High altitude, high performance

High altitude, high performance

At 3,100 meters above sea level, Zermatt Hospitality Group AG’s 3100 Kulmhotel Gornergrat is one of Europe’s premier destinations for both accommodation and dining. Thomas Marbach, managing director, tells Sam Noble why the hotel turned to INDUCS to elevate its kitchen line.

Doing anything at 3,100 meters above sea level comes with challenges – and installing new kitchen equipment is no exception. Perched on the Gornergrat ridge, 3100 Kulmhotel Gornergrat is the highest hotel in the Swiss Alps and one of the most exclusive. Alongside once-in-a-lifetime views and year-round snow, guests expect top-tier Alpine cuisine, making kitchen performance absolutely essential.

The Zermatt Hospitality Group AG, based in Zermatt, Switzerland, is known for operating high-altitude properties that blend rugged Alpine tradition with worldclass hospitality. The group runs nine distinctive hotels in the region, including the Grand Hotel Zermatterhof in the heart of Zermatt and the historic Riffelhaus 1853 at 2,548 meters. However, the extreme elevation of the 3100 Kulmhotel Gornergrat altitude makes it a uniquely challenging environment…“The very first question,” recalls Thomas Marbach, managing director, 3100 Kulmhotel Gornergrat, “was whether induction could be connected and operated at 3,100 meters above sea level.”

It gave INDUCS®, a Swiss kitchen equipment manufacturer specializing in induction – a cooking method where the cookware is heated using magnetic induction – the job of finding out. “For us, this was a really prestigious project. The chance to have our induction technology installed at the 3100 Kulmhotel Gornergrat, with its stunning view of the Matterhorn, was all the motivation we needed,” says Daniele Romano, managing director of INDUCS.

Remote control

In remote mountaienvironments, especially at extreme altitudes, hotels operators face unique practical constraints. “Gas becomes less efficient at higher altitudes due to the reduced oxygen levels,”says Romano, while the electric glass ceramic cooktops they currently had at the Kulm were slow and imprecise. “Induction has a lot of advantages in this situation,” says Romano. Once technical feasibility had been confirmed, the teams moved into detailed design. “We were able to install our latest induction technology, which provides the necessary relief and reliability for daily, challenging operations, both of which are essential for a hotel/restaurant at this altitude,” says Romano.

The transformation of the kitchen brought huge benefits – and not just behind the line. “The entire team was excited about the new induction technology in the kitchen,” says Marbach. Performance gains were significant. “The electric glass ceramic cooktops we used to have made everything take much longer. With induction, you get to the desired cooking temperatures much quicker and you can also fine-tune the power and temperature levels. This makes it possible to prepare even very delicate dishes at the perfect temperature,” he adds.

Induction also proved a better fit for the demanding physical environment. “Induction cooktops don’t produce an open flame, of course, so they’re safer. They’re also easier to clean and require less maintenance than gas stoves.”

The heat isn’t on

Heat reduction was another win. “Induction technology radiates much less heat than an electric glass ceramic cooktop or gas,” says Damiano Grillo, sales manager at INDUCS, “so you end up with a significantly more comfortable climate in the kitchen.” At the heart of the new installation is INDUCS’s proprietary RTCS®mp (Realtime Temperature Control System multi-point) technology. “This ensures we use the optimum amount of power that can be absorbed by the respective cookware material,” says Romano.

INDUCS continues to innovate. Its new INDUCS X2 induction technology, launched last year, features an induction generator that can be positioned up to six meters away from the cooktop. “This means it can be installed in cooking blocks with limited space, where there is no room for the electronics,” says Romano. The new range offers three operating options: classic rotary switch control, rotary switch with digital display and rotary switch with a display beneath the ceramic glass.

It also includes a variety of additional features, such as a hold function, temperature control, timer and power reduction. For Zermatt Hospitality Group AG, this upgrade reflects a broader ethos that combines performance, precision, and sustainability, even in the most extreme conditions. In INDUCS, they have found a partner as refined as the guests they serve and one that meets the unique demands of cooking at the very top of Europe.

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