Good food appeals to all five senses. It pleases the eye, delights the nose, and tantalizes the taste buds. But truly great food goes one step beyond. It captures a moment in time—the season, the region, and the climate—and serves as a mental photograph for years to come. “All of the animals on the farms have a special taste from the nearby mountains,” explains Heiko Nieder, the head chef of The Restaurant at the Dolder Grand in Zurich, Switzerland. “You cannot get cheese like this anywhere else in the world. I’m a big fan of Swiss cheese—it’s something special.”
Whether he is maintaining the property’s organic herb garden or conceptualizing a new dish using locally sourced ingredients, Nieder takes a hands-on approach to his home away from home—and it shows through his artful plating and welcoming demeanor. He even makes it a point to say goodbye to each member of his staff every evening, a gesture both so simple, and yet so surprising, that it’s hard not to like him even more. As the Saturday evening dinner service winds down and the last tray of homemade chocolates leaves the kitchen, the two-time Michelin-starred chef chatted with Forbes about running a successful restaurant, creating seasonal menus, and standing out from the competition.
What brought you to the Dolder Grand?
When I saw the hotel and the pictures of the restaurant I was wowed, and I thought to myself, I want to work here.
How often does the menu change?
The menu changes five times per year, but some dishes change more often depending on the available ingredients.
What is the signature dish served at The Restaurant?
Everything is signature. Everything is special. But if I had to pick only one dish, I would say the Lobster from Brittany, which is marinated and baked with strawberries, beetroot, tarragon, and mustard.
Tell us about your favorite summer ingredients to cook with.
I like using the herbs from the garden at the property. We have more than 50 different kinds.
What is your strategy for accommodating picky eaters or guests with dietary restrictions?
We have so much training with that. We offer an eight-course vegetarian menu and we even have some dishes in our 12-course tasting menu that are vegetarian. All of the small bites we serve to welcome our guests are vegetarian too. We can also modify our dishes if someone is vegan or gluten-free.
What separates The Restaurant from other fine dining establishments in the area?
Everything is very special and high quality, from our silverware and plates to our trays and hardware. It’s just the small things. Our plating is also something very special. You would have to travel pretty far to find another restaurant of this standard.
How does it feel to have two Michelin stars under your belt?
Obviously we are happy that we have them and we want to get them, but we don’t focus on it. We want to get better. Not with the number of stars, but every time we plate a dish or create a menu, we want to do it better. We want to serve better food, we want to offer better service, and we want each day to be better than the last.
What is your least favorite food?
Bad food. I love everything. I love everything if it’s good in preparation and good in taste. I’ll even eat kidney if it is prepared well. Once someone served me nearly raw kidney from a lamb—that was bad—but if somebody makes it well, I love it. But raw, boo.
What would you choose as your last meal on earth?
I would want to eat everything! One dish would not be enough. I love tapas—all the small bites, the sweet bites, all the choice. I love going to a Chinese restaurant and ordering this and that—I love choices. I love to taste everything! So I cannot say only one dish.
