Auberge du Chalet-des-Enfants

The story

Auberge du Chalet-des-Enfants, Lausanne | Swiss Farmhouse Cuisine

The kitchen and local sourcing

Auberge du Chalet-des-Enfants occupies a quiet clearing in the Jorat hills just outside Lausanne, where chefs Romano Hasenauer and David Donneaud practice a restrained style of Swiss farmhouse cuisine. Their approach draws steady praise, including a recent 12 rating from Gault&Millau for food that stays firmly anchored to regional producers. The team purchases meat from neighboring butchers and gathers vegetables straight from the adjacent fields. This direct supply chain removes unnecessary steps and lets the natural flavors of local agriculture take center stage.

Seasonal plates and garden harvests

Meals often open with a rich wild boar terrine or a crisp lentil preparation dressed with thin slices of Boutefas sausage. The kitchen routinely turns to its own vegetable patch for fresh green salads, which pair smoothly with aged alpine sérac or tangy house sauerkraut. Heartier options feature entrecôte parisienne cut from local Limousin cattle, braised alongside root vegetables and rustic potatoes. A final course of crème brûlée carries subtle notes of meadow sweet, rounding out the traditional Swiss cuisine with a gentle botanical finish.

Historic structure and woodland setting

The timbered building traces its origins back to the fourteenth century, originally operating as an isolated agricultural outpost before gradually welcoming visitors. Decorator Nathalie Rais guided a careful expansion in 2004, preserving the historic shell while installing two new dining floors that balance old craftsmanship with contemporary lines. Guests frequently settle under a wooden pergola where dairy cows graze openly in the background. The layout encourages unhurried conversation and keeps the atmosphere firmly tied to rural mountain life.