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Regina Montium
Article in collaboration with Team Kräuterhotel
Eating with soil awareness
© Züriplausch, Sarah Blattner and Soil to Soul
The Kräuterhotel Edelweiss has been run since 2008 in its fourth generation. It is located on the Rigi at 1550 meters above sea level, amidst an idyllic and legendary landscape and surrounded by a unique view. Here you can enjoy their terroir cuisine at Regina Montium.
The team takes care of people, animals, and the environment. Therefore, only products that grow in Switzerland and whose production methods they know are used. The natural kitchen exclusively uses Swiss raw materials, accentuating them with long-forgotten herbs from their Alpine herb garden.
Their philosophy is the daily pursuit of true enjoyment, with natural raw materials from our environment in harmony with people and nature.
(r. Gregor Voeroes, Geschäftsleiter Kräuterhotel Edelweiss)
No enjoyment without appreciation!
True enjoyment, in their opinion, is a deep emotional sensation that can only arise in the context of holistic appreciation of the moment. Without emotions, tranquility, appreciation, and gratitude, there is no true enjoyment.
Thus, true enjoyment is also not possible if services or products have ethically unacceptable backgrounds. Such products can only be "enjoyed" under the condition that one either ignores, does not know, suppresses, or values one's personal desires higher than "the ethical principles of our culture."
Learning to enjoy also means learning to appreciate, to be grateful; it means pausing and enjoying.
Under these circumstances, it is simply not possible for foie gras, meat from factory farming, vegetables from Almeria, etc., to create true enjoyment!
Team Regina Montium
FOCUS TOPICS
Seasonal and Regional Cuisine
Only products that have been grown in Switzerland and whose production they know are purchased.
Food Waste / Food Utilization
Regina Montium only buys whole animals; leftovers are used in staff meals.
Organic Products and/or Other Sustainable Labels
The meat is 100% organic, as much of the vegetables as possible are organic, and only wild-caught fish is offered.
Use of Fresh and Minimally Processed Foods
In Regina Montium, there are 0% ready-made and semi-finished products.
Close Relationship with Local Producers
The meat is sourced only from the Rigi and directly from farmers. They maintain a partnership with a Rigi producer (organic & permaculture) for vegetables.
Vegetarian / Plant-Based Cuisine
The 9-course menu is available both vegetarian and vegan.
Existing Collaborations with Associations
A collaboration with Pro Specie Rara is maintained.
Fair Working Environment & Compensation System
Compensation operates on a 1:2 wage ratio. This means the highest wage is not even twice as large as the smallest. Additionally, every minute of overtime is paid, and tips are distributed equally.
Employee Well-being
Everyone lives together in a shared apartment.
Attention to Sustainability in Kitchen and Restaurant Equipment
Sustainability is also considered in the equipment. For example, the furniture in the restaurant is all made from recycled Swiss wine barrels, and the napkins are made from Swiss linen.
Environmental and Climate-Friendly Measures (e.g., Solar Power)
In the summer, they are installing a new photovoltaic system.
THEIR PRODUCERS
-
Hof Grubisbalm
organic vegetables
Grubisbalm is located at 850 meters on the south side of the Rigi and was purchased by Beat Schaubs' father in 1984. Beat, originally a chef from Basel, is a passionate gardener and grows beautiful vegetables for Gregor Voeroes and his team. This includes rare vegetables, from old varieties to those that are not native but thrive well on the Rigi. -
Freddy Christandl
mountain potatoes
Freddy grew up on a farm and later completed a cooking apprenticeship. He worked in top gastronomy for many years until he realized which food should guide him further - a simple and humble potato. This led to the project of mountain potatoes from the Albulatal. Cultivating the mountain potato in the Albulatal at 1000 meters above sea level requires a lot of manual labor. However, they have unique cooking properties and are at home in many top kitchens. -
Landgut Weitsicht
organic meat
The Landgut Weitsicht is the first local organic producer in their area. At the core of their activities lies a healthy nature, the value of diversity, resource conservation, and environmental protection.