The German chef Heiko Nieder completed his apprenticeship at the Four Seasons Hotel in Hamburg. His career has taken him from restaurant Le Canard in Hamburg, the Hotel zur Traube in Grevenbroich to restaurant Vau in Berlin. For five years he was head chef at the L’Orquivit in Bonn. It was there, in 2003, that Nieder’s creative cuisine won him the Gault Millau title of ‘Discovery of the Year’. In 2004 he was awarded a Michelin star. He has held the position of Chef Fine Dining at the Dolder Grand’s The Restaurant since its opening. The Restaurant was awarded two Michelin Stars in November 2010 and 18 Gault Millau points in October 2012. In 2014, Heiko Nieder initiated the Dolder Grand’s first gourmet festival, The Epicure, Days of Culinary Masterpieces, which will be held annually. At The Restaurant, Nieder offers an innovative gourmet menu. The secret of his style is his wide spectrum of flavours, which renounce traditional concepts of taste. The menu is composed of light, modern dishes, including lobster from Brittany with strawberries, beetroot, tarragon and mustard or rabbit with pickled mushrooms, garden herbs and miso. The chef’s love of experimentation continues through the dessert menu, where he does not shy away from using vegetables, for examplebilberries with celery, cucumber and ginger.
Describe your culinary philosophy in 4 words…
Modern, light, non-everyday flavour combinations
What is your greatest inspiration?
Food markets
If you could take a plane ride to any restaurant in the world, just for one meal, where would you go?
I would replace one long-haul flight into several short-haul flights. There are too many restaurants that I want to visit or visit again.
What three things would you take to a desert island?
My family, my favourite knives, matches
- 18 Gault Millau points
- 2 Michelin stars
The Dolder Grand
Kurhausstrasse 65
8032 Zürich
Switzerland
Tel +41 44 456 60 00