I’m fulfilling a childhood dream

After the closure of “Chez Sylvia,” the future of the Baar restaurant was temporarily uncertain. Vishi Safet has now taken over the business, and has revived a former name.
 

Only a few months after Sylvia Miteva announced the closure of “Chez Sylvia,” the future of the restaurant at Dorfstrasse 13 in Baar is now secure. Vishi Safet has been running the traditional establishment since the beginning of March, and the 52-year-old officially celebrated the name change with an opening party on Saturday: “Chez Sylvia” will once again be the “Penthouse Bar.”

Becoming a restaurateur in Baar was not part of his original plan. “It was by chance,” says Vishi Safet. He was dining at the restaurant with a colleague in February when he learned that the previous tenant, Sylvia Miteva, would be giving up the business for personal reasons. "I liked the place immediately, and that's how I got talking to Miteva," he explains.

The restaurant business isn't exactly new territory for the entrepreneur: he ran the clubhouse of FC Affoltern, where he still plays football, for more than five years. But he doesn't earn his living in the restaurant industry. For 16 years, he has run a cleaning company with locations in Neuheim and Affoltern am Albis, employing around 30 people.

Nevertheless, the idea of owning his own restaurant never left him. "Even as a child, it was my dream to run a restaurant," he says. "After I gave up the football clubhouse, I always felt that something was missing." Together with his family, he finally decided to take over the Chez Sylvia restaurant. "I couldn't have done it without my wife's support."

Back to the old name
One of the first and only changes concerns the name. The restaurant will once again be called the "Penthouse Bar," just like it used to be. The idea didn't come from Vishi Safet himself, but from the guests. "Many told me they still refer to it as the 'Penthouse'," he explained.

Numerous regulars encouraged him to bring back the traditional name. With the name change, he wants to connect with the restaurant's history. "It's a return to our roots."

Vishi Safet is fulfilling a childhood dream with the takeover of the former “Chez Sylvia.”    
The restaurant has re-opened under the name "Penthouse."        
Vishi Safet has received a warm welcome from the long-time regulars      Photos: Matthias Jurt

Much remains the same
Aside from the new name, little will change, as Vishi Safet is deliberately focusing on continuity. "The restaurant should retain its character. I want guests to feel at home. We want to be a kind of second living room." Smoking will still be permitted indoors, but families and non-smokers are also welcome. "The large terrace always offers shade, and there's a gentle breeze," emphasizes Tamara Kostic. She had already worked at the restaurant under the previous owners, and is now taking over the management.

The family atmosphere, which was important to her predecessor Sylvia Miteva, will also be maintained. Vishi Safet already feels this connection after just a few months. "Most of our guests are regulars. It almost feels like a small family."

He was surprised that the guests have received the change of ownership so positively. "I expected more scepticism," he says. Instead, he was warmly welcomed from the start. "Today, many greet me with a handshake."

Focusing on younger guests
While Sylvia Miteva recently regretted that her offerings hadn't attracted many younger people, Vishi Safet now wants to appeal to precisely this demographic. In addition to the regulars, he hopes to attract more people between 30 and 40 years old to the restaurant.

"We're already noticing that more younger people are starting to come here," he says, and he also plans to carefully expand the offerings of the restaurant. Together with his team, he is currently exploring the possibility of re-introducing a lunch menu. The plan is to offer simple dishes and set menus with a focus on Swiss cuisine. Staffing is still underway, so concrete plans will be implemented later.

"It's not about getting rich"
For Vishi Safet, this new venture is primarily a passion project. "I didn't take over the restaurant to get rich," he says with a laugh. What motivates him is the interaction with people.

Nevertheless, he doesn't underestimate the challenges facing the industry. The restaurant business has changed since the pandemic. He feels that one thing is crucial to success: listening to his guests.

The official opening of the new "Penthouse" was on Saturday, with raclette specialties and music with a DJ. He wants to build on the positive start, and celebrated the re-opening with his guests.