Glow of contentment

Amrein believes the passion he has for cooking for others defines him as a chef. "If you want to make money, don't become a chef, because you end up working 18 hours a day," says the 63-year-old.

Having been a TV chef for 20 years, Amrein's specialty is to take the history and environment of each region of Switzerland and update the dishes for contemporary tastes.

"In Switzerland, the four seasons are much clearer than in Beijing, and I always design my menus according to the weather," says Amrein, who brought late summer delicacies from Switzerland to the cool autumn in Beijing.

When he was asked to take over the second Swiss Gastronomic Week in Beijing, Amrien immediately agreed, even though he had never been to the Chinese capital before.

Inspired by the cuisine from the canton of Graubunden where his restaurant is situated, Amrein tailor-made the menu for the gastronomic event. It featured a selection of seasonal produce, many unique to the canton, but updated with his signature virtuosity and modern interpretation.

One signature dish on the menu is the "Trimmiser" capuns. Made from dough with dried pieces of meat, it is then rolled in a chard leaf and boiled in a mixture of bouillon, milk and water and served with grated cheese.

To enhance the freshness of the dish, Amrein adds langustino and seafood foam, a combination rare to find in most capuns offered in restaurants in Switzerland.

"Through the menu, I hope guests will have a culinary experience that does not distract from the taste of the underlying products. I achieve this through gentle preparation, respect for the ingredients, and of course by using the highest quality products," says Amrein, who was only visiting China for the second time since his appearance at the World Expo in Shanghai in 2010.

Swiss ambassador to China Dr Jean-Jacques de Dardel tasted Amrein's skills during the opening ceremony of the Swiss Gastronomic Week.

"Swiss food is not what you think it is. Just like Spanish food is not only about tapas, and Italian food is not only about pizza," says Dardel. "It's very diverse. We have 26 different provinces. Each one has its own specialties, and usually more than one."

Switzerland has the highest numbers of Michelin-starred restaurants in the world per capita. A hundred and eighteen Michelin stars are attributed to Swiss eateries out of a few hundred allocated for the entire world.

"That obviously speaks volumes about our chefs, for what lies behind the chef-the whole team in the kitchen-but also says something about the demands of the public," says the ambassador.

He believes Swiss food is of such high quality because the public is discriminating and there are so many foreign guests, tourists and residents who ask for something different.

"The first edition of the Swiss Gastronomic Week with Hilton Beijing in April was a great success, and we've learned about the 'hunger' from our friends and diners for more Swiss haute cuisine in the city," says Dardel.

After Amrein's visit, the third Swiss Gastronomic Week will be held at TRB Forbidden City in October.

"We would like to put into the minds of food critics and diners alike the profound history of Swiss gastronomic culture, and the creative innovations our celebrated chefs bring to Swiss cuisine," says Dardel.

Contact the writer at liyingxue@chinadaily.com.cn