Stefan Wiesner is one of the most original chefs in Switzerland, known as the ‘Hexer aus dem Entlebuch’ – the sorcerer of the Entlebuch – for his avant-garde nature cuisine. Cooking not only with plants and animals but with wood, stone, earth and charcoal, he has turned the protected moorlands of the Entlebuch into his larder.
A Michelin-starred chef celebrated for his experimental, alchemical approach, Wiesner has spent decades foraging the landscapes of the Entlebuch and transforming them into some of the most unusual and imaginative food in Europe.
TL;DR
- Swiss chef, born 16 October 1961 in Escholzmatt
- Known as the ‘Hexer aus dem Entlebuch’ (the sorcerer of Entlebuch)
- Pioneer of avant-garde ‘alchemistic nature cuisine’
- Cooks with wood, stone, earth and charcoal as well as plants and animals
- Holds a Michelin star and 17 Gault Millau points
Stefan Wiesner key facts
| Born | 16 October 1961, Escholzmatt, Switzerland |
| Nickname | Hexer aus dem Entlebuch |
| Known for | Alchemistic nature cuisine |
| Rating | Michelin star; 17 Gault Millau |
| Larder | The Entlebuch biosphere |
The sorcerer of the Entlebuch
Stefan Wiesner was born in 1961 in Escholzmatt, in the canton of Lucerne. In 1989 he took over his family’s Gasthof Rossli with his wife, Monika Auretto, and remained there for 34 years before relocating within the region. Through numerous television appearances and a documentary film, he became known as the ‘Hexer aus dem Entlebuch’ – the sorcerer of the Entlebuch.
Alchemistic nature cuisine
Wiesner is an experimental chef specialising in avant-garde nature cuisine. He describes his approach as ‘alchemistic’, cooking not only with animal and plant products but with wood, stone, earth and charcoal. The UNESCO-protected moorlands of the Entlebuch act as his marketplace, where he gathers most of the ingredients for the extraordinary meals he has served for three decades.
A landscape on the plate
Wiesner’s cooking is a genuine expression of a specific landscape. By foraging the forests, moors and meadows of the Entlebuch biosphere and incorporating unusual natural materials, he creates food unlike anyone else’s – deeply rooted in place, driven by fire and nature, and celebrated with a Michelin star and 17 Gault Millau points.
Signature style
Wiesner’s signature is his radical, alchemical connection to nature. He turns the raw materials of the Entlebuch – herbs, roots, wood, charcoal, stone – into imaginative, boundary-pushing dishes, blurring the line between cooking and craft. It is some of the most original and place-specific cuisine in Europe.
Stefan Wiesner in context
Wiesner is one of Switzerland’s most original chefs featured on Pickup Table 4, alongside Alpine chef Markus Neff and modern Swiss chef Nenad Mlinarevic.
Follow Stefan Wiesner
Stefan Wiesner – official site
Stefan Wiesner FAQ
Who is Stefan Wiesner?
A Swiss chef known as the ‘sorcerer of the Entlebuch’ for his nature cuisine.
What is alchemistic nature cuisine?
Cooking with natural materials – wood, stone, earth, charcoal – as well as plants and animals.
Where does he get his ingredients?
From the protected moorlands of the Entlebuch biosphere.
How is his cooking rated?
A Michelin star and 17 Gault Millau points.
What is his style?
Experimental, avant-garde cuisine deeply rooted in the natural landscape.
