Jordnær, the two Michelin-starred world renowned project of admired Danish chef Eric Vildgaard and his wife Tina Kragh Vildgaard will do a two months residency at the iconic Badrutt’s Palace Hotel in St. Moritz, this winter from December 1st to February 4th, 2024.
It promises to be the ultimate winter culinary experience with pristine flavours, the utmost best of the best produce, unbeatable wines and champagne pairings and a lot of caviar. The good news come just days after the announcement of the new addition to the 50 Best family, the 50 Best Hotels, where Badrutt’s Palace was placed as the 43rd best hotel in the world.
Jordnær: The Love Story
Jordnær means “down to earth”, and that’s just how Eric and Tina Vildgaard are as people. Years ago, their love story made the chef overcome a dark past and together, they not only take care of their six children, they also built what is now one of the world’s best restaurants. With two Michelin stars and a jump straight into the 38th spot on the list of «The World’s 50 Best Restaurants» in 2022, Jordnær is all about flavour, purity, beauty and precision. 
Eric gives extreme importance to the produce that he uses and he’s always searching for the best possible one, always considering the environment along the way. With that in mind he creates a menu that highlights fish, shellfish and caviar as the stars, all done with a Nordic heart, French technique and some influences from Asian culture.
Tina, awarded with the Michelin Welcome and Service Award, has mastered the art of ensuring that each and every diner enjoys an extra-special experience. She oversees the smooth running of the front of the house and helps to create a warm, relaxed atmosphere. Together, they’re unstoppable and now they’re taking their love story to the iconic Badrutt’s Palace Hotel in St. Moritz.
“It is an honour for us to be able to cook in a historic, world-class hotel as renowned as Badrutt’s Palace. We approach this next challenge with a lot of respect and excitement. It will be a type of fine dining cuisine that the Engadine has yet to see,” says Eric. Bringing with him the exquisitely intricate and elegantly crafted dishes he is famous for, providing a spectacle for both the eyes and the palate. “Love can be shared and expressed in many ways, and one of the ways I have found is through cooking. It allows me to convey a range of emotions to my guests. I approach my work through a personal lens, drawing on my life experiences to inspire and create dishes that are emotive, pure and raw. Every plate served is with passion and love.”
Eric and Tina’s motto is “only the best for our guests,” and this is precisely where the philosophy of the Jordnær restaurant coincides with that of Badrutt’s Palace Hotel. The cross-over stems to ingredients, Eric predominantly works with superlative quality from caviar to lobster – all of which are not foreign to guests as well as the Executive Chef of Badrutt’s Palace Hotel, Jeremy Degras. “I am looking forward to an exciting collaboration with Erik,” says Jeremy.
Gastronomy aficionados at Badrutt’s Palace Hotel will have the opportunity to experience seafood flare and extravagance with a Japanese-Nordic twist, such as the Balfegó tuna tartare tartlet with mild wasabi, platinum beluga caviar, aged soya and zalotti flowers. “It will be a culinary journey to the Nordic sea – combined with a touch of Engadine – at the very highest level – a very special menu to delight all palates,” says Eric.”And we and all our guests in St. Moritz owe this high-altitude gourmet experience to Badrutt’s Palace Hotel, which, in addition to its tradition, is valued for its innovation – which we hope to showcase in our cuisine”.
The Badrutt’s Palace Hotel, an institution.
Alfred Hitchcock used to be a regular. His suite was the 501 and it’s rumoured that the hotel’s epic wood-panelled and Alps-facing lobby Le Grand Hall – ‘the living room of St Moritz’ – is where the director had the idea for The Birds. Things haven’t changed and even though it is beautiful all year long, the winter is the star studded season at The Badrutt’s Palace Hotel, an institution that has become synonymous with skiing, cocktailing, great dining and people-watching for decades. Last week, it was also awarded as the 43rd best hotel in the world according to the newly published 50 Best Hotels list. A 50 Best hotel welcomes a 50 best restaurant. Magic.
The story of the property is written by one family. Pioneers of innovation and luxury since 1896, Badrutt’s Palace Hotel remains one of the world’s most legendary hotels – and continuously operated by the Badrutt-family. With 300 days of sunshine in winter and summer, unique and unexpected food and drink, joie de vivre and a unique sense of belonging in a historic and iconic mountain resort, the property is a celebration of style, sport, culinary experiences and well-being in the Swiss Alps.
Winter transforms the hotel into one of the world’s most exciting ski resorts at 6,000 metres above sea level. During the summer, the sun-drenched alpine activities of the Engadine beckon. The Badrutt’s Palace Hotel has 155 guest rooms, all with heart-stopping views of the lake or the charming village centre. 10 restaurants and three bars, including Japanese-Peruvian La Coupole-Matsuhisa, fine dining at Le Restaurant and dine and dance venue, King’s Social House. Badrutt’s Palace Hotel is a member of Leading Hotels of the World, Swiss Deluxe Hotels and Swiss Historic Hotels. And now it will also be the house of Jordnær for two months.
“We have succeeded in bringing arguably one of the most creative chefs of the moment to Badrutt’s Palace Hotel. With their unique fine dining vision, Eric and his wife Tina have conquered the hearts of gourmets in a very short space of time, making a name for themselves internationally,” says Richard Leuenberger, Managing Director of Badrutt’s Palace Hotel. This will be the first time that Eric Vildgaard’s two Michelin-starred cuisine has been hosted outside of Denmark for two months. “Guests at Badrutt’s Palace Hotel will enjoy culinary curations of the finest ingredients,” says Leuenberger.
