Quiet please, we’re rolling! Like an aspiring young actor, I kicked off the first scene of a culinary blockbuster by entering the legendary Cheval Blanc restaurant in the prestigious Grand Hotel Les Trois Rois in Basel. Playing opposite me on that particular day was the master of the house, the enchanter of kitchens, charmer of flavors, creator of emotions and king of sauces: legendary Michelin three-star chef, Peter Knogl. Our host, the youthful fifty-something professional wearing a modern white chef’s jacket, greeted me with a smile at the restaurant entrance, while his team was already performing a meticulous and silent choreography dedicated to delighting the already seated guests. Peter Knogl nurtures a passion for exploring the perfect combination of tastes and flavors with Swiss horological precision, in a manner akin to the exquisite refinement of a Grand Complication. A level of mastery now recognized worldwide.
Holding the latest issue of GMT Magazine in his hand, the Chef expressed his passion for watches and the importance of the precious ingredient of time, which is irremediably linked to success and longevity in the field of haute cuisine. He evoked his first Swiss watch, a Maurice Lacroix chronograph acquired to mark his first Michelin star. An accurate, dynamic and longlasting timepiece that has never failed him. Appetite comes with eating and the Chef is also a discerning watchmaking connoisseur who likes to talk about beautiful calibers. His second acquisition to celebrate one of his many awards was a Rolex Submariner, a timeless classic combining sportiness, rigorous discipline and precision. He smilingly refers to it as one of his favorite watches, while specifying: “I love them all.”
We were all aware that Knogl has decidedly good taste, and almost logically his third watch to toast his three Michelin stars was a stainless steel Audemars Piguet Royal Oak. He regarded the timeless design so skillfully mastered by Gérald Genta as the natural choice to grace his wrist. It is a watch with an impressive range of assets in terms of its looks, trendiness, discretion and the expertise it embodies. In short, a must-have. The Chef was not finished, explaining to me with well-deserved pride that the owner of the hotel wished to honor his talent, his work and his success at the Cheval Blanc by treating him to an H. Moser & Cie. Pioneer. Sophisticated, perfectly legible and radiating both strength and understated elegance, this regal gift holds a special place in the Chef’s heart.
What’s next? Probably a TravelTec by Carl. F Bucherer. “The design, the various functions, the quality and its sporty traveler philosophy appeal to me. Christmas is coming, so who knows what Santa will put at the foot of the tree?”, he says with a chuckle. I regretfully take leave of this giant of global gastronomy, reminding myself how lucky I’ve been to have had a chance to rub shoulders not only with the maestro of sauces but also with a master of time!
*Interview by Louis-Olivier Maury
