Dishing Jackson Hole: Swiss Peak Brings a Taste of the Alps to Jackson Hole
October 19 2023 – Oliver Gerspacher
Traditional Swiss offerings are new to Teton Village this winter.
What’s more alpine than an evening of raclette after a cold, snowy day in the hills?
If you’re already familiar with the beloved Swiss dish, you’ll be excited to learn that Swiss native Olivier Gerspacher is bringing authentic raclette and fondue to the Tetons. If you’re unfamiliar, well, you’re in for a treat.
Gerspacher, owner of Swiss Peak, arrived in Jackson this fall with a curated selection of imported Swiss cheeses and traditional cooking tools. Four nights a week this winter, Gerspacher is cooking for guests at the Alpenhof as the visiting chef, serving up authentic raclette and fondue in Teton Village.
A Swiss native and culinary expert, Gerspacher came to Jackson looking to share some of what his home region is known for. “I had always wanted to come back to the U.S. and I was looking for a spot like Valais [Switzerland]. The Tetons felt the closest, with these peaks you don’t find in other ski areas,” he says. “There is a similar mentality from the people like in Switzerland and with the cowboy heritage I thought it would be the perfect place to bring this cheese.”
While fondue is more common in the U.S., raclette is a more novel experience. Raclette cheese—which is made in the Alps from milk from cows who graze at high altitude—is heated to a gentle, smooth melt and scraped from onto the guest’s dish, often with potatoes and other vegetables. And of course, it’s always paired with a dry white wine.
If you want the tools to prepare your own raclette, Swiss Peak recently opened a small boutique in the Alpenhof, with tools to cook raclette and fondue available for purchase brought over directly from Switzerland.
“It’s the perfect dish for winter,” Gerspacher adds. “It’s the only place in Jackson where you can get cheese like this, and it’s prepared by a Swiss guy.”
Guests can make a reservation at the Alpenhof for a raclette or fondue dining experience with Swiss Peak Thursday through Sunday (Gerspacher recommends calling first to confirm), or reach out to Gerspacher for private catering events.
Full article found here.