Biography
CHRISTIAN AND NATHALIE SCHARRER
Chef de Cuisine and Restaurant & Room Service Manager Waldhotel by Bürgenstock
Christian and Nathalie Scharrer have led the gastronomic direction of the Waldhotel by Bürgenstock since 1st November 2025. Appointed as an established culinary and hospitality partnership, they are responsible for shaping the Waldhotel by Bürgenstock's culinary identity and guest experience in alignment with the broader vision of the Bürgenstock Resort Lake Lucerne.
As Chef de Cuisine, Christian Scharrer oversees the entire culinary line - from the restaurant “Verbena by Christian Scharrer”, and Verbena Bar to the breakfast offering and the innovative Cooking Lab. He works in close collaboration with Mike Wehrle, Corporate Culinary Director of the Bürgenstock Collection, and holds operational responsibility for the ongoing development and refinement of the Waldhotel by Bürgenstock’s culinary concepts.
Nathalie Scharrer serves as Restaurant & Room Service Manager at Waldhotel by Bürgenstock, directing the service team and shaping the guest journey across all gastronomic areas of the hotel.
In close coordination with the Executive Assistant Manager F&B Bettina Porkert, Nathalie ensures a seamless interplay between cuisine and service, reinforcing the Waldhotel by Bürgenstock’s positioning as a destination for refined hospitality.
Verbena by Christian Scharrer reflects the chef’s personal culinary philosophy, a return to the essence of cooking from the soul by memory, craftsmanship and intuition. Inspired by what he calls his “home kitchen”, the cuisine is rooted in feel-good dishes that evoke familiarity and warmth with an execution that remains refined. Christian has a longstanding connection, having first visited as a child with both his family and school and returning in 2024 as a guest chef for the resort’s flagship Chefs United event, invited by Mike Wehrle.
Most recently, Christian and Nathalie Scharrer spent almost a decade at the Weissenhaus Private Nature Luxury Resort in Germany. Christian served as Head Chef of the fine-dining restaurant Courtier, earning two Michelin stars and four black toques from Gault & Millau. His cuisine combined seasonal premium ingredients with creative precision and technical discipline. During this time, Nathalie Scharrer led the restaurant team at Courtier, shaping the guest experience through composed, attentive and consistently high-level service. Her leadership style is defined by discretion, detail orientation and a deep understanding of the dynamic between kitchen and front-of-house operations.
Christian Scharrer was born in Germany’s Black Forest and trained at Hotel Schwanen in Waldshut, followed by Hotel Colombi in Freiburg. His early professional development included formative roles with Jörg Müller in Sylt and Harald Wohlfahrt in Baiersbronn, before progressing through leading kitchens in Germany and Switzerland.
Senior appointments followed at Schlosshotel Bühlerhöhe and at Buddenbrooks Restaurant at AROSA Resort Travemünde, where he earned one and subsequently two Michelin stars. Over the course of his career, he has been recognised among the most distinguished chefs in the Germanspeaking world, receiving accolades including Newcomer of the Year and Chef of the Year from Gault & Millau.
Nathalie Scharrer built her career across respected hospitality destinations including Schlosshotel Bühlerhöhe, the Seven Group in Ascona, and Hotel Eden Roc Ascona. In 2016, she assumed leadership of Courtier at Weissenhaus, where she further established her reputation as a hostess of exceptional tact and professionalism.
Together, Christian and Nathalie Scharrer bring over 25 years of international experience each to one of Switzerland’s most established destinations.