A SWISS CHEF'S CAREER: THE GOOD, THE BAD, THE YUMMY (8)

Chapter 8

Famous Chateau Chillon at the
lake Geneva in Montreux

                            Before I go further I would like to share a very dear story related to my career what happened October 1966. I was approached by Mr. Gachet (My ex masterchef from my apprenticeship) to join him to work, organize and serve a gala dinner for 150 people in the grand hall of the  Chateau Chillon. It was for a marriage between two wineries. At that time I worked at the Kursaal Bern. I took for that weekend off, asked my friend Heinz to join me and we left for Montreux.

                                 It was exiting for us to work in this historic building where 1,000's of tourists visit every year. We had a of work to do, but we didn't mind. The party was medieval themed  and all guest came in costumes, it was amazing.
                                 We served them to start a half Lobster tail Thermidor, followed by a clair Turtle soup. (they were not a protected species then) after this of course followed a small version of the montricher salade. During all this time we had 8 lb piglets on spits rotating in the fire place in fact there been in there exactly 6 hours when it was time to get them off. We had fanfares playing when 8 of us picked up the spits with the roasted pigs and traveled all around the dining hall for every one to see to bring them  back to the kitchen. It was not that easy, we had to hold drip trays below to avoid making a mess.  It was a unique experience I will never forget, standing ovation, goosebumps ect, ect. We served the Pig with Dauphin potatoes and green beans. We also had to whole out 150 medium size Pineapple, and filled them with chopped strawberry and pineapple mixed with white wine sabayon made with their personal wine St Saphorin. Beside a good professional experience, outstanding satisfaction and being proud to having accomplished a task with great success, we got well payed to.

The grand hall with a fully functional fireplace-rotisserie to the right!

same place when it was set up

Small Lobster Thermidor appetizer

Montricher salade

Claire Turtle soup

Small Pig an a spit, we had 8,  2 at each spit.

I just had to bring this up before I now go back to my regular continuation of what happened next in my career

                         I arrived 1 week before the hotel opened the doors for the 1969 season. Executive Chef Kurt Hartman seem to be very happy that my effort during the winter to recruit Pastry chef Xaver Odermat and Gardmanger Rudy Egli where successful and with my friend Heinz and other employees from the year before I think Kurt had his best Kitchen brigade in the Lodore hotel ever. What made it really so much more special in my mind was the addition of Xaver. Even I was a certified pastry chef, the production of hotel pastry and dessert are well different from what I learned and produced in the pastry shop. Xaver showed us all some new elegant, refreshing and artistic desserts  and every day some different kind all season long. Of course I recorded all his recipe in my recipe book knowing it will help me tremendously in the future.

I have 10 Pages like this helping me throughout my career

                         I remember in that year Chef Kurt was very happy and relaxed and everybody loved working for him. End result, we had nothing but impressed and satisfied customer.

                       Without  knowing then, this was another stepping stone in my still short career,  my last Job in Europe. Thinking back it was definitely my happiest one.

My last work certification from  a hotel in europe.



During this summer season I expressed myself various times wishing there would be a chance to  go to America to work, my big goal!  Xaver informed me then, that he is having a relative, I believe he's aunt ( it was 48 years ago)  living in Houston Texas. We wrote her a letter and my resume and Xaver vouch for me. It is embarrassing but I forgot her name. She owned a travel agency and had some influence in Houston. Anyway she organised a job at the Warwick hotel in Houston for me as Sous Chef. I was very happy and super nervous at the same time!
                          It was 1969 and they offered me $15,000 a year plus room and board. At that time I thought I hit the lottery. 
                     
                            So this will be my last recipe from over this side of the ocean and it is a pretty good one. It was very popular on elaborated cold buffets in that time.

Terrine de Pheasant

This is made with 7 lb pheasant meat

     

                    Scale down version:

          2 lb Pheasant ( breast, and liver)

          4 oz Bacon     

          4 oz lean pork

          4 oz Chicken liver

          1 oz olive oil  

          8 oz Fatback

          1 cup peeled apples

          1 tsp Truffle (otional)

          2 oz Cognac

          Salt, Pepper

          2 Quarts Aspic

                                        Cut pheasant, bacon, pork in one inch cubs, ad chicken liver and apples and saute in olive oil for only one minute, flambe with the cognac to bring out the pheasant flavor and immediately  let cool in the freezer. When cold pass to meat grinder 2 to 3 times until consistency is very fine. Place back in freezer. During the hole process the meat has to stay very  cold to prevent  the separation of the fat from the solid. Remove raw pate from freezer and try to make the paste as fine in small portions in your food processor or mixer with adding the heavy cream. Slice the fatback very thin and line out the terrine form. Now finish seasoning your raw paste with salt and pepper to taste. (Some people like diced red pepper, pistachio or walnuts in there, or even diced fatback for visual effect when you are slice it) Place the paste into the terrine form and cover with the rest of the fatback. Place form into double boiler  (water bad) and coke until fat on top is clair and terrine feels solid. Press the top wile let cole overnight in refrigerator. Next day remove from form and clean excessive fat. Fill bottom of form with aspic and let harden enter the terrine and fill the sides with the aspic and let cool.  Submerch the entire form in hot water and dump terrine on platter, ready to serve.

This was on my mind for the next 4 months

                                   The rest of the this season was an exciting time, by end of August I had the acceptance letters from the Warwick Hotel and I had en appointment at the American Embassy in Bern to get a tourist visa. The hotel promist to take care of my work visa over in Houston on my arrival.
                                   Finally my dream is coming closer, I always wanted to go to America and now its happening. It's hard to describe the emotion and feelings I had going to check out this huge country across the ocean. I was 25 Years young and had the support of my parents and I don't remember but i think also the support of my 2 brothers although they hat been busy and have their own career started.
                                   I left England in the first week November 1969, sadly that was the last time I  saw Chef Kurt, much later we stayed in touch through the internet. Everything went smooth, I got my visa, I bought some new knifes and a couple of uniforms, packed my bag and on November 25, 1969 my family drove me to Zurich airport to see me off.
                                 
                                  I was incredibly excited  but also had a little sentimental and sad feeling in me. I realized  leaving a pretty good live behind me, not knowing what my new adventure overseas was going bring me. Here are just a few reminder of my thoughts!

My favorite spot in the Swiss mountain 

The capital Bern

The unforgettable view from our house where I grew up

Mother and Vater

My Mother, Heinz and Toni, with Fabian und Corine, Heinz's children

Heinz, Lilian Fabian and Toni playing with Corine

With my Parents and my Jass partner Else!

It will be hard to leave beautiful Switzerland, my family and friends for good,

but hopefully I be lucky enough to come back in the future in my vacations.

                               I boarded Swissair to London.  I remember changing  to British Airways in London to Montreal.This was my first long flight and at night. I remember flying over a sea of lights in Montreal, it was unreal. they refilled the plane there and we waited in the airport, got something to eat and boarded the same plane 1 hour later again. 4 hour later we arrived at our destination Houston!

I was in America!

                               I remember being picked up by Xaver Odermatt's aunt and I was so relieved, I would be totally lost in this huge town.  It was late morning and I spent the day and first night in America with her family in their house. The next day she brought me to the Warwick hotel to start my new job.



Houston Warwick Hotel in 1969

(where I never worked)

You find out way in my next chapter