S.Pellegrino Sapori Ticino – the Sound of Love

Photos: Giorgia Ghezzi Panzera

 

The Italian chit chatting and the sizzling stoves – actually more accurately Italian mixed with many other languages – caressed my ears as soon as I entered the kitchen.

This is San Pellegrino Sapori Ticino, one of the best gourmet festivals in the world (I am being objective!), with almost 500 Michelin stars gracing this event in 19 years.

The idea? Showcasing the excellence of “Ticinesi” chefs (from the Ticino region) by forming stellar teams that cook together in the most stunning Swiss locations. Think alpine glamour meets Mediterranean soul.

And if the “passione” wasn’t already sizzling, this year the event welcomed a vibrant crew of Brazilian chefs, adding samba to the symphony. The kitchen sounded like a multilingual opera – Italian, Portuguese, French, English – with the occasional burst of laughter and clinking of pans.

I was invited to their gala dinner in Bürgenstock, a location so stunning it makes your phone camera feel inadequate. Overlooking Lake Lucerne, with views that make you whisper “wow” every five minutes, the hotel boasts 3 Michelin keys – a promise of excellence that was more than fulfilled.

I’ve tasted Sapori Ticino cooking five times already, so I knew it would be good. But nothing prepared me for the backstage magic: chefs in crisp uniforms, joking like old friends, posing for the official photo (which, by the way, is the highlight of the season – the dream moment where you’re surrounded by Italian-speaking culinary artists and you feel like you’ve gatecrashed heaven), and then diving into full concentration mode to produce a meal that was a full-blown sensory concert.

When guests arrive, Dany Stauffacher, the founder of S.Pellegrino Sapori Ticino, is everywhere and nowhere – calm, smiling, clearly in control, and somehow still managing to enjoy himself. He’s like the conductor of a gourmet orchestra, and the whole evening plays out like a perfectly timed symphony.

Drinks and gourmet aperitifs, sushi, arancini, champagne, and a vibe that says “we’re fancy, but we’re fun.”

Then dinner in the formal room with round tables, chandeliers, and high windows showcasing the lake like a painting. Dany introduces the guests and sponsors, and then the food takes over. Waiters move like dancers, serving reinvented classics of fish, meat, pasta, and patisserie that could make a grown-up cry. The famous Merlot by Vinattieri – said to be the best in Switzerland – flowed generously, and of course, San Pellegrino water sparkled on every table, the elegant co-star of the evening.

Switzerland must be the new Italy, especially when Ticino is cooking. And let’s be honest – the prices are pretty much the same, so why not go for the alpine upgrade?

This time Dany skipped his usual toast to beautiful women (a signature move), but still delivered a classic moment when he joked about his long gin-tonic-fueled brainstorming sessions with Mike Wehrle, the chef at Bürgenstock.

Me? I was drinking water and savoring the food. And now I have even more addresses to visit in Ticino for a gourmet holiday or weekend – my tastebuds are already packing their bags.

*The chefs of the evening*

Mike Wehrle, the host and culinary director of Bürgenstock, is the kind of chef who can make a five-course meal feel like a warm hug and a fireworks show at the same time.

Arturo Fragnito, who just earned a Michelin star three days ago for his restaurant META in Lugano, brought elegance and quiet fire to the kitchen. His star is fresh, but his talent has been glowing for years.

Jacopo Rovetini, stepping in for Marco Veneruso, is the Tuscan-born chef of Osteria dell’Enoteca in Losone. His Mediterranean-rooted cuisine is like a postcard from the Italian coast – sun-soaked, soulful, and absolutely delicious.

Cristian Moreschi served soft-yolked cappellacci that were my absolute favorite – little pillows of joy that whispered “you’ll dream about me later.”

Egidio Iadonisi and Alessandro Boleso rounded out the dream team, each adding their own flavor to the night’s culinary symphony.

The sound of sizzling pans, laughter in Italian, and the clinking of glasses – this is Sapori Ticino. This is the sound of love.