Philippe Rochat

Swiss chef

Biography

Philippe Rochat (1953-2015) was a Swiss chef who ran the restaurant of L'Hôtel de Ville in Crissier, near Lausanne, for many years. His name is linked to Switzerland's fine-dining scene in the late twentieth and early twenty-first centuries, when the country's cuisine was working to establish its own identity within Europe.

The restaurant had previously been led by Frédy Girardet, another central figure of Swiss cooking, and Rochat carried on that tradition of high standards. The restaurant earned three Michelin stars, the guide's highest distinction, and in 2009 it ranked 16th in Restaurant magazine's list of the World's 50 Best Restaurants.

His personal life was marked by tragedy: his wife, marathon runner Franziska Rochat-Moser, died in an avalanche in 2002. Rochat died on 8 July 2015, aged 61, after fainting while riding his bicycle. His legacy lies mainly in the restaurant he led and in the reputation of high-level Swiss cooking.

Key contributions

• Leadership of the restaurant of L'Hôtel de Ville in Crissier, which held three Michelin stars.
• Continuity of a high-level cuisine begun there under Frédy Girardet.
• International recognition, with 16th place in Restaurant magazine's World's 50 Best Restaurants list in 2009.