Archidee, the only restaurant in the municipality with a wood-fired oven

Ahmed Mohammed Ismael’s pizzeria in Unterägeri is unique, it being the only one to have a wood-fired oven, which makes such a difference to the final product.

It was actually last year that Ismael was on a bus, noticed the empty premises on Zugerstrasse and duly enquired about them. After much renovation, it was here that on 15 June he was able to open his own pizzeria, named Archidee after the original name of the house. In addition to pizzas he also sells kebabs and pide (flat bread with filling common in Middle Eastern cuisine).

The 37-year-old took a break from work to talk with a journalist of the Zuger Zeitung explaining how, shortly before the first Iraqi war, he had made his way, on his own to Switzerland and worked in various jobs in the catering business over the course of the past 17 years, including most recently at the Aegeri Kebab Haus on Dorfplatz.

He admits he is very lucky to enjoy much support from his family, not least from his parents-in-law who look after his pre-school-age children. In addition, his wife and a brother-in-law also work there. With Ismael himself working seven days a week and rarely taking a holiday, he is naturally pleased when his parents-in-law bring his children round to see him at the Archidee in the evenings.

Other members of Ismael’s family remain in the Kurdistan area of northern Iraq, to where he returns each year. One of his favourite dishes there is Dolma, where vine leaves are wrapped around mincemeat and served with rice. “It is something I have to have every day when I am there,” he confessed.

So far he has been very pleased with how his own business is going, keeping very busy in the evenings and weekends, serving not only families but people who work nearby, including the local police. Pizza is the most popular dish he serves, which is not surprising bearing in mind the bread is made on the premises in a real wood-fired oven.

At present he is setting up a terrace and is hoping to organise a delivery service in the autumn, meaning an additional employee will have to be taken on.