Hansjörg Ladurner has been head chef in the Scalotttas Terroir restaurant in Lenzerheide since 2007. And he has been very successful. The word “terroir” comes from “terra”, Latin for earth — and that is precisely what underlies Ladurner’s concept. Heiden-born Ladurner, whose family originates from the South Tyrol, only uses ingredients he knows and that he can see for himself in the farmyard, fields and cellars. Most of the meat he uses comes from animals he has bought himself and had reared by local farmers. They live at least twice as long as normal farm animals and spend most of their time outdoors. So it is hardly surprising that Scalottas Terroir is one of 19 restaurants to be awarded Michelin’s new Green Star 2021: “We selected restaurants that use local and regional produce, some of it self-produced, and that use resources efficiently, eschew produce from factory farming, engage in waste management and recycling, and focus on the use of seasonal products.” Our passionate chef meets all of those requirements. The demands made by Ladurner on regional produce are so high that he now has his own mountain smallholding.
The BergAcker smallholding
Hansjörg Ladurner had long dreamed of his own smallholding, but finding the right ingredients was difficult. He wanted a traditional, hand-tended three-crop farm with a minimum of modern machinery. As chance would have it, Bruno Hassler – farmer, animal whisperer and carriage driver from Zorten – happened to mention that he was looking for a summer role for his carriage horses. Suddenly, the dream started to become more tangible. Now only one thing was missing: land. After a prolonged search, Ladurner encountered innovative mountain farmer Andrea Parpan. He was enthusiastic about the “BergAcker” project and provided a rare plot of agricultural land. Now all that was needed was someone with expertise in mountain farming. Another long-standing partner and producer, Marcel Heinrich from Filisur, known far and wide for the potatoes from his farm in the Albula Valley, was recruited to join Ladurner’s project. “This is exactly what we are interested in. It’s great for Hansjörg, for us, and naturally for the restaurant guests.”