by guest Ellen Wallace, editor, GenevaLunch

Fredy Girardet, godfather of the 2008 Vigne du Monde wine in Féchy, where he lives, being interviewed by journalists

I’ve been waiting for years to say I had dinner with Fredy Girardet. Unfortunately for me, the world’s chef of the century (New York Times labeled him thus) retired and closed his restaurant in Crissier before I managed to get there for dinner. You can imagine my delight, then, when I was invited to join Girardet and Féchy winemakers for dinner Friday night, 12 June, with the menu worked out by the famous chef and Lazare Slaquer with Michel Hug. The last two are part of RSH, a catering firm in Crissier. Break down RSH and you have Philippe Rochat, who took over Girardet’s Crissier restaurant, Slaquer and Hug. This is not your average catering trio and the meal was anything but average.

The dinner was so pleasant that very exceptionally I forgot to take photos of most of the meal, so you’ll have to be content with a shot of the dessert.

First, the setting: the terrace of Domaine de Fischer in Bougy-Villars, a town perched above Féchy that is linked administratively to it. I know it mainly as the home of one of Switzerland’s best chocolate makers, Tristan. The beautiful old winery has a magnificent view of much of Vaud, Lake Geneva and the French Alps.

The meal:

• Langoustine au concombre mentholé, gaspacho de San Marzano (wine, Coup d’oeil, Pinot Blanc 2007, AOC La Côte, Albert Caillat)
• Friolet de turbot, jus de carotte au gingembre (wine, Doral 2007, AOC Féchy, CH Meylan & Fils)
• Volaille fermière à la fleur de courgette truffée (wine, Provokation Absolu 2007, AOC Vaud, Kursner Frères)
• Charlotte de nectarine du Roussillon rafraîchie au lait d’amande (Gewurztraminer 2008, AOC Féchy, Jacques Pélichet)

nectarine, almond milk

The conversation, with Fredy Girardet at my table: the local wines and efforts to try new things, dogs (Girardet’s airedale, who is named after a grape variety and is the fourth such dog in his family, quietly joined us for dinner), sports and how some sports players are paid too much these days, memories of flying over Greenland in a small private jet en route to New York, food and the importance of waiting until it is in season to buy it fresh.

We need to wait a little longer for good peaches, I learned.

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