I had a complete fangirl moment the other night. No, I didn’t meet Taylor Swift or J.K Rowling. I didn’t meet Damien Hirst or Barack Obama. It was better. I met Yotam Ottolenghi, the Israeli-born, London-based chef.
Commonly known by his last name only (as is appropriate for a culinary superstar who has built an empire and acquired a cult following), Ottolenghi just opened his first restaurant outside of the UK. And lucky for us, it’s in Geneva. Not Paris, not New York, not Singapore, not even Zurich. Geneva.
Situated within the Mandarin Oriental Geneva, this new restaurant redefines the luxury hotel dining experience. Gone are the traditional white tablecloths and hushed atmospheres that leave you constantly checking your posture and manners. Instead, you step into a vibrant environment pulsating with life. Ottolenghi infuses every corner with his signature sense of color, joy, and generosity, manifested not only through his dishes but also in the restaurant's thoughtful design and architecture.
I first discovered the recipes of Yotam Ottolenghi in 2011, when I bought his cookbook Plenty, Vibrant Vegetables Recipes from London’s Ottolenghi. At that time, I wanted to cook less meat and more vegetables. I asked a friend of my mom’s (who is known within our family as an amazing and creative homecook) for a vegetarian cookbook recommendation and she suggested Plenty. I had never heard of Ottolenghi, but I liked the cover: roasted half eggplants, covered in yogurt sauce, topped with pomegranate seeds and some green spice (that I would find out is za’atar, a magical spice mix I would come to know well and is now a staple in my pantry and my cooking). The cookbook is organized by vegetable, not by meal; the writing is friendly and conversational. The recipes were complicated. The ingredient lists were long and included items I had never even heard of. But I started cooking from the book and was blown away.
I was hooked.
Every creation was a masterpiece, showcasing flavor combinations unlike anything I had ever experienced. Influenced by a rich tapestry of culinary traditions—his Italian and German heritage, summers spent in Italy, and of course the Middle Eastern cuisine of his homeland — Ottolenghi reshaped my approach to cooking, to hosting, to eating. I sought out the ingredients in little epicéries and stores in and around Lausanne. My Lebanese friends and Egyptian sister-in-law became my spice mules. I would give them orders for sumac, za’atar, coriander and cumin. I would stumble upon hard-to-find ingredients in random places and stock up (I found rose harissa at a farmers’ market in Munich and literally squealed). I also bought more cookbooks…many more. First Plenty More, then NOPI (recipes from his London restaurant), followed by Simple (2018), Flavour (2020), Jerusalem (2012), the Ottolenghi Test Kitchen (OTK) series: OTK: Shelf Love (2021) and OTK: Extra Good Things (2022), in which we are introduced to the chefs he works with and who each bring their own culinary style and heritage to the table, and most recently his book Comfort (2024).
Ottolenghi is often labeled as the "vegetarian chef" thanks to his celebrated column "The New Vegetarian" in The Guardian. However, he himself isn’t vegetarian and frequently highlights how his vegetable-centric recipes can harmoniously pair with meat. In the introduction to "Plenty," he encapsulates his culinary philosophy: “The food I had growing up was a huge mixture of diverse culinary cultures – European at home and Middle Eastern all around – with an abundance of easily sourced fresh ingredients (…) what I call real fruit and veg, because they look real, taste real and are grown by real people.” He goes on to write: “This multitude of ingredients and ways of making miracles with them have given me the perfect tools for making up dishes and turning them into recipes.”
His recipes transcend traditional dietary or cultural boundaries. Ottolenghi seeks to celebrate vegetables and pulses in their own right, rather than relegating them to the role of accompaniments.
The book that truly catapulted Ottolenghi into the limelight was Simple, published in 2018. Instantly recognizable by its bright yellow lemon graphic on the cover, this collection of recipes remained true to his distinct style while offering simpler, more approachable options—less time-consuming, fewer ingredients, and/or perfect for preparing ahead.
The cuisine at Ottolenghi Geneva, however, is anything but simple. Each dish showcases complexity and uniqueness, inviting diners to explore the menu divided among nibbles, starters, and mains. There’s a delightful emphasis on vegetables, alongside thoughtfully integrated meat and fish options, with an overarching focus on fermentation and cooking over fire. The kitchen is part of the dining area, with a striking live-fire grill at its heart and jars brimming with various ingredients in different stages of fermentation, ensuring freshness and flair.
