Vaudois gastronomy around the world – A corner of Lavaux in the heart of New York

Jean-Cosme Delaloye New York

Posted today at 10:02 a.m.—

The two young women, with their little dog, take a curious glance at the cable car installed in the window of the Lavaux, the new Vaud wine and fondue bar in New York. “Can we eat inside?” they ask Benoît Amsler and Titouan Briaux who welcome them. “Of course it is possible,” replied the young entrepreneur Benoît Amsler. A table for two has been set up inside the “egg” which will evoke for some the days spent on the ski slopes of the Alps and for others the images of this Switzerland which intrigues New Yorkers.

“It’s our VIP area”, laughs Titouan Briaux, from the Chaudet estate in Rivaz. The Vaud winegrower is currently in New York to pilot the launch of Lavaux with his friend Benoît and with Jean-Charles Estoppey from the cellar Terre de Lavaux in Lutry. On the menu, 16 Lavaux wines including 5 Chasselas, gourmet sandwiches and half and half fondues with cheese made in Gruyères par William Wyssmüller.

Instructions for eating fondue

Everything about the restaurant in the West Village, one of Manhattan’s most popular neighborhoods, has been thought out with attention to detail. The wooden chairs made in Valais give a chalet atmosphere while the trompe-l’oeil panorama that can be seen through the false attic windows at the back of the restaurant offers a spectacular view of Lavaux.

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Since the opening on October 16, the three Vaudois have adapted to their new environment with New York responsiveness. “We have to explain how fondue is eaten,” says Titouan Briaux. “At first when I was serving the fondue, I didn’t say anything. But now, I would point out that you have to mix all the time otherwise the cheese can separate. Some couples in date (note: date) look each other in the eyes for the first ten minutes of a meal and forget to stir the cheese. It does not work. So we created a guide How to eat Fondue (How to eat fondue). “

We have to explain how to eat fondue ”

Titouan Briaux, from Chaudet estate in Rivaz, one of Lavaux’s investors in New York

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Le Lavaux is located on Hudson Street, a street that also hosts rapper Jay-Z and his wife Beyoncé. Its neighbors are New York culinary institutions including the Mexican restaurant Mole. “We have all understood that the world attracts the world,” continues Titouan Briaux. “Last Saturday, all the terraces were packed.”

We want to keep this aspect: it is well served, we come to have a real aperitif here ”

Benoît Amsler, manager of Lavaux in New York

The concept of the three Vaudois is both simple if we compare it to what is done in Switzerland and not very common for this kind of wine bar in New York. Unlike many establishments where portion sizes do not reflect prices, the Lavaux cheese and charcuterie boards are generous. “We want there to be enough to eat,” says Benoît Amsler. “We want to keep this aspect: it is well served, we come to have a real aperitif here.”

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Due to the pandemic, attendance at New York restaurants is currently limited to terraces and 25% of room capacity. Since its opening, Lavaux has not been empty and the three Vaudois are very happy with the welcome they received. “People from the neighborhood come to introduce themselves and congratulate us on having opened a restaurant during the pandemic,” explains Titouan. “There is a united momentum. They tell us: “We will support you.”

The project has come a long way. The first meeting with Titouan, Benoît and Jean-Charles Estoppey in the premises of Lavaux took place eleven months ago. At the time, the dilapidated room that had housed a dog groomer was empty. The founders of Lavaux had already imported their wine to the United States and were about to start the work.

The opening was scheduled for 1^is April, but the pandemic hit New York with full force in March. “On March 15, we returned to Switzerland, we pulled the plug while waiting to see what was going to happen,” says Titouan. The project could have been buried without the cooperation of the building owner who, unlike many owners in New York City, agreed to freeze the rent during the crisis.

Benoît Amsler returned to New York in August to relaunch the project after a fourteen-day stint through Montenegro to bypass the blockade imposed by the Trump administration on flights from the European Union. He was joined at the end of the harvest by Titouan Briaux and Jean-Charles Estoppey. The three Vaudois are aware that they must now retain the loyalty of the locals. “It’s too early to claim victory, but it’s encouraging,” said Titouan.

At a time when many New York restaurants fear the arrival of the cold which threatens the terraces authorized by the authorities to compensate for the reduction in restaurant attendance, the creators of Lavaux are delighted. They are considering transforming their terrace into an après-ski-style cabin. “For us, it’s magic that winter is coming,” concludes Benoît Amsler. “People will come and eat fondue.”