Markus Arnold, Bern’s most innovative restaurateur, is convinced that what makes a good chef into an excellent chef is a love of food and cooking.
His ideas, his passion for cooking and hosting, and not least his extraordinary culinary expertise, are what established Markus Arnold firmly on the Swiss capital’s gastro scene several years ago. The 39-year-old is without a doubt the most innovative restaurateur in Bern; his restaurant “Steinhalle” has been awarded 17 Gault Millau points and a Michelin star, but the designation “top chef” doesn’t quite do justice to him, as he is truly multitalented.
He puts as much energy and passion into a project to serve steamed Tibetan dumplings (momos) at the train station as he puts into making fondue at the Christmas market or a pop-up burger stall near the Federal Palace. Whatever he’s doing, Markus Arnold has a relatively simple personal principle for ensuring outstanding quality in his profession: “An excellent chef must love their work. I’m actually convinced that something will only taste good if it’s been cooked by a happy chef.” That basically just means you have to try your own food on a regular basis, continues Arnold. That might seem obvious, he says, but it’s not necessarily a given.