Bernd Fabian

The Gourmetstübli feels inviting. Plenty of Swiss stone pine, paired with modern furnishings. Comfortable leather armchairs, artworks, paintings by Rudolf Mirer. You instantly feel at home at La Miranda, which seats a maximum of ten guests. In this intimate, family-style setting, Chef Bernd Fabian serves his renowned «Menu surprise». Regional flavours meet French-Mediterranean compositions. Creative, experimental and prepared with utmost precision. Three to five courses that engage all the senses – cooking at the highest level.

The Gault Millau restaurant critics see and taste it the same way. Once again, they have awarded Bernd Fabian 17 points and 4 toques. This makes La Miranda in Samnaun one of the top restaurants in the canton of Graubünden. «II’ve always wanted to work in fine dining, and I enjoy being in the spotlight,» says the Vorarlberg native. «It's important to me that people know who is cooking for them. I value the contact with guests, and I appreciate it when praise and criticism are shared in person.»

The Michelin-starred chef inspires with his creative cuisine not only at La Miranda. That’s just one of four restaurants at Chasa Montana. The gastronomic centrepiece is La Serena, where the half-board guests of the 5-star superior hotel are pampered. Bernd and his kitchen team create up to eleven courses for guests to choose from. A pinch of «surprise» is also part of the concept here. The menu often only lists the ingredients: Salmon fillet with fennel, pear, barley, lemon balm. The refined combinations and textures that result from this remain a secret for the time being.

La Pasta and La Grotta also offer excellent dining. The former is a traditional Italian restaurant and pizzeria, the latter an exquisite fondue and raclette parlour. Here, you can eat casually and at reasonable prices while still enjoying a taste of haute cuisine. The pizzas are baked «alla napoletana» – with a high, crispy crust.

Bernd is responsible for all four restaurants and around 21 employees. At 48, he’s got his hands full: Creating menus, placing orders, recruiting staff, planning assignments, instructing teams and, of course, preparing food. «I enjoy going to work every day because I love what I do. Cooking is my life. I've experienced so many wonderful things and met great people.»

Passion, coupled with strong leadership and organisational skills: these are qualities that the Hotel Director Daniel Eisner also appreciates. «Bernd is incredible. He never forgets anything, even though he has to keep an eye on four restaurants. An absolute professional with a big heart –and with edges.»

It sizzles and hisses in the state-of-the-art kitchen at Chasa Montana, the smell of fresh herbs fills the air. Rösti spin through the air and land safely back in the pan. Dispensers with paper towels are always to hand so that grease splashes and drips can be wiped away immediately. Everything is always spotless and nothing escapes the chef's attentive eye. Bernd radiates calm and authority. At the same time, he’s laid-back, wears trendy sneakers and proudly shows his tattooed forearms. His instructions are brief, often a nod or eye contact is enough.

Growing up in Dornbirn, Bernd Fabian first trained as a carpenter and then as a chef. He showed his talent and ambition early on in apprentice competitions. He says of himself: «I've always had a big mouth, but I also realised that success takes hard work.» After his apprenticeship, he cooked in renowned restaurants in Austria, Germany and South Tyrol.

One major influence along the way was Martin Sieberer, an 18-point chef and head chef at Trofana Royal in Ischgl. After working under his guidance, Bernd knew: that’s exactly what I want – to cook at the top level as a head chef. To reach that goal, he often moved to glamorous mountain destinations like Lech, where he met his wife, or St. Moritz, his last stop before Samnaun.

He originally only wanted to stay at Chasa Montana for one summer season, but his wife immediately liked Samnaun: the personal village atmosphere, the unspoilt nature, the many sports opportunities, the proximity to Austria. So they stayed.

A good decision, because this is where Bernd's career really took off. In his very first year as head chef, he earned 15 Gault&Millau points and his first Michelin star. He has twice been named Chef of the Month by Gault Millau. His cuisine, which he describes as Austrian with Mediterranean and French influences, is now awarded 17 points.

By the way: Chasa Montana's wine cellar is also more than impressive. With around 2000 labels from all around the world, it is the largest in the Engadin. 1500 wines are on the menu and a further 500 are maturing to perfection. Thomas Monsberger, a qualified sommelier, keeps the overview and always recommends perfect pairing.

Bernd has now been cooking at Chasa Montana for ten years. He and his wife feel very much at home here and have started a family. Their daughters are three and four years old. Samnaun is a great place to raise children. Close to nature. Little traffic. A safe, wonderful, idyllic corner of the world.

Bernd also loves being able to head out the door and disappear into nature’s silence just minutes later. He often hikes toward the Muttler, up for an hour and back. «There’s not enough time to reach the summit during my lunch break. But at least once each summer, I make time to reach the top. It’s incredible up there.»

Having kids has made him more balanced. «I had to learn to take a step back. Awards are nice, but they don’t benefit my family directly.» That’s why Bernd now takes more days off to be there for his loved ones.

Family and friends are important to him. «Because good relationships are what make life worth living». That’s also why he likes working at Chasa Montana, which has always kept its family-style charm. Bernd appreciates the friendly work atmosphere and the easy-going exchange with guests, the Zegg owner family, and the host couple Eisner.

In 2022, the magnificent house was completely renovated. A significant portion of the investment went into energy efficiency. Thanks to sophisticated heat recovery and other measures, heating oil consumption was reduced by 80%. Since June 2023, the 5-star superior hotel has been part of the Swisstainable sustainability program by Switzerland Tourism. A responsible HR policy and regional sourcing in gastronomy are key criteria. Another example is how meat is handled – Bernd likes to process it «nose to tail» right in the house.

Even in private life, the star chef enjoys standing at the stove to cook something special for his children or friends. Bernd doesn’t have a favorite dish. «It depends on the place and the mood. Sometimes, Käsespätzle or Wiener schnitzel with potato salad is the best meal in the world, sometimes it’s lobster with caviar. The beauty of gastronomy is its variety.»

Video: OnAir AG, Bilder: Dominik Täuber.