When the head chef opens the door to his home
21-05-2026
Sola Switzerland × Palo Sekerka
Dine like a Michelin-starred chef – personal, relaxed and right in the heart of Europe. With ‘Dinner in the Countryside’, Palo Sekerka has created a concept that brings fine dining to life in a particularly personal way. After years in top-class gastronomy in Paris, he made a conscious decision to take a different path: away from the traditional restaurant business, towards a place where hospitality, atmosphere and genuine encounters take centre stage. Together with his wife Lucia, he invites guests into his own home. A multi-course menu is served, featuring seasonal and regional ingredients – carefully selected, creatively interpreted and prepared with great attention to detail.
Sola Switzerland is a partner for these special evenings, enhancing the experience with a harmoniously coordinated table setting – from cutlery and hand-blown glasses to selected porcelain ranges.
Palo Sekerka – honest, personal, authentic
Palo Sekerka is one of those chefs who sees gastronomy not merely as a craft, but as an interplay of emotions, atmosphere and a sense of connection with guests.
After years in the professional kitchens of Paris, where he ran a Michelin-starred restaurant, he felt the desire to embark on a more personal project – a place where the focus is not on perfection in the traditional sense, but on genuine hospitality and shared moments.
Together with his wife Lucia, he now opens the doors to his home and invites guests to his table. Not to a traditional restaurant, but to a space where cooking is done with respect for the ingredients, the people and the moment. Every dinner becomes an intimate experience where culinary creativity, seasonality and a sense of home come together.
When a cottage becomes
a guesthouse
The idea for “Dinner with Us in the Countryside” didn’t start out as a business plan, but grew quite naturally out of their life together. Lucia and Palo have always been used to working on projects together – from cookery workshops to special events where everyone plays their own part. After the birth of their son, their daily routine changed, and their joint projects initially took a back seat. It was during this time that the idea arose to create a place where they could work together again whilst doing what is truly close to their hearts. For every dinner, they transform their cottage and terrace into a place of gathering with great attention to detail. What is a private retreat by day becomes a space full of hospitality, enjoyment and a special atmosphere by evening.
Seasonal and farm-to-table menu
At Palo, the menu is always put together in the same way: using whatever the season and local producers have to offer. Working closely with farmers and producers, he creates dishes centred around ingredients that are freshly available and allowed to retain their natural character.
Spring was reflected in every course – in the form of lamb, wild garlic, sorrel, spinach, young carrots, radishes, spring onions, rhubarb, asparagus and leeks. Yet Palo is not about ostentatious luxury. What fascinates him most are simple ingredients of exceptional quality – honest, seasonal and prepared with respect.
A table where every detail
has its place
The table setting was based on beige plates – simple, timeless and perfect for letting the dishes take centre stage. Lucia wanted to give the table a certain lightness and natural feel, in keeping with the atmosphere of the cabin. So she complemented the neutral tones with bowls and cups in soft pastel shades such as green, pink and violet, as well as the minimalist Faro cutlery. The result was a table that looked calm, lively and harmonious all at once – stylish, without appearing staged.
A comeback that made sense
“Returning to the cabin was the right decision,” Palo and Lucia agree. Even though they prepare every detail meticulously – from the venue and the menu to the atmosphere – the evening ultimately always takes shape together with the guests. Their mood, their energy and the conversations they share shape every dinner in its own unique way. “This time, everything just fell into place. The energy we put into the evening came back to us. Despite all the physical exertion, what remained in the end was, above all, a feeling of calm and lightness.”
Joy as the most important ingredient
Good food, a beautiful setting or a perfectly laid table alone are not enough to make for a successful evening. What really matters is the joy behind it all – in using wholesome ingredients, in sharing a meal, in hospitality, and in the connections that arise from it. Palo and Lucia believe that you can sense the attitude with which food is prepared and guests are welcomed. “If humanity, spontaneity and genuine joy are missing, even the most beautiful setting cannot make up for it.”
