"Unbelievable arrogance" Swiss celebrity chef is not served in Zurich luxury boutique
While shopping in a luxury boutique on Zurich's Bahnhofstrasse, André Jaeger felt terribly unfriendly. The Swiss celebrity chef has now vented his frustration on social media.
No time? blue News summarizes for you
- Swiss celebrity chef André Ja eger wanted to buy an expensive set of dishes as a gift for friends in Zurich this week. But things turned out differently than expected.
- While shopping in a luxury boutique on Bahnhofstrasse, the 77-year-old felt badly treated. As a result, he left the store without any crockery.
- Now the celebrity chef, who was once awarded 19 Gault Millau points, has written a post on his Facebook account about his shopping experience.
- "Pride comes before a fall. Wanted to buy a gift for friends at Hermès in Zurich today. But, oh dear, unfortunately it's not that easy," writes Jaeger.
André Jaeger knows the meaning of hospitality and luxury. The star chef ran the "Fischerzunft" restaurant in Schaffhausen for 40 years.
Jaeger, who lived and worked in Hong Kong for many years, took over the restaurant from his father in 1975 and tried something new: combining European cuisine with Asian spices and cooking methods.
"What we do here is actually amazing: everything is fresh, prepared by hand and cooked to perfection," Jaeger said in an interview a few years ago.
André Jaeger was twice voted "Chef of the Year" by the Gault Millau restaurant guide, and from 1995 his restaurant was awarded 19 points. At the end of June 2015, the now 77-year-old closed the "Fischerzunft" and retired.
André Jaeger stood there "as if ordered and not picked up"
André Jaeger also almost went mad this week during a visit to the city of Zurich - but for a less than pleasant reason.
The Swiss celebrity chef wanted to buy a set of tableware from Hermès on Bahnhofstrasse as a gift for a couple of friends.
"But, oh dear, unfortunately it's not that simple," noted the angry Jaeger on his Facebook account. His post about his unpleasant shopping experience subsequently garnered many likes and approval from his followers.
He was decently dressed when he arrived in Zurich, Jaeger told blue News. He continued: "After I went into the Hermès store, I stood there for 10 or 15 minutes and was not served - as if I had ordered and not been picked up."
At the time described, there was only one other customer in the store besides him, while several employees stood around more or less bored. "Incredible arrogance," says Jaeger.
"It's now 20 minutes until someone has time for you"
Suddenly, a man with an iPad in his hand approached him and asked what he wanted. He was interested in a tableware set, Jaeger replied, to which the man asked his name.
"I don't know why I had to give my name. Maybe the gentleman wanted to see if I was already a customer."
After the employee had typed André Jaeger's name into the iPad, he looked around the store. When Jaeger asked if there was a problem, the man replied: "It will be 20 minutes until someone has time for you."
"At that moment, I blew a fuse," André Jaeger told blue News. The celebrity chef turned on his heel and left the luxury boutique without a word - and without the tableware set he wanted.
The whole situation in the store was totally disconcerting, says André Jaeger. "A set of Hermès tableware costs around 1,000 francs, but I'm not at all concerned about the price."
"It's a good thing you didn't support this circus"
When he got back home, Jaeger says he thought about what he should do now. He then entered his contact details on the Hermès website and described in an email what he had just experienced in the store in Zurich.
"Seconds later, I received an automated reply saying that my inquiry would be answered within 24 hours." He has been waiting for a reply from Hermès ever since.
He then decided to post on Facebook and tell his friends what he had experienced this week while shopping on Bahnhofstrasse in Zurich. "I didn't think my account would trigger so many reactions."
This also has to do with the fact that many of Jaeger's friends and acquaintances have had similar shopping experiences.
"It's just decadent. Good thing you didn't support this circus," writes one follower. "The exact same thing happened to us," notes another follower. And a third wrote: "Unbelievable, this arrogance!"
Jaeger's friends still get a gift
It is not known what Hermès has to say about the incident. Just like Jaeger's inquiry, the one from the blue News editorial team has not (yet) been answered.
Incidentally, André Jaeger's friends did not have to do without a gift despite the failed shopping attempt. "Instead of the crockery set, I gave them an evening at home and will cook for them."
The incident also had another effect: Terre d'Hermès perfume used to be Jaeger's favorite scent. That is now over. "I'm looking for a new perfume."
