Walter Klose and his passion for detail

It’s in the middle of nowhere, and everyone wants to visit: Walter Klose’s restaurant and guesthouse, the Gupf, located in picturesque surroundings in the Vorderland district of the Canton of Appenzell Ausserrhoden. Not only is the Gasthaus zum Gupf his workplace, he also lives here with his family and is an uncompromisingly dedicated host.

The work attire at the Gupf is also uncompromising: the service staff wear traditional dress every day. For Walter Klose, it’s very important to continue traditions and create a friendly atmosphere, in keeping with the tradition-steeped origins of the Gupf. The Gupf is rich in stories and attractions, and the team want to introduce these to the guests both visually and gastronomically – with details that make the difference. To do this, they go the extra mile and are passionate about every little detail – around the clock, day in, day out.

Finding peace and quiet, switching off and getting away from daily life isn’t so easy when you live and work in the same place. “You never quite leave the restaurant behind,” admits Klose. Yet he wouldn’t have it any other way. The Gupf, his family, nature and cooking – that’s his dream, and he’s living that dream to the full.

The passionate top chef loves nature, so he couldn’t imagine a better place to live and work. When he needs to relax and recharge his batteries, he goes out into his garden. His work is demanding, that’s for sure, but it gives him a great sense of fulfilment. Today, Walter Klose is spending his day outside, gathering mushrooms and herbs.

In the forest, Walter Klose finds peace and tranquillity; the natural environment gives him strength and nourishes him. Gathering mushrooms is an activity which is soothing, while at the same time inspiring the top chef’s creativity: perhaps tomorrow there’ll be a mushroom dish on the specials menu! Everything that comes out of Klose’s kitchen has been carefully sourced and prepared with passion – down to the tiniest detail. “My guests should be able to equate what they see on their plates with what they have ordered, and they should be able to taste the pure, honest quality of the products,” says the passionate host. This is why it’s particularly important to him to regularly go right back to the roots of his culinary creations. The care and precision that characterize his cooking are also essential when gathering herbs and mushrooms.

Back at the restaurant, the whole team is excited about the fresh pickings. His wife and older son are also part of the team – the Gupf is a true family business. His youngest son has also chosen gastronomy as his profession and is currently doing an apprenticeship as a chef. This makes Walter Klose proud: “There’s nothing better than being able to share my passion and my vocation with my family. Our lives revolve around our family and looking after our guests.”

So the next generation of the Klose family is well on the way to following in the footsteps of this thoroughbred chef, and they already support him wholeheartedly in his work. That encourages Klose to entrust more and more to others, giving him the confidence to stand back a little and hand the baton over, meaning that in the future he will have more free time again. He’ll always have the restaurant in his thoughts, though, for it’s his life’s work, his passion and his ultimate happy place.

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