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Beat Walker and Marco Helbling have to close the inn on the field in Gurtnellen. However, they hope to return to work.
The best chef Beat Walker and his partner Marco Helbling are hosts with body and soul. His country inn in Gurtnellen is synonymous with primitive Urnerian cuisine that is interpreted in a modern way. The upper kitchen of the poorly populated village of Uri has made a name for itself far beyond the cantonal border. The night before closing, the restaurant was full. But now they both had to announce the closing of the business.
At the Gasthaus im Feld in Gurtnellen, the two hosts Marco Helbling and Beat Walker (chef) presented high-quality culinary art for years.
At this difficult time, getting a loan is out of the question for Helbling and Walker: “Paying it back in five years, but without interest, is likely to become an impossible task,” says Walker. “Five years ended quickly and we cannot implement the necessary federal protection measures without the operation becoming even more deficient.”
Two tables are not enough for enough sales
The short-term remuneration processing worked perfectly. And the opening of the restaurants comes earlier than expected. But none of this can mitigate the situation in the “field”: “If, for example, we had to use tables with two people, we could only serve a maximum of 18 people on the three floors, that is not enough.”
But that’s not all: the obligation to wear a mask is also not practical. “He walks up and down stairs all day in a protective mask,” says Walker. That is why he had to pull the emergency brake with a heavy heart. “You don’t hit the wall with something you love.” Walker spent the weekend writing job references. All 15 employees received notice of layoff.
Losing streak doesn’t want to end
Walker approaches the end of the restaurant with 16 Gault Millau points. “When we took over the ‘field’ in 2012 in the fifth generation since 1876, we invested a lot of passion.” Success came, but also bad luck last year. Axis barricades and avalanches kept guests away. They started with new vigor after the winter break, but then closed.
Despite everything, the best chef can also get something positive from the crisis: “Many people today believe that everything is free.” The crisis can make you think about what is really important in life. “A restaurant is a touch of color in a town. We should learn to be grateful again for what we have.
An intermediate income for your employees.
Walker tried to avoid the worst to the end. In short, after closing, he took a temporary job as a cook at the Oeltrotte retreat center in Ennetbürgen. This with one objective: with intermediate income, current liabilities and, in particular, employees’ wages should be able to continue to be paid. “The Oeltrotte is the most beautiful retirement home,” he enthuses. “Is old. But he has a heart and a soul and lives on the employees ».
A little consolation for the difficult situation. Walker and his partner have already received a wealth of encouraging news expressing hope that the “field” can continue. “For example, guests offered us that they would be willing to accept surcharges or support a crowdfunding campaign. We want to thank our guests very much for their loyalty. ”
They both see a spark of hope for a reopening; however, at the earliest after the crown crisis, one may decide to do so. “You can’t lose hope.”
