They actually first met in a bistro

Mélanie Ryser and Alexander Breuer have been running the "Kliff14" since 1 May. Both are new to the restaurant business, but are receiving the support of professionals. She works in the kitchen, he at the counter.

A three-and-a-half-minute commute: it doesn't get much shorter than that. Mélanie Ryser and Alexander Breuer, both residents of Walchwil, are the new tenants of the bistro "Kliff14" in the Seebadi (lido) Walchwil. "The word “Kliff” stands for the steep entrance to the water in the lido, and 14 is our house number on the Artherstrasse," explains Mélanie Ryser. Both are newcomers to gastronomy, but have a passion for cooking.

The two over-50s from Lucerne met in a bistro. Mélanie Ryser is a trained business economist (Betriebswirtin) and has worked as a marketing manager for the last 20 years, while Alexander Breuer worked as a fiduciary expert (Treuhandexperte). "Setting up and running a bistro was a fairly spontaneous decision, but for us it was the right time to break out of our usual routine," says Mélanie Ryser.

The infrastructure was modernised for the opening of the season on 1 May. "The kitchen was repainted, a combi-steamer oven was installed and more work space was created," she adds. New furnishings, dark tables and white chairs now adorn the Bistro and the Lounge on the wooden deck. There is room for 55 people in total.

Focus on freshness and fair prices
"We want to reach 15 'Gault-Millau' points," jokes Alexander Breuer when asked about the goals. Then he becomes more  serious: "We want people to spend their holidays here on Lake Zug and not on the Côte d'Azur." They want to offer guests a good time and to be as customer-oriented as possible. "We also like to eat out ourselves, and want to become better at the things that have bothered us in the past in various places," adds Ryser. Overpricing, for example.

Mélanie Ryser and Alexander Breuer took over the Badi-Beiz in Seebad Walchwil on 1 May.
Guests can make themselves comfortable here in the lounge.
Alexander Breuer and Mélanie Ryser hope for lots of sunshine.
Photos: Matthias Jurt

The new tenants also want to focus on freshness. "The meat comes from the Steiner Metzg (butcher’s shop) in Goldau, the cheese from the Rust mountain cheese dairy (Bergkäserei Rust) in Walchwil and the fish from Lake Zug," explains the business manager. When shopping, they make sure that the products are always Swiss and, where affordable, organic.

"So far, the fish crispies, Pinsas and Caesar Salad have been very well received," she adds. In addition, "daily specials" and seasonal lunch menus are planned. "Another idea is for us to have special evenings in high summer," says Alexander Breuer. As examples, he mentions BBQ, paella or DJ evenings.

No additional employees planned
Mélanie Ryser works in the kitchen, while Alexander Breuer bakes and mixes cocktails. "We want to try to master everything as a couple, without permanent employees," says Mélanie Ryser. But the two can also rely on the help and knowledge of professional chefs from the surrounding area. "We would be lost without them. As a non-restaurateur, you don't know everything that goes on in the background, for example, just in terms of food control," she adds.

When asked about the other bathing restaurants on Lake Zug, Alexander Breuer replies as follows: "We didn't have time to talk to other operators during the preparation. That has advantages and disadvantages, but forced us to focus on ourselves." Mélanie Ryser adds: "There are many great Badibeizen (lido bistros) on Lake Zug. And we aim to be one of them."

A mixture of joy and respect
They heard from friends that the previous tenant had quit - that was last November. "We showed interest in this lovely place, but it was especially important to us that the municipality, as the owner, invests in it and shares our vision of a bistro," explains Mélanie Ryser.

They finally signed the letter of intent in mid-December. "It was like a Christmas present," says Alexander Breuer. When the two received the positive decision, there were mixed feelings: "We now had it, and there was no turning back anymore. For us, this was a mixture of huge joy and great respect." The couple had three months from final acceptance to be ready in time for the start of the season. "It's been 'a hell of a ride ' but we're delighted," he said.

"We hope that we will be able to look back on a good first season in October," says Mélanie Ryser. It’s important for them to improve steadily, but above all they want to have fun.
"If the guests are happy, so are we”.

Season start of the “Badis” in Zug
The Lättich open-air swimming pool and the Seebad Walchwil (lido) welcomed their summer guests for the first time this year on 1 May, and the Seeliken, Cham and Hünenberg lidos, the Rotkreuz swimming pool, the Ägeribad in Oberägeri and the ‘Lido’ in Unterägeri will be welcoming water rats and sun-seekers from 13 May. The Srandbad Zug will be open from Sunday, 14 May.

The unsupervised outdoor pools Trubikon and Tellenörtli in Oberwil, the Siehbach (men's pool/Männerbad), the Brüggli, and the Choller in Zug are open all year round.