An interview with Swiss Master Baker Chef Willy Graf, who recently spoke to Food & Wine Magazine in Nepal. Mr. Graf has accumulated 11 international gold medals through his finest craftsmanship in bakery and chocolate arts in his near about 5 decades of career and has worked in leading hotels around the world and awarded for the same. Mr. Graf has not only worked together with leading celebrity chefs that includes internationally renowned names such as Anton Mosimann, Henery Haller and Kato Makoto, he has also leaded the most prestigious presidential banquet for John F. Kennedy, the former president of the US. We are glad to share his life long wisdom and tips for successful career.

Mr. Willy Graf, a legendary Swiss chef who has been working at GATE – Global Academy of Tourism & Hospitality Education, a Swiss School affiliate hotel management college located in Mandikhatar, Kathmandu – Nepal. Mr. Graf is sent by the Swiss government funded global project named Swiss Contacts.

F&W: Mr. Graf would you tell us what inspired you to get into this career?

WG: In fact, I was first inspired by my mother, who always baked and made interesting stuff at home and my uncle used to run a bakery in my hometown- St. Gallen (Switzerland). When I was a little kid, I was always fascinated to try different cakes, chocolates and cookies and the best way to do so was to help my uncles with his work that gave me first hand exposure and insight of this profession and helped me make decision to enroll to the baking course and culinary career.



F&W: Would you tell us little bit about your career background?

WG: Before I started my international traveling and shows, my longest service year has been with one of the most famous hotels in Swiss capital town Bern, named - Bellevue hotel where I spent 34 years of my life and actually this is where I met a young Japanese Chef Kato Makoto, who is now president of Japanese Culinary Association who later on inspired me to get out of Switzerland and share my expertise worldwide. I also worked in Victoria hotel in Swiss holiday corner Jungfrau, Hotel Regina and the Palace Hotel in Luzern.


F&W: How did you pick up international career again?

WG: As fate has it, I was approached by the National Tourism Office of Switzerland to travel Japan and to participate for Swiss culinary week at Hotel Imperial, a famous hotel in Tokyo. What amazed me was that my colleague, Kato Makato who worked with me in Bellevue was the Chef there and it had already been 25 years since he left Switzerland, this event immediately connected me to Switzerland.


When I returned back from Japan, I was already noticed by the Swiss culinary association which requested me to do various presentations time to time and I was already attending various national level culinary competitions and attending seminars. In the meantime, Mr Anton Mosimann, presently world famous celebrity chef who was working at that time in hotel Dorchester - London chooses me to do the pastry demonstration for his hotel and his school in London. That was another big thing for me.

F&W: What About your gold medals, where did you win them?
WG: My first gold medal winning job started back in 1970 which was an international culinary competition held in Frankfurt, Germany. The event was International exhibition in culinary arts which later on was being held in various international cities, such as Vienna and St. Gallen.

F&W: What about your international experiences in other countries?

WG: I Traveled in Saudi Arabia twice to work for AL Gosaibi, a reputed hotel owned by Royal family, four times in Argentina Claritzes hotel, twice in Boston (Swiss hotel), where I worked for special banquet and ceremonies for JF Kennedy family. I worked in Java – Indonesia, Costa Rica, and Nepal to revamp the largest dairy of named Nepal Dairy.

F&W: What is your unforgettable moment of your career?

WG: I was one of the invitees in a grand farewell party of Chef Hennery Haller who was retired from his service from White House after working for 30 years, a truly talented celebrity chef. The most important part of the event was the banquet was held in Bellevue palace, and 600 talented chefs from all over the world were gathered in one place, it was recognition of their work, and I was part of it, I still have the special jacket given to all of us.

F&W: Now the research says that sugar is cancer feeder, and you are dealing with chocolates and tons of sugar, what do you say about it?

WG: I have been enjoying sweets and chocolates through out my life and I still maintain 68 kg weight, I do not have any health problems.. Its easy to blame something else for not doing right thing. Health problems are associated with so many things, eating right, balance your stress, exercises are involved. I think, the most important thing is that you need to distinguish between use and abuse.. too much of anything is not good.

F&W: What about the alternative for those who can not consume sugar due to the health problems also that the sugar alternatives are not healthy as they say?

WG: There are enough alternatives; they can enjoy sugar free cookies, sugarless fruits, vegetables. You can find thousands recipe. About alternative sugar, which is basically a chemical, I am not the doctor, but I think if you use in moderate level this should not cause problem. However, following natural substances is always the best solution.



F&W: What is the secret of your success?

WG: The foundation of culinary success: It involves hard-work, you need to learn to be accurate, and have attitude not to stop learning. A new idea, creativity is the number one essence and what you must not forget is share your knowledge with others, it only grows.

F&W: Would you like to share your experience in Nepal?

WG: I am glad to learn that Nepalese are friendly, climate is very good and I must admit that I am addicted to Nepali cuisine, it is the best. You have all kinds of Vegetable and your cooking is less greasy and as we are so used to eat Continental food, they put too much fat which is no good for health. My favorite dine out in Kathmandu is Krishnarpan Restaurant in Dwarika’s hotel, which is simply outstanding, the best of one can imagine.

I recently traveled to Pokhara which is pristine clean, magical landscape quite similar to Switzerland but something very different is undeveloped, untouched and unexplored nature, tropical fruits, very high potential for tourism. My trekking was hot, perhaps I picked the wrong season to trek..:)

F&W: How did you find the level of Nepalese students who choose hospitality career?

WG: The future looks promising in Nepal. But what must be understood is the Basic knowledge should be acquired first. The GATE students are very trainable, they are very positive I think most Nepalese learn better by doing. I am happy for Nepal that college like GATE is opening and they are sharing the knowledge with industry. I was invited by Dwarika’s hotel and had opportunity to share my knowledge with the chefs this is very positive move, we should always share what we have.

F&W: Any message for those who wish to succeed in culinary career?

WG: Never stop learning...even if the result is not good, you must detect the mistake, but never give up , try again and again… one day you will master. People fail when they stop thinking, not because of making mistakes.

tags: chefs, celebrity-chef, willy-graf, swiss, switzerland, master-baker, talent-jungle, people, interviews, GATE, nepal, kathmandu, hotels, hospitality, travel, education, tourism, school, college, academy