About us

Team

Thomas Hofstetter, Waid host.
A trained cook and waiter, he had been managing director of the Roter Kamm restaurant in Zurich for 14 years before taking over the Die Waid restaurant with his wife Susanne in January 2004. Since January 2009 they have also been tenants of Restaurant Tessin Grotto in Zurich. He graduated from the Wirtefachschule and is a Swiss certified restaurateur. Thomas Hofstetter is married and the proud father of two adult sons.

 

Andreas Wichert, Managing Director.
Andreas Wichert has been a member of the Waid team since its opening on 22 April 2004 – first as Service Manager until 2006, First Operating Assistant from 2006 to 2009, as Assistant Managing Director from February to December 2009 and as Managing Director since January 2010. With his enormous expertise, his enthusiasm and charming appearance, he is not only a great host, but also a great role model for our employees.

 

Christian Hofstetter, Deputy Managing Director.
After completing his cooking apprenticeship at Carlton Zurich on Bahnhofstrasse, he gained experience for a year at the 5-star Hotel Atlantis by Giardino and for a few months at Gustav under the Italian top chef Antonio Colaianni. After a 4 month trip to South America, he attended the hotel management school in Zurich. He completed his 9-month internship at reception and service in the Grand Resort Bad Ragaz and then graduated with a diploma. Hotelier and restaurateur HF.

 

Robert Grauer, Operations assistant.
Mr. Grauer joined us in July 2011 as a restaurant specialist from Berlin. Through his experience in several management positions in Germany, his dedication and commitment as a restaurant specialist, we promoted him in February 2016 to Chef de Service and in March 2018 to Operations Assistant.

 

Ines Kretzschmar, Service Manager.
Ines Kretzschmar joined us again in April 2019. From 2012 to 2015 she was Chef de Rang in the Waid. She is a trained specialist in the hospitality industry and completed her training in Germany. Due to her outstanding performance and her sympathetic charisma, the Hamburg native was promoted to service management on September 1, 2020.

 

Bert Hofmann, Service Manager.
Mr. Hofmann joined the service team at the beginning of 2018. Born in Berlin, he was initially active in the financial world and also holds a Bachelor of Science in international finance. In 2014 he dared to enter the hospitality industry and acquired in-depth knowledge of upscale gastronomy in Germany and Switzerland. Due to his outstanding performance, he was promoted to Service Manager in June 2022.

Stefan Ripphausen, Chef.
Stefan Ripphausen has been the new head chef at Waid since February 1, 2023. Born in the Rhineland (Germany), he has known gastronomy since his early youth and has been able to acquire profound gastronomic knowledge over the past 30 years through many stations in Germany and Switzerland. Based in Switzerland since 2009, he worked in various restaurants such as QUAI 61, Bohemia and the Rössli in Hurden on Lake Zurich. In addition to the culinary arts, he is also a passable pianist and master of chess, and finds inner peace walking his dog. Due to his many years of experience, extensive qualifications and in-depth knowledge of the industry, we are delighted to have found the ideal candidate to continue the culinary journey of our restaurant.

 

Jörg-Johannes Stülp, sous chef
Mr. Stülp has had an impressive career in gastronomy over the course of his life. As a trained master chef, he has proven himself in various positions in the kitchen and most recently worked as sous-chef at the Golfpark Restaurant Nuolen. Before that, he held the position of head chef at Thurpark Wattwil for three years and has been sous-chef at the Die Waid restaurant since March 1, 2023.

With 44 cumulative years of experience in the hospitality industry, he has acquired a wide range of skills and knowledge and is a highly experienced and competent professional and the perfect addition to our kitchen team.

He has lived in Switzerland for 24 years and is the father of three children. In his free time he likes to go to the sports field. His special passion is football, which he played actively for many years.

 

Srikantha Ponniah, Wok Chef.
Since the opening of the restaurant the WAID in 2004, Srikantha Ponniah is our good soul in the Wok kitchen and surprises our guests and us again and again with completely new creations. At the beginning of 2018 he was promoted to chef due to his longstanding and great commitment. Sri Ponniah is happily married and the father of a son.
 

 

History

History

von 1670 bis 1938

Around 1670, a country estate for noble urban families was built on the Waid, including a manor house, barn and garden, wells and farmland. In 1828, the Waid was first used as a restaurant, since 1835 with the so-called Speisepatent. During reconstruction work, a healing spring was discovered and a health resort was built next to the well-attended inn. In 1908, the city of Zurich acquired most of the property. The old Waidgut was converted into a municipal hospital. In 1878, the inn had been moved to the edge of the forest to its present location. In 1921, those in charge transformed the business into a non-alcoholic summer inn and, five years later, into the “Waidberg” restaurant. Up to this time the Waid had known twelve innkeepers.

