Rico Zandonella is one of Switzerland’s most beloved chefs, a Ticino native who became a fixture of the fine-dining scene on the shores of Lake Zurich. Trained for decades alongside the legendary Horst Petermann, he built his reputation on refined cooking with a warm, southern soul, and was named Gault Millau Chef of the Year.
Known for insisting that no gourmet menu is complete without pasta or a little risotto, Zandonella brought Ticinese warmth and personality to top-level Swiss gastronomy at his restaurant near Zurich.
TL;DR
- Swiss chef, born 6 June 1961 in Ascona, Ticino
- Long-time protege of the legendary chef Horst Petermann
- Ran the celebrated restaurant in Kusnacht on Lake Zurich
- Held two Michelin stars and 18 Gault Millau points
- Named Gault Millau Chef of the Year
Rico Zandonella key facts
| Born | 6 June 1961, Ascona, Ticino |
| Nationality | Swiss |
| Restaurant | Rico’s, Kusnacht (Lake Zurich) |
| Mentor | Horst Petermann (34 years) |
| Honour | Gault Millau Chef of the Year |
A long apprenticeship
Rico Zandonella was born in 1961 in Ascona, in the Italian-speaking canton of Ticino. He began his culinary apprenticeship in 1976 at the Hotel Ascolago under the legendary chef Horst Petermann, and worked with him for an extraordinary 34 years – one of the longest and closest chef-mentor relationships in Swiss gastronomy.
Taking over the Kunststuben
When Petermann retired in 2011, Zandonella took over the celebrated restaurant in Kusnacht on Lake Zurich, renaming it Rico’s Kunststuben and continuing to hold two Michelin stars and top Gault Millau points. He became known as Ticino’s ambassador in Zurich, bringing the warmth and flavours of the south to the German-speaking fine-dining scene.
A personal, southern style
Zandonella’s cooking is refined but full of personality and southern soul. He is famous for his conviction that no gourmet menu is complete without pasta or a little risotto, weaving his Ticinese heritage into elegant, technically accomplished dishes. Over the years his restaurant became one of the most loved addresses on the Zurich ‘Gold Coast’.
Signature style
Zandonella’s signature is warmth. He combines classical Swiss and French technique, learned over decades with Petermann, with the generous flavours of his native Ticino – pasta, risotto, Mediterranean produce – to create cooking that is both refined and deeply personal. It is fine dining with a genuine sense of hospitality and soul.
Rico Zandonella in context
Zandonella is one of Switzerland’s best-loved chefs featured on Pickup Table 4, alongside Nenad Mlinarevic and Heiko Nieder.
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Rico Zandonella FAQ
Who is Rico Zandonella?
A celebrated Swiss chef from Ticino, based near Zurich.
Where is his restaurant?
In Kusnacht, on the shores of Lake Zurich.
Who was his mentor?
The legendary chef Horst Petermann, with whom he worked for 34 years.
What is he known for?
Refined cooking with a warm, southern Ticinese soul – and always pasta or risotto.
What awards has he won?
Two Michelin stars and Gault Millau Chef of the Year.
