It smells like mountain summer on the Moosalp. Up here, people like to roam through the raised bogs, hike along the small lakes, gaze into the distance at glaciers and snow-capped peaks. But you can also discover treasures on the ground: Nature offers rare medicinal plants and valuable herbs a home here. If you stop by the Moosalp restaurant, you will find such a herb on the plate from time to time. Carefully picked by hosts Carmen and Amadé Kalbermatten.
People like to make their way to Restaurant Moosalp at 2048 m above sea level on their own. On foot, by racing bike or mountain bike. Along the Suonen, through larch and pine forests, over hives and rocks and over peaks. You should bring time with you. To sit down and listen to the wonderful silence. To discover the buzzing of bees, the sound of the mountain stream and the cracking of a larch cone in the heat.
You can leave the sandwich at home. Because at Restaurant Moosalp, the host couple Carmen and Amadé Kalbermatten serve up culinary highlights that you wouldn't expect at such lofty heights. You won't find the typical alpine hut here: The house presents itself confidently as a member of the guild of established Swiss restaurateurs. Not to mention the 14 Gault Millau points and various other awards, which have increased attention to the company.
Alpine romance then and now
Until the end of the forties of the last century, hardly any hikers lost their way into the healthy alpine world of the Moosal region. Only 180 cows tended here with their shepherds. This changed with two large buildings: In 1947, a new water pipeline was built from Embdbach to Zeneggen. A century-old building that is still vitally important today for the vegetation of the driest area in Switzerland.
The second large building in 1964 radically changed the summer seasons on the “Moosalp”: The new alpine stables with a mountain hut. At the same time, the existing forest road from Bürchen up to today's restaurant was also extended. Until 1979, the “Bergbeiz” mainly served the farmers who spent the alpine summer here. Moosalp AG then opened a ski lift. Since then, skiing enthusiasts have been flying right in front of the Moosalp restaurant in winter - or stop by when their stomachs growl!
With the winter season, there were also some renovations to the building. Fortunately, the original shape of the house has remained. Unconventional, as it is visually adapted to the stables and has a distinctive pent roof. Then there was a chalet-style raclette hut, a conservatory on the west side, the sun terrace with a wonderful panorama on the south side, a larger kitchen and recently the Mischabel lounge on the first floor of the house. These adjustments were also necessary to meet the increase in guests. Because the Moosalp restaurant has become more and more well-known over time.
The following seats are available to guests today: 50 seats in the restaurant, 30 seats in the winter garden, 24 seats in the Mischabel lounge, 120 on the south-facing terrace and 30 on the north-facing terrace. For an aperitif, if not outside on the terrace, you can also meet in the wine cellar at the long table for 16 people. Everywhere you look, you uncover stories from the past, whether in photos, on woodprints, in quotations and in paintings on the façade. “So that you don't forget the origin,” Carmen Kalbermatten explains the details.
Culinary delights at the highest level
“Moru geit ds Moos üf - Go who is lying, what Niwws is there!” , was the village chat down in Törbel a few years ago. Amadé Kalbermatten expresses his creativity in the kitchen, is constantly trying out new things, is inspired while traveling and has the courage to live out his understanding of cuisine at the highest level. The combination of flavors ranges from fig carpaccio, which is served with walnut pesto and burrata, to lamb shank with alpine thyme and hearty raclette from fire to excellent alpine sushi made from rice, apricots and dried meat. “My cuisine is exotic local Mediterranean,” is how guild restaurateur Amadé Kalbermatten describes his style. For his creations, he likes to go out into nature and collect larch spittles, wild broccoli, mushrooms and other delicacies that the upland bog has to offer. To the delight of the guests.
What kind of people find their way to Moosalp? From farmer to millionaire. From racing cyclists in Lycra dress to fine ladies in Deux-Pièce.
The crème de la crème cutlet
A moss alp expert seems to be intervening at this point. Hey gourmet! You forgot the cream cake in your list. That's right. Because of the delicate cream, which is artfully layered between wafer-thin puff pastry, Moosalp has finally become known far beyond the national border.
“My dream is to be able to sell my cream slices in a food truck in Central Park in New York,” enthuses Amadé Kalbermatten. We just hope that he only realizes this dream in March, April, and from mid-October until Christmas. In other words, during the weeks when seasonal operations are closed. Just to underline the popularity of cream slices: On a nice Sunday, ten large baking sheets with the delicacy are not enough. “There has even been a take-away to Dubai,” laughs Amadé Kalbermatten. It would be better not to mention the condition in which the delicacy arrived there.
However, we absolutely want to mention that the cuts can also be ordered by the meter. As did ski racer Ramon Zenhäusern, whose career began on the ski slopes next door.
Family ties
“Life is great,” it blurts out like a campaign promise from Amadé Kalbermatten. Passion and luck are what connect him to “his” Moosalp. The trained chef grew up with Moosalp. The property had been owned by the family for a long time, his parents Werner and Balbina Kalbermatten took over the business in 1990. His mother always said: “Go into the kitchen, you'll always have plenty of food and plenty to eat.” He put on his apron, completed a cooking apprenticeship in Täsch, gained professional experience in the professional kitchens of Visp, Brig, Saas-Fee and Montreux and returned home. Here he ran the business together with his sister. Until Carmen joined the company. Did the kindergarten teacher and primary school teacher have to do that as the wife of the Moosalp host?
“When I was traveling around the world at the age of 25, I wrote down my plans for the future in my diary. The dream of the hospitality industry was mentioned there. But I shied away from the hassle of a three-year service apprenticeship,” admits Carmen Kalbermatten. Today, she says, she could have realized her dream with Moosalp. “Getting started was tough,” she remembers. She skillfully brings her organizational talent and the necessary peace of mind to the company. The couple have two children. Son Jeremy attends the Swiss Hotel Management School in Lucerne, daughter Priscilla is studying graphic designer EFZ. The team is also a bit part of the family. 18 employees work in the service department. These include several pensioners standing by the fire in Raclette Hüsli and melting the cheese, including guests. The kitchen team consists of seven employees. Including Lobi and Jampa. Lobi found his way from the refugee home up to Moosalp a few years ago and completed a turbo integration.
Today, together with his friend Jampa, he brings a touch of Tibet into the kitchen.
Source: Gourmet (issue 7/21)