1939

A large crowd of visitors was expected at the national exhibition in 1939 on the Waidberg (Zurich’s most famous vantage point). Therefore, the old restaurant Waid, a tavern and still on Wipkingen ground, was demolished and rebuilt to the right of it and consequently becoming part of Höngg. It opened on 5 May 1939 – one day before the official opening of the national exhibition “Landi 39”.

1939 bis 2003

From 5 May 1939 to 1947, Mrs. Schellenberg was the host at the Waid, followed by Karl Grau from 1948 to 1972 and Alex Meier in the years 1973 to 2003. In this time there was a comprehensive reconstruction with a large window front, new main entrance, kitchen, storage and cellar rooms, realized within only five months in late 1979 and early 1980.

In 1980, after the completion of this first major renovation after forty years, the restaurant was renamed Neue Waid. Mr. Meier retired at the end of 2003 after thirty successful years in the restaurant.

2004

Since 1 January 2004, Thomas and Susanne Hofstetter have been tenants of the property owned by the City of Zurich. Within just three months from January to mid-April 2004, the Restaurant Neue Waid was renovated by star architect Pia Schmid and subjected to a comprehensive facelift, which matched the two concepts of Jahreszeiten Restaurant and WOK Beiz. On 22 April 2004, the restaurant was reopened under the new name of Die WAID.

08./09. Juni 2004

In the night from 8 to 9 June 2004, the WAID restaurant fell victim to a devastating fire and had to be completely rebuilt.

Juli 2004 bis Mai 2005

In the time of the reconstruction after the fire, a fully functional tent restaurant with the name “Profisorium” was erected in the chestnut garden, so that the guests could still be served on the Waidberg. During the ten months in the tent, the two concepts of seasonal kitchen and WAID wok were offered – although on a slightly smaller scale – which the tent guests liked very much. There were even tears when the “Profisorium” had to be taken down at the end of May 2005.

ab Juli 2005

On 7 July 2005, the restaurant was reopened only 399 days after the fire. Various parts had been redesigned in a modern way. Since then, the two culinary concepts “Seasons – Kitchen” and “WAID – Wok” have shaped the ambiance on the most beautiful vantage point in the city of Zurich.

Jobs_eng

Jobs

Restaurant The Waid – modern and innovative

Our team is currently complete.

We are happy to answer any questions you may have at any time.

Restaurant Die Waid
Andreas Wichert
Waidbadstrasse 45
8037 Zürich
info@diewaid.ch

Partner_eng

Partners

A network for good taste

Having the right network partners at one’s side in a catering business is neither a coincidence nor a matter of luck, but hard work in research and quality assurance.

 
 
 
 
When purchasing, we pay attention to the local and regional fresh products and attach importance to mutual partnerships being honest, trustworthy, reliable, consistent, market-driven and fair. The high quality and freshness of the goods play a decisive role in this.


Tessin Grotto. Our partner restaurant is only 485 meters away from us. Spring, summer, autumn and winter in the highest Grotto in Zurich! Enjoy fine wines from the largest Ticino wine cellar on the north side of the Alps in the house or in the garden. Ticino specialties based on old recipes and the hospitality you know from the sunny south of Switzerland. Our Ticino cheese fondue is also available all year round.
tessin-grotto.ch

 

Zweifel Wines. Zweifel in Zurich-Höngg. Yes, the ones with the chips. But not only! Zweifel also produces wines, on the one hand from its own plants in the surrounding region, on the other hand from imports from all over the world.

 

Vergani. Vergani, a 125-year-old family business, is one of the leading Swiss direct importers of Italian wines and grappas. Wine connoisseurs will find true trouvailles and excellent advice in the Vinoteca and Grapperia in Zurich’s Stadtkreis 3, which is managed by Reto Vergani in the fourth generation of the family. Meanwhile, Flavia, Luca and Gianni Vergani are the 5th generation to join the company. With the highest quality standards and the proverbial Anima – the soul of a good wine on the trail, the Verganis and their employees maintain close relationships with the most important producers. The depth of the Italian assortment is unique.

 

Bianchi. You have a good nose. In our family business everything revolves around the finest fresh specialities. Since four generations fish, crustaceans, tender meat, poultry and much more are our passion. May we whet your appetite?

 

Intercomestibles. 4000 traded products, a wide range of regional specialities, organically produced or fair-trade beverages, friendly service, personal and competent advice, short delivery routes and delivery times – these are the cornerstones. Intercomestibles has been supplying customers in Zurich for over 30 years. As as small business owned by its employees, the quality of its product range and services are just as important as fair and secure jobs.

