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A new star rises
For many years the traditional
restaurant “Goldener Stern” was
a classic fixture in the old town
of Lucerne. During the past two
years the venue has been comprehensively
refurbished and somewhat
rejuvenated. Still, the house
remains true to its origins and
continues to hold high the values
of cosiness and quaint familiarity,
just as the loyal guests would
expect from this typical Swiss inn.
When the house originally opened
in 1300, directly adjacent to one of
the city gates, nobody would have
probably guessed that also 712 years
later people would still come to the
same site for beer or a glass of wine.
Indeed it was one of the very first
restaurants in medieval Lucerne.
Back then, as now, “parking spaces“
were quite important for the guests,
though naturally of a different kind.
Several horse stables were near to
the inn and proved to be an excellent
source of revenue. Many different
tradesmen set up shop by the
city gate and offered their services.
When one walks across the Franziskanerplatz
– the large square in
that part of the old town – one still
can feel a bit of this medieval flair
today, even though very few traditional
trade shops remain. As the
centuries progressed, the house
went along with the times, though
never really changing dramatically.
In 1524 the venue was formally des-
ignated as a wine pub, limiting it
to the sale of wine, while from
1655 dates the first written record
describing the “Goldener Stern” as
an actual inn, a place where guests
were also accommodated. 100 years
later the building was partially reconstructed,
taking the shape which
it has kept to this day. Despite of its
centuries of history, it wasn’t until
1964 that the building was formally
designated as a historic site, together
with much of the old town.
Turning back time
In winter 2011/2012 Tavolago AG
commissioned the careful renovation
of the first and second floor.
The construction work unearthed
old stone walls and wooden support
beams, which the architects decided
to restore and tastefully accentuate
within the building’s interior. Features
of the old staircase have also
been made more prominent and the
materials of the new objects in the
house have been carefully chosen to
match the building’s rich history. As
such, most of the new furniture is
made from massive wood and was
produced by a local carpentry shop
in Lucerne. The good, old “Stern”
has received a gentle, modern touch.
A genuine inn
An authentic inn is neither a noble
gourmet restaurant, nor a run-down
tavern. It is a simple restaurant with
a cosy atmosphere and a familiar
ambience. A place where people
spontaneously meet, eat, drink and
feel well. “We really care about the
building’s historical background,
therefore we wanted to highlight
and accentuate its character as a
typical inn”, says Özgür Keles, the
architect. René Amrein, the second
generation owner of the building is
pleased with the results: “After we
refurbished the hotel rooms last
year, it was really time to rejuvenate
tavoLago
the restaurant.” Amrein is happy
to have found a top-notch catering
partner with Tavolago AG, the SGV
subsidiary. “A new caterer always
represents a new beginning and as
such also brings with it new opportunities”,
says Amrein. Samuel
Vörös, the managing director of
Tavolago, however, does not want to
completely re-invent the wheel. “It is
really important to respect the history
of the house, not just in terms
of the architecture, but also with
regards to the culinary concept. We
want it to be a pleasant place with
modern food, of Swiss origin.” Vörös
continues: “Aside from delightful
delicacies from the kitchen and fine
wines from the cellar, what really
makes the difference is the catering
staff on the frontline.” Therefore
Vörös is proud to have found Remo
Dattilo as the new restaurant manager.
Having earned his wings by
working for Swiss gourmet chef Andreas
Caminada, Dattilo relishes his
new assignment at the “Stern”. He
remarks: “I look forward to this new
challenge in such a traditional
house. We want to treat all of our
guests and it will be exciting to welcome
so many international visitors.”
Indeed, as the 14 guest rooms
of the “Stern” will also re-open together
with the restaurant, many
tourists from out-of-town may find
comfortable accommodation right in
the heart of historic Lucerne. When
they do arrive, Remo Dattilo will be
sure welcome them with a warm
smile and a bottle of wine, if they
wish.
re-opening of the restaurant
and the hotel: 2–3 april 2012
Stern Luzern
Hotel & Restaurant
Burgerstrasse 35, CH-6003 Luzern
Tel. +41 (0)41 227 50 60
info@sternluzern.ch
www.sternluzern.ch
Bordmagazin 41