Gstaad Palace chef Franz Faeh retires after 49 years

Franz Faeh, the longtime head chef at the five-star Gstaad Palace hotel, has retired at the age of 65 after nearly five decades in the world’s top hotel kitchens, SRF reported. Known for his dry humour and direct manner on the SRF documentary series Inside Gstaad Palace, Faeh became a favourite with viewers.

“I’m very happy,” Faeh said of his retirement. “After 49 years in this business, you’ve had enough. I can stop at the high point. What more could you want?”

From Palace apprentice to private royal chef

Faeh’s career began where it ended. In 1978, the native of Saanen trained as a chef at the Gstaad Palace, where his father and grandfather had worked as the hotel’s photographers.

He had initially wanted to become a ski racer, but said he was not good enough. Cooking then became his passion. After completing his training, he worked in leading kitchens operated by the Regent group in Hong Kong, Singapore, Bangkok and Jakarta. He also spent several years as a private chef for Thailand’s royal family.

After returning to Switzerland, Faeh worked in St Moritz and Murten before coming back to Gstaad 10 years ago. Hotel director Andrea Scherz hired him as head chef. Faeh earned 16 Gault Millau points, was named Chef of the Year and was admitted to the Culinary Merits of Switzerland, an exclusive group of distinguished chefs.

Luca Gatti takes over

Faeh’s retirement will leave a significant gap at the hotel, Scherz said, particularly because of the chef’s close relationships with guests. The hotel has appointed Luca Gatti as his successor. The Italian-born chef has worked at the Palace for 20 years and was most recently Faeh’s deputy as executive sous-chef.

Faeh said that his demanding career had left little time for his family. He has been married twice and has an adult daughter. “If you choose the path I chose, there is a danger that you don’t see your family as number one,” he said. He now realises that family is more important than the business.

Faeh has also found a new partner. The couple grew up together and recently moved into a larger apartment in Gstaad. The new home gives him space for the cookbooks he had to clear out of his office at the hotel.

Since officially retiring a few days ago, Faeh has been enjoying a slower pace of life. He looks forward to spending more time with his partner and his dog, Enzo, and to skiing again in winter. He has also received several requests to speak at companies, including about leadership culture, a subject he learned about during his years in Asia.

A book about Faeh, titled Franz Faeh. Palace retour, was published in spring 2026. Written by Reto Wilhelm, it combines Faeh’s biography and anecdotes with recipes rather than following the format of a traditional cookbook.