A purist who eats for pleasure. Did I mention, she's Swiss - born and bred by perfectly chiseled mountains, striking green pastures - all of which Hollywood has, time and time again, failed to recreate. This is no gastronomic enigma. This is Laura Schälchli - someone who completely embodies the art of eating - taking that art and transcending the dullest situations - turning water into wine.
One could say it's her healthy sense of humor that keeps her palate in check. Or perhaps, it is her loyalty to keep slow food's snail moving sustainably, but at a pace that does not exceed its pleasure barometer that endows her with such a gift.
As Escoffier once said, "Stock is everything." Laura is a stock of sorts - one that is able to buffer and rescue any gastronomical endeavor from dumpster doom and the ugly waste which she abhors whilst she gracefully carries it all off ( like it was her plan all along). She seems to possess some innate ability - one that you need not compete with - to gracefully combine thoughtful innovation with a gusto that I know comes from her - not her Colombian husband that allows us to think more broadly about food and somehow enjoy it - and come back for more.
You could say this soliloquy to a dear friend is biased and well a lot of it is, but the other side stems from my observations and first glimpses. Jet lagged and cranky I arrived on Italy's doorsteps, but this smiling Swiss girl somehow emboldened me further, reaffirmed my belief that food is and touches everything, and is something worth beholding rather than simply eating. Laura already knew or knows this -and like the secret stock that corses through her veins - she lives and breathes it. You will surely notice this -whether you dine with her or not.