Country Inn Paradiesli

Article in collaboration with Ruhe Visits

Eating with soil awareness

On the Shores of Lake Walen

A shimmering green world lies before us. Gently nestled in the morning mist, the country inn Paradiesli appears before us. Somewhere behind us, a peacock calls. Our gaze drifts across forests and fields. In the distance, a waterfall roars high above us.

"Welcome to Betlis," Christine greets us. "It still looks a bit mystical now, but the weather frog has promised sunshine for the afternoon." She runs the country inn together with Melanie—now in their third season.

Here, at the foot of the Churfirsten mountains, time seems to move more slowly. Even the clock above the entrance door is running late. And that’s exactly how it feels.

Upon entering the guest parlour, you are embraced by the warmth of the wood. The windows let in just enough natural light to create a harmonious atmosphere. They offer a view through the garden, across the lake, and to the opposite shore.

P.S.: An old legend says the Churfirsten are the vertebrae of a sleeping dragon, and Betlis is its tail, curling into the lake.

From Garden to Table

We sit at one of the window tables, watching as the sun slowly pushes through patches of cloud. The rain has stopped. A service bell rings. Two plates are passed through the serving hatch and placed on our table, along with a large bowl of salad.

"The salad comes straight from our garden behind the country inn," Christine tells us. "It’s allowed to grow slowly there, which gives it a particularly strong flavour. And you can really taste it," she says.

The menu at Paradiesli is dynamic—and that’s exactly how it should be. It’s based on whatever the garden is offering at the moment. "The garden dictates the menu. We follow it and the seasons—not the other way around," Melanie later explains.

The garden is Hamdi’s domain. He’s been tending it for 23 years. Before that, he was a biology teacher in Kosovo. "It’s nice to apply knowledge in a hands-on way. To see, to smell, and especially to taste what you create," he says with a gentle smile.

At first glance, the garden appears wild. But on closer inspection, a structure full of care and system reveals itself. A wide variety of lettuces, herbs, fruits, and other spring vegetables thrive in every corner.

Everything here is grown organically. Pesticides and chemical fertilisers are a no-go. Instead, natural methods are used. For example, marigolds line the edges of the beds to keep snails away. "It sounds counterintuitive, but the less poison you use, the fewer snails show up," Hamdi explains.

Trimmings from plants and kitchen scraps are turned into compost, which becomes valuable humus and is returned to the beds. A natural cycle.

The soil in Betlis is rocky and stony, so it doesn’t retain water well. But Hamdi has a trick: mixing charcoal into the humus greatly improves water retention. This helps protect the plants from drying out, especially during hot months.

P.S.: A little tip from Hamdi—parsley and chives don’t get along. Better to plant them in separate pots.

The Hearts of Paradiesli

Christine is a trained carpenter and architect, Melanie studied art. Originally, gastronomy was just a side project for both of them—until it became the main one. Today, they run the Paradiesli team together, which now consists of around 15 people.

"Christine trained me back then. She didn’t say much that day, but by the end it was clear—it just clicked," Melanie recalls with a laugh. In Betlis, they found in Paradiesli the place where their ideas of regional cuisine, sustainable gastronomy, and warm hospitality could come together.

With the country inn, they also made the leap from classic gastronomy into the world of hospitality. Paradiesli offers rooms too—for anyone who wants to linger a little longer in this peaceful place.

Part of their vision is to create natural cycles. "We sometimes take vegetables from here to 'Zur Wirtschaft zum Franz', our second restaurant in Zurich. And from there, we bring certain products back to Paradiesli," Melanie explains.

Animals are also an integral part of the house: two cats, two peacocks, several laying hens, and Brahma chickens—one of the oldest chicken breeds in Switzerland. Brahmas are gentler on the ground than other breeds, which means the meadow doesn't need to be rotated as often. The animals don’t have official names. But if they did, the peacock surely would. "He’d be called Romeo. He loves admiring himself in the mirror before trying to impress his lady," says Hamdi with a grin. The animals are the oldest residents of the country inn. That’s why Christine and Melanie have given them a special place in their concept. On your next visit, look for the flag outside the house or the lovingly illustrated drawings that adorn Paradiesli.

P.S.: The illustrations in Paradiesli are by Laura Jurt, the graphic design by Anika Rosen. Some of the pencil sketches on the walls are works by Zurich-based designer Aline Telek.

This article is part of our collaboration with Ruhe Visits. We visit selected restaurants and producers who stand out for their particularly grounded and mindful approach — and share their stories.

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