The season is about to change, and soon the Engadin will reveal its beauty with green meadows and blue skies. But first, we had a chat with Chesa Marchetta‘s Chef de Cuisine Davide Degiovanni in Sils, talking about his cooking and what makes his cuisine so luxurious.
IRMA: Chesa Marchetta feels deeply rooted in the Engadin, yet unmistakably contemporary. How do you decide which traditions to preserve and which to reinterpret when creating a menu for the summer season?
Davide Degiovanni: Chesa Marchetta offers a small, seasonal menu that channels Northern Italian and Swiss mountain traditions with a variety of daily changing specials. We work with the best small producers in the Engadin and neighbouring valleys from Val Bregaglia to Val Poschiavo to produce uncomplicated, home cooked dishes.
The approach we have is simply to elevate local produce. We try not to reinterpret tradition too much, as we don’t want to do the traditions a disservice. We focus our attentions on the local produce of the valley. For example, Trout and other native species from the Lake, Lamb from Val Poschiavo, and Veal from Val Fex.#
IRMA: Is there an ingredient in the Engadin summer season, native to this region that you feel is still misunderstood — or underused — in modern fine dining?
Davide Degiovanni: We have recently found a small producer of goat milk ricotta in the village near the hotel. She produces only in the spring and summer when the animals are outside for the whole season, around the lakes and local area. This product is particularly delicate and special to this region. It is these sorts of discoveries across the valley that we want to showcase and highlight on our menu.
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RMA: When you create a menu in a place as atmospheric as St. Moritz, do you think first in flavours, textures, or in mood?
Davide Degiovanni: We prioritise seasonal, locally sourced produce from trusted regional suppliers and small family producers. All our meat and cheese is sourced from the Engadin, Val Bregaglia, Valposchiavo and Chiavenna.
We focus on simplicity and are more inspired by Sils Maria rather than St Mortiz. We have a more rustic approach and focus on flavour instead of commerciality and trends.
IRMA: The dining room carries a certain quiet elegance — wood, history, intimacy, homemade bread and Olive Oil from The Wirth Estate. These few ingredients already give the guest an idea of what to expect. How do you carry this feeling along and how does the space influence the way you compose a dish?
Davide Degiovanni: The restaurant is housed in what used to be the old cattle barns and in preserving the original walls, we are also preserving history. At the same time, the space reflects the surroundings and the surroundings in turn are reflected in the dish. Everything we prepare is curated with care and thought but is not fussy or complicated, as natural as possible.
IRMA: Luxury today often means simplicity done perfectly. What does luxury mean to you on a plate?
Davide Degiovanni: At 1800 metres, sometimes even the ingredients themselves are a luxury especially vegetables as agriculture are limited at this altitude – every ingredient is respected as much as the growers and farmers behind them. Here both the potato and the Pregiato truffle are equally important.
The potatoes we use are particularly special. Our potatoes are a mountain potato grown a 2-minute drive aware from Chesa Marchetta. Another ingredient is our unpasteurised milk from Crasta Farm, Val Fex. We use it in our ice creams and sauces and it’s delicious! Luxury for me for is being able to walk 10mins form the restaurant and meet a producer and see and choose the ingredient I am buying.
IRMA: If a guest could understand just one thing about your cooking philosophy after a single dinner here, what would you hope it is?
Davide Degiovanni Simplicity, real flavours and respect for our ingredients is the most important thing.
