A unique story
in the world
1955
Benjamin Girardet
1955-1965
In 1955, Benjamin Girardet, then Chef de Cuisine at the Central Bellevue restaurant in Lausanne, decided, with his wife Georgette, to take over the Hôtel de Ville café in Crissier, his native village. Their ambition was to offer classic cuisine featuring local specialties. After Benjamin's death in 1965, their son Frédy Girardet took over the running of the establishment, transforming the communal café into an internationally renowned gourmet restaurant.
1965
Frédy Girardet
1965-1996
In 1965, after his death, his son Frédy Girardet decided to take over the management and kitchens.
The young chef, who had embarked on a career as a typographer, describes his culinary triumph on the day of a meal at the Troisgros brothers' home in Roanne, Loire. “A shock, a revelation. Everything suddenly seemed transparent. I was discovering the importance of my profession: as a gourmet, almost a magician.”
Inspired by this new kind of cuisine, which shakes up codes without forgetting their foundations, he in turn developed a refined, precise, spontaneous style, based on a golden rule: never more than three flavors on the plate. Benoît Violier said of him: “Monsieur Girardet had a genius for pairing. He was extremely rigorous, but also capable of brilliant improvisation.” This cooking philosophy will forever leave its mark on the Restaurant's various Chefs.
1996
Philippe Rochat
1996-2012
Philippe Rochat began his career as a chef in 1972. His career was marked by a 6-year stint in Zurich at the Savoy Baur en Ville and the Baur du Lac.
On July 1, 1980, he began working for Frédy Girardet. He held every position before being appointed Chef de Cuisine in 1989.
In 1995, he married marathon runner Franziska Rochat-Moser, with whom he ran the restaurant until 2002.
Another personality, another style, Philippe Rochat nevertheless remains faithful to his mentor's values and works around the “three flavors” rule, trying to achieve “invisible perfection”, in his words.
2012
Benoît Violier
2012-2016
Benoît Violier had prepared the takeover of Maison Crissier with Philippe Rochat, working upstream for several years to ensure that it went as smoothly as possible. Together, the two collaborators and friends supervised the renovation of the restaurant's kitchens, just before the handover.
The only one of its kind in the world, it was designed entirely by and for the restaurant's chefs. The teams work here in maximum cohesion, under ideal conditions (temperatures, suction, intelligent circulation, energy recovery).
2016
Franck Giovannini
2016
Franck Giovannini takes over as head chef, with Brigitte Violier keen to give him complete freedom to write his own story, as her triple-starred predecessors have done. In October 2016, the Michelin Guide awarded the Restaurant 3 Stars, and Gault-Millau gave it a score of 19/20.
The Restaurant then declared “October 2016, a month full of emotions and awards for the restaurant at the Hôtel de Ville in Crissier. It's the story of a family that does everything in its power to maintain excellence and provides its customers with an exceptional gastronomic experience. It's the work of a fabulous kitchen team, led by Franck Giovannini, and an extraordinary front-of-house team. A daily routine driven by passion and a love of perfection.”
Since Frédy Girardet, the Restaurant de l'Hôtel de Ville has consistently maintained its 3 stars and 19 Gault & Millau points.
More than ever, the Maison Crissier continues to forge its history...
