The focal point of the Grand Chapitre was the Grand Resort Bad Ragaz, a renowned Hotel and Spa Resort with a fantastic infrastructure and thus bound to attract a great number of participants. Therefore, it was of no surprise when Bailli Jacques Sinz signalled “fully booked” quite ahead of the event. No further reservations could be accepted.
Friday afternoon was reserved for meetings of the Conseil National and later on the Comité National. Guests however had the possibility to visit the fascinating open-air Art Exhibition “RagARTz” just in front of the hotel or to attend a wine tasting with wine-maker and Chaîne member Martin Donatsch from the Weingut Donatsch in Malans.
Friday evening over 100 members booked for the Diner of Welcome, forcing the organizers to split the participants between two locations. However, Chef Rôtisseur Roland Schmid (Grand Resort Bad Ragaz) and Maître Rôtisseur Seppi Kalberer (Restaurant Schlüssel, Mels) each have 17 Points with Gault Millau and one Michelin Star, so having identical menus in both locations meant that everyone could enjoy the same standard.
Saturday morning, after the General Assembly of the Bailliage of Switzerland, 22 Commandeurs attending the ceremony were honoured by receiving their insignias and followed by a lunch in their honour.
The Induction Ceremony took place in the nearby church with all seats taken. This fully occupied church must be a dream attendance for any priest, said Baili Délégué René Kamber jokingly in his opening speech. Some 80 Chaîne members and a record-breaking 40 new Ordre Mondial members were inducted.
Highlight of the day was of course the Gala Dinner at the Grand Resort Bad Ragaz, supervised by Chef Renato Wüst, Vice-Conseiller Culinaire of the organizing Bailliage. Over 300 participants had the opportunity to enjoy a five-course menu which included oven-roasted fillet of beef and a very seductive buffet of sweets.
Simply sensational – and this without any exaggeration – was the farewell lunch buffet on Sunday. Long tables laden with all the delicatessen items one can dream of, as well as two jumbo grill stations with five Chefs grilling and serving a wide choice of meat, literally turned any distinguished gourmet into a big eater!
Chaîne members could do nothing but fully agree and applaud, when Bailli Délégué René Kamber thanked and praised Maître Hôtelier Riet Pfister, CEO of the Grand Resort Bad Ragaz for the great hospitality and Bailli Jacques Sinz and his officers for this perfectly-organized Grand Chapitre of highest standard.
August Meierhofer, Chargé de Presse
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Here is a gallery of other selected images from the Grand Chapitre programme . . .