The cocktail menu reflects the same creative ethos as the food, featuring Ottolenghi’s imaginative takes on classic cocktails alongside original concoctions. Each drink incorporates aspects of preservation and fire, shifting with the seasons and showcasing local botanicals.
From a produce perspective, the restaurant honors its Mediterranean roots while staying deeply connected to local Swiss farmers and growers. These include Terraviva, a collective of over 80 organic growers, and Ferme Courtois which is located just 30 minutes’ drive from the restaurant and provides key grains and pulses such as lentils and chickpeas. Any leftover fruit and vegetables will be made into pickles and ferments, all crafted in-house, such as mustard Jerusalem artichoke or spiced kumquat. Ingredients like honey from Les Miels de Stéphanie and artisanal Swiss cheeses, including Gruyère and Chällerhocker, will also feature prominently, emphasising Ottolenghi Geneva’s dedication to local flavors.
In the kitchen, Head Chef Maxime Martin, who trained under Neil Campbell, Ottolenghi’s Executive Chef, adds a Swiss perspective to the menu. Together, they’ve created dishes that focus on seasonality, sustainability, and the joy of sharing good food.
Alex Meitlis, head architect of all of the Ottolenghi spaces, is behind the design. The space is bathed in natural light from large windows overlooking the Rhône River. A glass wall provides a seamless visual connection to the heart of the hotel and is adorned with contemporary gold, bronze and natural wood sculptural accents, inspired by the creativity of the iconic Ottolenghi design creator, the late Ivo Bisignano. In tribute to his legacy, the restaurant showcases murals created by Giles & Cecilie Studio, further enriching the visual experience. Meitlis explains:
"Our design for Ottolenghi restaurants is always heavily inspired by Yotam's style of cooking. We took the same approach for Geneva, taking basic materials and giving them a twist. In the same way as Yotam makes a vegetable look like an art piece with contrasting colours and accents, which feels effortless but extremely calculated at the same time."
Some of the culinary highlights of my meal were the Smoked carrots escabeche with cascabel chilli oil; the grilled cabbage with sunflower tahini, green shatta, and bergamot; the lángos with black garlic butter, Chällerhocker the mushroom mixed grill, home pickles, baharat onions, tahini and pita…Who am I kidding? I could (and should!) probably just copy and paste the whole menu. It was all surprising, inventive and utterly amazing.
Eating at Ottolenghi Geneva is kind of like stepping into one of his cookbooks. The vibrancy, the unexpected pairings, the dishes that demand to be shared—all of it comes to life in a way that’s generous, unfussy, and utterly unforgettable. It’s the kind of place that makes you want to gather your people, order everything, and toast to the simple joy of damn good food. Welcome to Switzerland, Yotam—you’ve made yourself at home and we’re so lucky.
A non-comprehensive list of “Ottolenghi” staples:
-Sumac
-Za’atar
-Urfa chilli flakes
-Rose Harissa
-Black limes
-Preserved lemon
-The three C’s: cumin, coriander and cardamom
-Tahini
-Nigella seeds
-Black garlic
-Dried mint
-Allspice
-Pomegranate molasses
-Rose water
-White Miso
-Curry leaves
-Tamarind pulp
-Copious amounts of very good olive oil
Tips and tricks to get “Ottolenghi” ingredients in and around Lausanne:
-Aux Spécialités de la Palaud (place de la Palaud) is a great place to start. It has a wide-ranging spice section, and many other Ottolenghi staples like preserved lemon, halva, black garlic and pomegranate molasses.
-Bazar d’Instanbul in Vevey (Rue du Torrent) has a vast assortment of Turkish and Middle-Eastern food and ingredients.
-Grand Atlas Alimentation near the gare
-Damavand Alimentation in Pully (avenue de Lavaux) is owned by an Iranian family and has great Persian products like dried roses, a variety of nuts and dried fruit, as well as spices and herbs.
-Any small épicerie or local greengrocer will have certain regional specialities depending on the origins of the owner. Go and scour the shelves and look for curry leaves, kefir lime leaves, rose water or black limes.
-Coop tahini is much better than Migros tahini
-Make friends who travel and give them shopping lists!
-Always keep an eye out for particularly hard-to-find ingredients, and buy them when you see them.
Real fruit, real veg, real taste, real people.
Ottolenghi
Quai Turrettini 1, 1201 Genève
Breakfast:
6:30 - 10:30am (Monday – Friday)
7 - 11am (Saturday - Sunday)
Lunch: 12 - 3pm
Dinner: 7 - 11pm
+41 (0)22 909 00 00
Email: ottolenghi@mohg.com
