Lukas Heller is one of over a hundred young people we have featured in our career guidance magazine over the past twelve years. A lot of time has passed since he appeared in it. What is he doing now?
Whilst I was preparing for my final apprenticeship examination in 2018, I won a Gusto competition and was subsequently invited to join the Swiss national culinary team. I politely declined. It was clear to me that I didn't want to become a gourmet chef who spends their life in the kitchen.
Instead, I gained experience in various hospitality establishments, including 5-star kitchens and a mountain restaurant in Grindelwald, where I'm from. My parents run a hotel and a lodge there. The idea of taking over the business one day began to fascinate me. That's why I attended hotel management school and undertook work placements in the Bernese Oberland, in Zermatt and in Mexico.
I would like to develop careers in the hospitality industry – particularly in the kitchen – in such a way that they remain attractive and allow for a good work-life balance.
For my final-year project, I wrote a business plan for a restaurant in Grindelwald that was up for sale. At the time, my parents and I decided that we would buy it and that I would run it once we'd taken it over. For the past two years, I've been putting my ideas into practice atthe Basecamp restaurant and continuing to develop its concept. It's going really well; we've even had to expand the kitchen and the storage area.
An exciting refurbishment
The refurbishment was really exciting; my experience as a chef was a great help. I'm the managing director, I work as a scheduled member of the service team and can also step in in the kitchen if someone is off. I'm also part of the management team of our family-run business, which owns the Hotel Eiger and the Eiger Lodge.
It is particularly important to me to develop careers in the catering industry – especially in the kitchen – in such a way that they remain attractive and allow for a good work-life balance. In five to six years’ time, my parents plan to gradually step back from the business. I can well imagine taking over the business then. Before that, however, I want to take some time out and go on a round-the-world trip.
