17 Feb What an awesome time to be in Verbier!
The 2013/14 season is now in full swing and our new Chalet Maurine has been welcoming guests since the start of December. Kirsty and Andi, our chalet team, have been providing excellent service to our guests and serving delicious meals since the chalet opened, and have passed on the following about their experiences in Verbier so far……
Before we made the decision to move here back in November we had heard many glowing reports on what a lively party town Verbier is, with its range of bars, pubs and clubs and a good mix of crazy and classy apres ski. Yes they were right; but recently my husband Andi and I have learnt about the other, more serene side to this Swiss resort.
After a hectic start at Chalet Maurine with the first two months being somewhat of a blur we discovered we had a few days between bookings when we had this beautiful chalet all to ourselves… and what perfect timing it was.
I woke up on a snowy Monday morning to watch Jenny Jones win bronze in the snowboard slope style,the first ever British medal on snow, at the Sochi winter Olympics. That day turned into my first ever medal winning ride on snow too (well, in my head anyway). The snow stopped and the sun came out shining. That afternoon was the best day I have ever had on the slopes. Perfect snow with 10cm of fresh powder and bluebird skies. Oh-and hardly anyone else in sight. As blissful as this was it did leave me wondering was this some kind of secret??? With the excitement of the Olympics, perfect snow conditions and such dreadful weather back home why on earth is it so quiet in the resort? Sitting in the hot tub with a glass of prosecco at the end of this perfect day I really had to pinch myself.
Leaving Cornwall and our very happy life working at Jamie Oliver’s Fifteen Cornwall was no easy decision for either of us but this was the kind of day to remind us that is was a brilliant move. Working there for a combined 10 years it definitely shaped who we are and what we do, Jamie’s rustic Italian style will stay with us forever and is certainly a central part of what we do here at Chalet Maurine. Andi, who was classically French trained, is now fully Italian inspired. His food is always local, seasonal, fresh, cooked from the heart and where possible served on Jamie-esque sharing platters to encourage sociable dining. We were very much reminded of this as we sat down with friends to dinner…
Home made burrata, Tarocco blood orange, toasted almonds and rocket salad to start. Followed by a rotolo of pumpkin, ricotta and chestnuts, sage and lemon butter. For main Val d’Herens (local breed) beef fillet wrapped in lardo di Colonnata, roast garlic polenta, cavalo nero and fresh horseradish. The best bit… chocloate fondont with a salt caramel center, spiced plums and creme fraish. For those who could manage it gorgonzola, pears and walnuts.
As for myself, being a trained sommelier and restaurant supervisor, I am loving matching wines to Andi’s dishes.. He keeps me on my toes with some of his dishes but I revel in the challenge. No two meals are the same and that’s what keeps every day fresh for us both – and our guests.
Running the chalet together is a dream. We’re both passionate about fresh new snow, clean mountain air, roaring log fires… and of course amazing food, fine wines and service to match.
As fun as having this place to ourselves is, I hope the Winter Olympics spur people to book, whether it be for a family holiday or corporate event for a long weekend; the secret of Chalet Maurine and Verbier should be shared. For those who have heard about Verbier’s legendary apres ski, a combination of Le Rouge, Farinet and the Farm will not disappoint! But I’m also happy to share my insider tips about the peaceful side of Verbier I have learnt to love: yoga sessions at the brand new ‘Wholey Cow’ studio, freshly made sushi at Nomad Sushi and martini bar, or even better than that, hot tub drinks followed by my husband’s cooking!
Sante!
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