KUALA LUMPUR: AS a youth, Manfred J. Faehndrich cherished doing mandatory service with the Swiss army and as a United Nations peacekeeper.
Little did he imagine meeting the “love of his life” later while serving at the Korean Demilitarised Zone (DMZ), which separates the North from the South.
The retired army quartermaster also never imagined that he would one day run an upmarket restaurant in the federal capital, hosting and serving the social elite.
Major (Rtd) Faehndrich, who turns 65 on April 19, has made Malaysia his home for the past 24 years with his South Korean wife, Kim Hyun-Ok, whom he married 34 years ago.
“It started when I was posted to Kuala Lumpur in 1996 as a general manager with the Germany company Gebruder Meiser GmbH, which manufactures steel gratings for oil platforms, industrial purposes and other applications. Prior to this, I worked 14 years for the Zuger Kantonalbank’s AG in my hometown of Zug, Switzerland.
“Then, I was a service contract manager for four years with Mowag Motorwagenfabrik AG in Saudi Arabia,” said Faehndrich.
MANAGING A RESTAURANT
Faehndrich manages the Chalet Suisse Restaurant at the ‘Korean Village’ in One Ampang Avenue. The restaurant was initially run by its founder, the legendary Chef Heinz Bauert, since May 1996.
“The Swiss community used it as a rendezvous for their social activities, including the weekly Jass (a Swiss card game) and dining.
“But Bauert died on March 8, 2015, leaving the staff and its patrons in a quandary,” said Faehndrich.
Then, regular customers like him and close friends Johann Bohi, Bernhard Schobert, Urs Allenspach and Rudolf Messmer stepped in to save the business.
“None of us had experience in running a restaurant, but in some way, we were linked to food and beverage. Besides, altogether we had over 130 years of Mal-aysian experience, having lived here.
“We neither wanted Bauert’s legacy in Swiss culinary arts here to die off, nor see the outlet closed,” said Faehndrich, who is the outlet’s managing director.
After consulting with Bauert’s family members in Switzerland and obtaining their consent, Faehndrich and his four friends bought over the restaurant (Gastronomie Suisse Sdn Bhd) and have kept it going for the past four years. Faehndrich said that the partners invested capital to renovate the restaurant.
“We also had to hire a new chef, while the long-time, loyal staff under the supervision of the restaurant manager, Ben Duran Gomez, remained.”
Gomez, however, had to retire after suffering a stroke in June last year, and is recovering in Manila, the Philippines.
Among Chalet Suisse’s signature dishes are the raclette (melted cheese) and fondue, which go with an international spread.
“The uniqueness of the restaurant is its interior, which is wood panelled, with the furniture made entirely from 6,000kg of recycled pinewood, which was used for packing heavy machines and equipment in Port Klang, Selangor,” said Faehndrich.
UN PEACEKEEPING MISSION
Faehndrich initially served with a Swiss army engineering regiment as a quartermaster. In 1992, he became an adjutant, and then second-in-command of the 80-strong Swiss Medical Unit serving under the United Nations Mission in Western Sahara (Minurso) — bordering Mauritania, Morocco and Algeria — and was based in El Laayoune.
In February 1984, Faehndrich was chosen as a captain to serve under the Neutral Nations Supervisory Commission under the UN’s Armistice Command in Seoul, South Korea. He was based within the DMZ in the truce village of Panmunjom.
Faehndrich recalled how on April 15, 1984, he was invited by the North Korean government to celebrate the birthday of its late leader, Kim Il-Sung in Pyongyang.
“It was a very special moment to experience the occasion and parades, along with high-ranking generals from North Korea, China, Sweden, Poland and Czechoslovakia,” said Faehndrich.
Another memorable experience was being invited to celebrate the rice harvest festival in Kaesong, north of Panmunjom, later in the year.
“My assignment in Korea was unforgettable. I also met my future wife (Kim) when I returned to Seoul,” said Faehndrich.
The couple have a son, Philipp, and daughter, Amanda, who are working and living in Switzerland.