking forward to welcoming the twins to Andermatt in the heart of Switzerland, and to seeing them delight our guests with their culinary artistry. We’re confident that with them we can lift our Japanese fine dining to an even higher level. Their engagement is another coup for us, that demonstrates our ongoing development and further supports our different to all strategy,” says Jean-Yves Blatt, General Manager of The Chedi Andermatt.
The concept of The Japanese Restaurant as well as The Japanese by The Chedi Andermatt remains unchanged. This five-star deluxe hotel will continue to offer experiences that transport diners into the world of first-class, authentic Japanese cuisine. Toffolon and Sato will interpret the dishes anew, further refine them and give them their own personal culinary note. Carsten Alexander Kypke remains responsible for The Restaurant with its four open studio kitchens. Since 2022 he has led this main restaurant of the hotel, which is decorated with 14 GaultMillau points, with success and passion.
One family, two top chefs, one passion
“We’ve shared a passion for cooking since we were teenagers. In The Chedi Andermatt we now have the opportunity to pursue our passion as a team. Previously we had only worked together for a short time in the former Fischerzunft in Schaffhausen.” says Dominik Sato. Fabio Toffolon adds, “Now we have a family operation, so to speak, and share a kitchen for the first time. We can hardly wait to get started on this new adventure.” The twins have developed a very fine sense for Japanese cuisine, and already incorporate Japanese elements into their dishes using the finest products.
