From 2 dining-spots in Montreux, Maison Décotterd & Pont de Brent, only one remained:

On our Montreux stay, my husband and I had dinner at both Michelin starred restaurants in town. This is about Restaurant Maison Décotterd and Restaurant Pont de Brent. We did so on our 14-day trip through north Italy and west Switzerland. Montreux was our last stop and we had to celebrate not only the end of a great journey but also a special birthday. So we splurged a last time before heading home. Yet we did so all along the trip – we “accumulated “eight Michelin stars in total!

In the meantime, there is only one left from these two Michelin starred dining-spots in Montreux, and this is Maison Décotterd. Pont de Brent on the other hand went bankrupt at the beginning of November 2023. Notwithstanding that, I will go into both establishments, although differently. Before doing so, first to the itinerary of our “gourmet journey”.

14-day itinerary through north Italy and west Switzerland

The start of our trip – that was not “only” destined to dining in style – , was in South Tyrol in Italy’s northernmost district. Here we lodged first in the Merano area. Then we continued to the Bolzano region where we headed to the Sarentino valley. Next was Lake Garda, precisely the small town of Gardone Riviera on its southwestern shore. Check out where we stayed and dined in style on Italy’s biggest lake. And last – as mentioned – , we were in Montreux in west Switzerland.

If you are wondering which hotel we chose for our Montreux stay, we revisited one that we already knew from a stay in 2021. It is about Hotel Victoria in Glion, high above Montreux (see my post). And it is only a few minutes by foot away from one of the mentioned Michelin starred restaurants in Montreux we went, Maison Décotterd.

1. Restaurant Maison Décotterd in Glion/Montreux

About

This restaurant in Montreux is awarded not only one Michelin star – it even used to have two of them – , it also has 18 points in the Gault Millau guide. Last time when we stayed in the area (in 2021), it was at another location. And funnily enough, it was housed in the other dining spot I am going to write about, Restaurant Pont de Brent.

But first things first. Restaurant Pont de Brent used to be one of few three-star Michelin dining-spots in Switzerland. At the time, it was helmed by Gérard Rabaey, who still owns the it. Stéphane Décotterd, who now is the chef at Maison Décotterd, was his sous chef of many years. When the three-star Michelin chef retired, he handed over the restaurant to his sous chef. For ten long years, Stéphane Décotterd worked at Pont de Brent before he moved to Glion in fall 2021, to the surprise of many. And this to a much bigger establishment than before.

The change of location brought him not only luck. In contrast to his earlier place of work where he had two Michelin stars, Maison Décotterd was “only” awarded one of those. And also in the time to follow, the rating stayed unchanged.

What to expect at Maison Décotterd?

Maison Décotterd is housed in the buildings of the Glion hospitality management school, and the setting could not been much nicer. From here you have the most fantastic views of Lake Geneva and mountains.

At Maison Décotterd, you find not only the gourmet dining spot, Restaurant Stéphane Décotterd, but also the Bistro

and the Lounge Bar.

In the following, it is about the former only.

Restaurant Stéphane Décotterd is a gorgeous place for dining in style. Not only the vista is impressive, the same is true for the service brigade. But I think they can benefit from the in-house students. We were welcomed in the most perfect manner and asked whether we wanted to go straight to our table or to the Lounge Bar first. We opted for the latter, yet I think it would be better to head to your table right away in order to take in the views as soon as possible. Anyway, the setting is elegant indeed, at both spots.

Food wise, you have to decide between the tasting menu or the à la carte option. The former consists of nine courses at 285 SFR/US$. Alternatively, you can have it with seven courses at SFR 215/US$. In case you go for à la carte, starters cost between 57 and 80 SFR/US$, seafood from 63 to 85 SFR/US$ and meat between 90 and 105 SFR/US$. You can also order mains for two, Wagyu for 315 SFR/US$ or – by prior reservation – dry aged duck for 195 SFR/US$. Cheese and dessert dishes amount to 35 SFR/US$ each.

How was it?

The setting at Maison Décotterd is hard to beat, both as to the dining room and to the views. Service was generally good yet not outstanding. Twice we had to look out for the sommelier to top our wine glasses. Otherwise, they were courteous and informative. After dinner, the chef himself did the tour to greet his guests, which is always a good thing.

With regard to food, the chef has not been relying on luxury products just as lobster or foie for quite some years. Instead, he is focusing on regional and seasonal fare. We got a delightfully balanced series of artfully composed dishes that were a feast for the tastebuds. One fish course, a local Fera, which was tender and flavorful, was prepared tableside. Only the praline that came with the veal chiffonnade was not to my liking (braised meat and truffles, I suppose). I found it undefinable and a bit tough.