 

La Ibense. La Ibense is a reliable partner who covers all frozen food segments in German-speaking Switzerland with an above-average range of first-class products. La Ibense is also the general importer of Les Vergers Boiron, the leading producer of freshly harvested frozen fruits and vegetables from France. As a subsidiary of Marinello + CO AG, it is committed to the same high standards.

 

Metzgerei Keller. Since 1934, Metzgerei Keller AG has been firmly anchored in the Limmat city and the region between the rivers Sihl and Rhine. We know our customers’ wishes and speak the same language. We cultivate the art of butchery in the best tradition.

 

Adwork. In our shop, you can look at products, have them shown and also get advice on site. Simply bring your device (computer, Mac, server, printer, telephone, TV, notebook etc.) with you and we will take a look at your favourite.

 

Landolt Wines. This makes the Landolt wine brand unmistakable: 5.7 hectares of vineyards in the city of Zurich alone, plus a further 6.8 hectares in the Weinland. Our experienced master winemakers and their staff cultivate these beautiful vineyards with love and intimate knowledge of the terroir.

 

Marinello. For almost 100 years we have been supplying the gastronomy of and around Zurich with fresh fruit & vegetables, dairy products, frozen products and various specialities. Our lemon yellow delivery vans have become an indispensable part of the morning cityscape.

Sunnfarm. As a regional trading and production company from the beautiful Zürcher Unterland, we are your partner for eggs, egg products and pasta. It is our passion to fulfill the individual wishes, needs and demands of our customers. Creating security and trust through quality, fairness, reliability and honesty are the pillars of our business policy. Browse our website and discover our range of products and services.

 

Casa del Vino. Classic, elegant, powerful and loved by everyone! At Casa del Vino you will discover the most exceptional wines and bodegas of Spain in all price ranges. Among them are the world’s leading bodegas as well as the small, fine discoveries of (still) unknown wine makers. What Casa del Vino and these winegrowers have in common is one thing: a great deal of passion and knowledge, the utmost care, a love of nature and a great understanding of the traditional and modern wine making.

 

Wegmann. We believe that the quality of our products and our openness is the best way to build and maintain trust with new customers.

 

Freizeitzone. Freizeitzone.ch – The portal for leisure and events! Experience life at last! No more boredom! Discover exciting activities and events in your area. There is much more going on in your city than you think.

 

Lindenhof, Matthias Frei. Our farm is located on Zurich’s doorsteps, above the beautiful Katzensee. As a family business, our main areas of activity are dairy farming and arable farming. We are proud to produce regional and high-quality food.

 

Bäckerei Hausammann. It all started in a small shop on Winterthurerstrasse. Today Hausammann has its shops in Zurich, Zollikon, Uster and, since December 2016, also in the Morgental Center in Zumikon. Over the years we have earned the title “De Zopf-Beck vo Züri”. The recipe has been refined over three generations, but is still based on Walter Hausammann’s original recipe. When customers tell us that we make the best „Zopf“ in town, we are very proud.

 

Forno e più. Forno e Più s.r.o. – your reliable supplier of specialities from the different regions of Italy.

 

Bon Pastaio. Pasta from passion – is our DNA. Under the motto “Convenience like handmade” we have developed a wide range of frozen premium pasta with a lot of love and know-how. The finest ingredients and first-class quality are the foundation of our creations, completely without additives. Whether pasta classics, seasonal, Mediterranean pasta highlights or individual creations on request, we offer pasta delicacies for all needs of gastronomy and food service. Let yourself be inspired by our selection of fine pasta specialities.

 

Fuster Rauchspezialitäten. The farm of the Fuster family lies 720 metres above sea level in the Gyrenbad above Turbenthal in the Zurich mountain area. The village with its many hiking routes is a popular destination for excursion. The idyllic hilly landscape with views from Säntis to Pilatus invites you to linger. The Fuster family farm is home to cattle, water buffalos, pigs and sheep. The animals live in free range barns and have free access to the run. For about 15 years, the meat products have been refined in the farm’s own smokehouse in the traditional way in cold smoke. Thus, first-class smoke specialities of the classical Mostbröckli up to original sausage creations are developed.

 

Laxmanufaktur. Exclusive smoked salmon specialities from Neuheim / ZG. From hot smoked salmon to classic cold smoked salmon to very fine exclusive specialities such as Alaska wild salmon or LaxParfait, we produce precious treasures of the art of smoking in pure manual labour. For our products we use top-fresh Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) of top quality from Scotland. Due to the strong tides in the natural fjords, the salmon forms muscle meat instead of fat. We also smoke Alaska wild salmon ourselves! Exclusive direct import of red salmon from Alaska brings you unmistakable quality. We refine the high-quality red salmon (Sockeye) exclusively. For smoking we only use the purest beech wood, which guarantees an even glow.