Growing up in the Saxon countryside in the Ore Mountains, Marie Gerber wants for nothing in Andermatt, Switzerland. She feels at home even when the small community is sometimes cut off from the rest of the world for days at a time in winter. On her days off, The Chedi Andermatt bar manager enjoys the "dreamlike mountains". Less on skis, more relaxing in company, with culinary delights and sunshine in the mountain and ski huts.
On city trips or short stays in Zurich, the young barmaid visits other bars and colleagues and recharges her batteries in the wellness areas of the hotels. Immediately after graduating from high school ten years ago, the 28-year-old completed her training as a restaurant specialist at the Tyrolean vocational school for tourism in Absam.
After that, Marie Gerber moved to the five-star hotel industry in Kitzbühel in Tyrol and southern Burgenland. She passes through all areas of the upscale hotel landscape and "licks blood for the bar".
Arrived professionally at The Chedi
In the summer of 2016, Gerber started at The Chedi Andermatt, where she feels she has arrived professionally. "Here I started from scratch again and annoyed my former bosses Jason Knüsel and Wolfgang Mayer to no end".
Many underestimate the work in the hotel bar and would rather be creative and mix.
Marie Gerber
Gerber, who has only worked in the five-star hotel industry and its bars, finds: "Many underestimate the work in the hotel bar, preferring to be creative and mix. That works in a small bar, but not in a hotel bar. My passion here is the mix of creativity and service".
The work pressure in the Luxury Mountain Hotel doesn't bother the young woman, who prefers to keep herself to herself. "I need this pressure and the diversity of a big hotel. It never gets boring here and I love the contrast between luxurious madness and small mountain village".
In the position of bar manager, which she has held since December 2018, she is not only responsible for managing the hotel bar with around 500 spirits or creating signature drinks. The administration of the duty rosters and schedules, training courses and events, the lobby, terrace, tea and wine service and the Cigar Library with over 400 cigars are all under her care.
A star in the bar alone does nothing.
Marie Gerber
"This is only possible with a strong team of different characters who are also interested in different areas and products. A puzzle of such people is extremely important. A star in the bar alone brings nothing".
With her team, she creates anything but run-of-the-mill cocktails, surprises event and business guests with exclusive aperitifs, creates syrups and, in collaboration with the kitchen, designs flying lunches for 360 guests with food from several stations. "I love mastering things in big teams and when everyone is on fire for the cause". With over 100 items, The Chedi Andermatt has one of the largest European sake collections.
Varied signature drinks
Marie Gerber's "Yama" cocktail with red rice sake, rhum, elderflower liqueur, blackberries and a homemade foie gras praline is just one signature drink with sake that the bar team pays special attention to.
"We create the summer and winter menus on selected themes as a team, we can and do everything, but the guest decides. We are therefore pleased that our house cocktails are mostly requested," says the hostess of The Cigar Library. The cigar lover prepared and expanded the walk-in humidor with the support of the management.
Especially here and sometimes in men's circles, she initially encounters startled faces when she appears as a "small and reserved woman" in her role as hostess of the cigar lounge. "It's changing, but sometimes I'm looked down upon," says Gerber, who sees unpleasant guests more as a challenge to make them happy.
Valuable participation in competitions
The former table tennis player in the German competitive squad with a coaching licence already knows competition fever from her youth. She is also experienced, networked and well-known in the bar business: 2nd Swiss finalist of the Havana Club Grand Prix 2020, runner-up at the Swiss World Class Finals 2019 or Swiss Bar Awards 2018 and many others.
She is always happy only after the competition - about the valuable experience, the networking and about growing out of herself, coming out of her shell and increased self-confidence. "Before, I feel bad," knows the young lady, who now plays table tennis far too rarely.
In return, she pushes her bar team to participate in and prepare for valuable competitions: "You are never ready. Only when you've done it, but then better than expected.
This article appeared in
Issue 2-2020
BAR NEWS magazine as single issue