The desserts, for which Christophe Loeffel is responsible, deserve a special mention. He is courageous enough to do unusual combinations of flavors. In addition, he has a knack for fresh creations. This is evident in the second dessert, where he paired Granny Smith apple with Crème Double and dill.

As to the sweet things, we got petit fours before and after the desserts, a first for me!

2. Restaurant Pont de Brent in Brent/Montreux

I was sad to hear the news that the young couple running Restaurant Pont de Brent since mid 2022 did not make it. Yet, I hate to say that it did not come as a surprise to me. Of course, it is easy to make judgments once an event has already happened. But my husband and I had a clouded impression of the dinner we had here almost two months before it closed down.

My reporting about Restaurant Pont de Brent is divided into two parts. First, I will go into the young couple’s story at this dining-spot to some extent. Second, there will be details about our dining experience here.

Antoine Gonnet and Amandine Pivault at Restaurant Pont de Brent

Part I: the start

After the departure of Stéphane Decotterd at Restaurant Pont de Brent, Gérard Rabeaey, owner and former three-star Michelin chef here, went on a search for a new chef. And he found a young couple for his small house, starting in June 2022. This was about Antoine Gonnet, chef, and Amandine Pivault, host. The young couple had worked at a tiny place before, Restaurant Le 42 in Champéry. Under their regime, it got a Michelin star.

And it seems that they started successfully at Pont de Brent. Already in fall 2022, this restaurant in Montreux received a Michelin star. And the Gault Millau guide awarded 17 points to the dining-spot as a starter. From what is now known (interview with Gault-Millau), the first half year was promising with lots of guests.

Part II: the decline

In 2023, it became clear that the number of regulars was lower than expected. After the initial curiosity, the interest of the clientele waned. At the end, they served 200 meals less per month than in the previous year. The young couple thinks that they made the mistake of investing too much, too quickly, in both equipment and staff (a team of 5 chefs). And so, the judge finally declared bankruptcy on the third of November, 2023.

In the meantime, both have new jobs. This time the couple is in an employment relationship. And they are back at the spot where they came from, the Illiez valley. Their comeback however is not about gaining stars and points in the first place. And this is because they work now in a more modest establishment (Winstub at the Peanut Mountain Lodge).

Dinner experience at Pont de Brent

In order to have dinner at this Michelin starred restaurant in Montreux, we had to make a deposit of 100 SFR/US$ to secure our reservation. I did not wonder too much about this procedure at the time. No shows definitely seem to be at problem at restaurants nowadays! On our arrival (a Thursday evening), I was astonished to see that the place was far from being full, only four tables were occupied. From the beginning, we felt not really comfortable at Pont de Brent. Both the host and another staff member seemed somewhat reserved. It made the impression of tension in the air.

When I later heard about the bankruptcy, the scales fell from my eyes. I realized then what had been going on when we had dinner here. They already were at a low point at the time! And we had noticed it on an unconscious level. Be it as it may, the evening proceeded in the usual manner. We marveled at the fresh and merry design of the dining-spot. When it came to what to order, we opted for the smaller menu (5 courses for 170 SFR/US$).

The bigger menu had two courses more (210 SFR/US$).

In terms of food, I can only say positive things. Each dish was bursting with flavor and cooked to perfection. I especially liked the tomato mussel variation

and the main course, beef paired with plum and Szechuan pepper.

And everything was arranged nicely, often on more than one plate. Having said that, the portions were rather small. In addition, neither an amuse bouche nor a pre-dessert were served. We had to feast on the tasty bread in order to get enough. But in this respect, Pont de Brent is not really an exception.

Overall Michelin starred restaurants in Montreux

While Maison Décotterd met our (high) expectations in most aspects, Pont de Brent did not. Of course, you cannot necessarily compare these two Michelin starred restaurants in Montreux. Whereas the former is a sophisticated establishment with lots of space, elegant interiors and splendid views, the latter is somewhat more modest. It is smaller and there is something more rural about it, despite its rather contemporary look.

On our visit, Pont de Brent was convincing food wise. There was nothing to complain about whatsoever. Everything was perfect. As to the service, it was more complicated. At first sight, it was without fault or blame. But something important was missing, it lacked dedication. I now think that was due to the difficult situation they were in. Probably, they had already given up, I cannot know.

The same is true when it comes to the question why it did not work out with Antoine Gonnet and Amandine Pivault at Pont de Brent. Did they want too much? Or were they not experienced enough? Did the former regulars go with Stéphane Décotterd to his new place? Be it as it may, it is always sad seeing talented people fail. But the restaurant business is a hard one, today more than ever.

Date of visit: September 2023

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