Carlo Crisci
The mountain genius
By Laurent Feneau

Nestled in the mountains of the Swiss Romand, the French-speaking part of Switzerland, and in the heart of the old city of Cossonay, Carlo Cirsci turns cooking into an absolute art... Nothing but delicious and beautiful things!

Switzerland. So far, so close … of course, we think we know all about Swiss cooking, the meats from the Grisons, its famous cheeses, without forgetting some excellent wines coming from Martigny in particular. But then there is Carlo Crisci and his incredible cooking! Combinations of the most unexpected products, herbs and totally unheard of condiments, all served in broken plates … basically an approach which is so atypical that many a pen has been broken by culinary critics desperately trying to classify and label this rebellious chef.
Furthermore, and on principle, one can expect anything from a chef who chooses to settle in Swiss Romand and to live out his passion - as you have probably guessed that Carlo is Italian - and one may be quite dubious as to his instant love for this tiny medieval town of Cossonay. Carlo Crisci had in fact fallen in love with this charming 16th century convent where he and his wife, Christine, decided to open a restaurant. That was in 1982. But what a contrast between these old stones and this quasi-futuristic, almost technological, cooking! And this is where the magic works. As he puts it, "This historic setting is very important for me as it pushes me to move forward, as if the past is the biggest fan of the future". When evoking the idea of the future with Carlos, he knows exactly what to say …

Capacity and force
Artfully using spoons, brushes, nitrogen and sometimes even syringes, this Swiss chef joyfully abandons himself to cooking as a painter to his artwork. In the literal sense just as much as in the figurative as nothing makes him happier than to create visual pleasure. Certain people call him the "graffiti sauce chef". Perhaps a little incorrect and simplistic for this aesthetically-oriented man who never hesitates to go further in his search for new creations, there where, between cooking, art and architecture, the boundaries tend to fade away and reveal the obvious capacity and force of his culinary wonders. Action: with some oyster water and champagne, Carlo Crisci makes a fine jelly no thicker than a sheet of paper and on which he places some delicate oysters. All this is then tightly rolled up and served warm at 60 °C with a broth made of whiskey, verjus* and truffle juice. "I change the product in a simple way, as if I were making it for myself which means working equally on the style and on the substance", confides this son of an Italian restaurant owner. The syringes? A simple question of rapidity and precision. "When you want to highlight a product, you often need to be very quick in carrying it out. Syringes let me add some oil or a sauce easily and quickly and above all, with great precision".
But what is the secret of this chef who is all smiles and who decided on cooking after wanting to be a graphic artist? There is, undeniably, his sincerity but also his insistence on remaining who he is, keeping the same line of conduct, and a perpetual self-questioning of his art. And then there is his love for beauty and natural products like olive oil which he emulsifies to perfection. "Geographically speaking, Switzerland is situated in a central position which allows for suppliers from all over Europe. I love any product as long as it's tasty and healthy, and it's important to never get tired of them".

"A quest for herbs…"
You have probably guessed that this Cossonay chef has a constantly-changing cooking agenda. "Since my work is constantly evolving, I'm not very keen on labels or adjectives. In general, cooking needs to move forward and mine is multifaceted and varied. For example, talking about a dish is already limiting its merit, as what counts is how the guest feels", adds Carlo.
Today, he is widely recognised by savvy gourmets, not just for his brilliant inspirations but for the solidity of his talent. These same people marvel at this chef's culinary evolution, and especially his fortuitous meeting with François Couplan - the well-known botanist already working with Marc Veyrat. This meeting resulted in Carlo's passion for wild plants which became crucial in many a recipe on his menu. "A quest for herbs", as Carlos says, has not stopped him from using very precise cooking techniques without ever falling into the category of being scientific. It is also quite noticeable that this chef's cooking is more "technological" than molecular. "All this labelling is silly and doesn't mean anything," as Ferran Adria says. "Most of the cooking products defined as "molecular" have been around in the agribusiness for twenty years already". Carlo Crisci adds that this technique allows him to explore new and unknown tastes, "With this wonderful possibility of constantly improving my culinary results".
Last summer the chef even bought a new and sumptuous induction range cooker. "Cooking becomes a real pleasure with the increased number of cooking methods possible", he explains. Carlo likes to play around with different preparation and cooking methods. For example, he has used the low-heat cooking method for twenty-four years. He also loves to cook a la plancha and a new electric grill allowing for a slow cooking method which gives a product halfway between raw and cooked.
Today Carlo is part of the elite Swiss culinary circle with two Michelin stars and an undying love for what he does. Just one recipe: laughter. "Cooking can and should be a time for hearty laughing. Not taking yourself seriously makes it so much easier to innovate precisely how you want". 2 stars + 1 smile = Carlo's face.

*verjus: acidic sugar extracted from picked green grapes.

At Carlo's… with Marcel Proust:
- The colour I prefer: black but also white, graphic colours…
- My hero: LeCoultre, the famous Swiss watchmaker…
- My favourite painters: contemporary ones
- A natural gift I wish I had: know how to sing and play a musical instrument
- My saying: You can always do better!

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