IGNIV by Andreas Caminada is a remarkable fine dining restaurant located at the Grand Resort Bad Ragaz in Switzerland. Known as one of the leading wellness resorts in Europe, Grand Resort Bad Ragaz combines spa and wellness with truly beautiful rooms and excellent gastronomy. For more information about this great hotel, please check our hotel section. There are no less than seven restaurants in the hotel, and IGNIV is one of the more upscale dining options. The restaurant is accessible for hotel and non-hotel guests.

IGNIV by Andreas Caminada is the second restaurant concept of the great Chef Andreas Caminada. Andreas was born in the Graubünden region and gained experience at several top restaurants like Wirtschaft Zum Wiesengrund in Switzerland and Bareiss Restaurant in Germany. In 2003, he started his own gastronomic restaurant at the remarkable Schauenstein castle in Switzerland. His amazing culinary skills, charismatic flair and warm-hearted personality gained him the status of a national hero. Today, his restaurant Schauenstein is considered one of the best restaurants in the world and is awarded with three Michelin stars and 19/20 points in the Swiss Gault&Millau guide. Andreas Caminada is known for his remarkable attention to details and his ability to combine simplicity in his cooking with a precise and beautiful presentation. For more information about his restaurant Schauenstein, please click here. In December 2015, he launched his second gastronomic concept: IGNIV by Andreas Caminada.

Concept & Interior

At IGNIV, the concept of sharing is key. It is a unique fine dining experience where guests choose several menu components, which are then served on platters and in small pans in the middle of the table. “IGNIV” means “Nest” in the Swiss Rheto-Romantic language (the mother language of Andreas) and the nest & birds theme is conceptually translated in the interior and dining experience. It starts with the modern logo, which represents a nest with an egg in it. The IGNIV concept is a cosmopolitan, fun fine dining experience and therefore easily copyable in other cities or landmark hotels. The first IGNIV opened at the prestigious Grand Resort Bad Ragaz in December 2015. A year later, in December 2016, a second IGNIV restaurant opened at the famous Badrutt’s Palace in St. Moritz. In February 2020, the third IGNIV saw the daylight at the Marktgasse Hotel in Zürich. A fourth opening is planned in April 2020 in the St. Regis in Bangkok. Andreas assigns his best long-standing chefs to the IGNIV restaurants, ensuring a great level of quality and a keen gatekeeping of the IGNIV philosophy. IGNIV Bad Ragaz quickly gained a solid reputation in the culinary world and currently holds a score of 17/20 in the Swiss Gault&Millau guide and 2 Michelin stars.

The interior of the IGNIV restaurants is playful, contemporary and combines the best of yesterday with the design of today. Famous Spanish interior designer Patricia Urquiola gave the restaurants a hedonistic look and feel and created a “nest” where the guests feel at home. At IGNIV Bad Ragaz, traditional and warm elements such as a fireplace are combined with modern designer lamps and rich, colourful fabrics. A setting that, just like the food, is meant to be shared.

The Chef

At IGNIV Bad Ragaz, Chef Silvio Germann is responsible in the kitchen. Silvio hails from Lucerne and worked at Schauenstein for quite some years. The young chef was involved in the IGNIV concept from the first creation phase. He brought his experience to Bad Ragaz to start the very first IGNIV restaurant. The gourmet cuisine remained the same, but the experience is very different.

Gastronomy

Silvio serves creative courses that exist out of many small portions which are meant to be shared at the table. Rather than using a traditional menu with starters, main courses and desserts, Silvio and his team create sharing dinners comprising up to 30 different dishes. The dishes at IGNIV include some IGNIV classics, which can be found at all four IGNIV restaurants, next to some regionally inspired dishes. Some highlights of the menu we tasted include the tartar of beef with potato chips; the “egg royale”; the IGNIV salad of the season; the duck breast with celery and hazelnut; the surprisingly rich and delicious IGNIV soups; and the caramel ice cream. Before guests leave IGNIV, they pass the candy store: a huge trolley stocked with delicious candy and chocolate. An unforgettable ending of a great meal.

Chef de service and sommelier Francesco Benvenuto is responsible for the wines and the service. Francesco is true wine lover and was awarded by the Swiss GaultMillau as the «Sommelier of the year 2018». The sharing concept is also extended to the wine selection and pairing wines are served from magnums and double magnums – a wonderful idea. There is also great bottle selection on offer, but make sure to sample some of the regional wines. The young service team offers a loose, trendy but always professional service to the guests.

Why Go

IGNIV by Andreas Caminada Bad Ragaz feels like a breath of fresh air in the Swiss fine dining landscape. In the prestigious setting of the wonderful Grand Resort Bad Ragaz, Chef Silvio Germann and his team offer a unique fine-dining sharing experience in a cosmopolitan setting. Fun, trendy and delicious, IGNIV is a true nest for gourmet lovers.

Written by Sven & Frank