Gastronomy Alsace
La Verte Vallée,
Munster’s three-star hotel-restaurantWhen Patricia and Yvon Gautier opened their 110-room hotel-restaurant in 1986 in Munster (Haut-Rhin), they already had major projects in mind for this establishment located 20 kilometres from Colmar and its wine route. From 1989, they were the first in the region to have an indoor swimming pool; it was extended in 1996 when they opened a spa and beauty treatment centre, which now attracts the majority of their clientele. Exceptional value for money, first-rate services and a warm welcome are additional features this establishment offers, making it one of the best places to stay for tourists, professionals travelling through the region and local inhabitants keen to relax in a delightful setting. The establishment is a fervent partner of the sommelier profession; on June 16th it welcomed the prestigious tasting coordinated by SommelierS International, devoting its premises and skills to the total success of this event.
With a geographical situation that obliges its owners to provide particularly appealing services, Patricia and Yvon Gautier constantly strive to further improve the comfort of their establishment, renovating the hotel between 1996 and 2000, expanding in 2004 the spa, which now has 10 beauty treatment rooms and employs 7 beauticians full-time. The ‘Verte Vallée’ now holds its rightful position in the health and beauty sector, but is keen to ensure that is services, in this field as in others, remain affordable. “Our customers are mainly French-speaking: they come primarily from France, Benelux, Switzerland and to a lesser extent from Germany” Yvon Gautier points out.
The ‘Verte Vallée’, partner of the sommelier profession
Yvon Gautier has been a member of the Alsace Sommelier Association since 1978. Formerly a maître d’hôtel-sommelier, he has retained his passion for wines and particularly for those from the terroir of Alsace, which gives an incredible wealth of expressions that are not necessarily sufficiently well-known. For Yvon Gautier, progress for Alsace wines over the next 20 years will be ensured by its leading grape variety, Riesling, promised a global future, as well as by Chardonnay, which provides tremendous scope.
The supremacy of fine white Burgundies, the general public’s lack of awareness about Alsace wines… Obstacles are numerous. Yvon Gautier therefore gives his full support to initiatives taken by his promising young sommelier, Romain Iltis, another loyal employee of this establishment, who will soon take part in the forthcoming competition for “France’s Best Sommelier”, to be held in Perpignan. The management staff of the ‘Verte Vallée’ has encouraged and assisted him in his progress from the very beginning when he began his Hotel School work-experience periods here; technical assistance, flexibility, adjusting working hours… Patricia and Yvon Gautier spare no effort to enable him to excel in his profession (he recently won the title “Master of Port”).
Romain Iltis
Sommelier
Master Of Port 2008, Alsace’s Best Young Sommelier” 2007, 2nd position - France’s Best Sommelier”2007
Career:
‘59 Poincaré’ (Alain Ducasse, Paris 16e),
‘Auberge du Père Bise’ in Talloires (1 Michelin star),
Hôtel-restaurant ‘Le Chabichou’ in Courchevel (2 Michelin stars).
Patrick Kempf
Chef de cuisine
Career: He previously worked at the Hotel-Restaurant “l’Arbre vert” in Kaysersberg.
He has worked at the ‘Verte Vallée’ since 1987.
To gain a clearer understanding of this extraordinary dynamism and strong team spirit that motivates the staff of the ‘Verte Vallée’ , an interview with the two bastions of this establishment seemed essential…
Interview with Romain Iltis, sommelier and Patrick Kempf, Chef de cuisine at the ‘Verte Vallée’ hotel-restaurant
SI: What does the experience of working for a first-rate establishment such as the ‘Verte Vallée’ bring you?
Romain Iltis: “I try to mark the wine list with my own personality. Customers increasingly let me select wines for them; we have quite a regular clientele.”
Patrick Kempf: “I offer simple cuisine, with no extravagance. We place great importance on value for money, whilst ensuring that our dishes are “up-to-the-minute”.”
SI: Patrick Kempf, could you tell us about some of the creations you have made during your career? Do you have a particularly successful recipe? Do you and Roman Iltis have a favourite food and wine combination?
P.K.: “The wine list changes with the seasons. For example, I like dishes such as Fish Schnack (fish snail), with a Pike and Trout stuffing, whole cooked kidneys served with roasted shallots, stuffed duck’s neck… In Februar we began organising themed evenings once a month, with tasting menus created to accompany wines; the average price is 65 Euros per menu. Each event (which caters for 45 people) is full. In September our theme will be Port wine.”
SI: Tell us about your aims for the years to come
R.I.: “First of all, I would like to win the competition for “France’s Best Sommelier”! It represents a great deal of theory preparation and blind tasting in front of a camera, for example … I am currently practising tasting eaux-de-vie and learning about local produce, by visiting distilleries in Alsace.”
P.K.: “I am keen to ensure that prices do not rise too much. This implies working differently with produce to draw the very best from each one. Our most expensive menu is priced at 50 Euros; we always propose fillet of beef, fish, Lobster and foie gras…”
SI: Romain Iltis, tell us about your projects and activities with the UDSF?
R.I.: “I take part, as much as possible, in the Association’s activities and I am involved in training apprentices. There are plenty of projects…”
P.K.: “We wish to ensure the future of the ‘Verte Vallée’ by renovating a building to set up a new restaurant, which would incorporate a cookery school. This will enable us to maintain our lead regionally.”
CFN
Hôtel-restaurant Verte Vallée
10 rue Alfred HARTMANN
BP 70
68140 MUNSTER, France
Tél. : +33 (0) 3 89 77 15 15
Fax : +33 (0) 3 89 77 17 40
http://www.vertevallee.com/
E-mail
Read : Les vins d’Alsace à l’honneur à Munster
