Makers Jan & Andrea
It is the culinary "place to be" in Schaffhausen - the restaurand D'Chuchi in Schaffhausen's old town. Seven years ago, Jan und Andrea Schmidlin took over the restaurant with five tables and are delighted to have been awarded 15 Gault Millau points in the fall of 2023.
Schaffhausen provides space for the visions of young entrepreneurs. Two of them are Jan und Andrea Schmidlin. Seven years ago, this young couple took over the restaurant D'Chuchi, which continues to celebrate new successes thanks to their dedication.
From Critics to Guests
Boldly into Self-Employment
A restaurant with just five tables? That will never work! When Jan and Andrea Schmidlin took over the restaurant D’Chuchi in a side alley of Schaffhausen's old town in 2016, concerned voices quickly emerged. Today, it's clear: it worked. "Now," the couple shares, "we have guests coming to us from all over Switzerland." While Jan works his magic in the kitchen, his wife Andrea, who also works 80% for a Schaffhausen-based company, supports him in the background. She steps in when there are staff shortages and manages the administration. "We have an amazing team," says Jan, "but without Andrea’s professional support, I wouldn’t be able to make all of this happen."
Young, successful ... and in Schaffhausen? "Yes," say the parents of a young daughter. "In Zurich, we might be able to fill the tables three times in an evening. But that's not what we want. We're both from the region. I grew up in the Breite district of Schaffhausen, and Andrea comes from a winegrowing village in the Klettgau. Schaffhausen is our home, and our families and friends are here. We're deeply rooted and couldn't imagine anything else."
«We are so deeply rooted in Schaffhausen and can't imagine anything else.»
Jan and Andrea Schmidlin, Makers behind Restaurant D'Chuchi
Toggenburg, Australia ... Schaffhausen
Short Distances, Personal Touch
Jan Schmidlin completed his apprenticeship at the Restaurant Park by the Rhine Falls, a true "tourist hotspot," as he recounts with a laugh. He then spent a year working in Toggenburg, but he admits his heart remained in Schaffhausen throughout that time. Upon returning to Schaffhausen, he gained experience at the renowned Restaurant Sommerlust and Restaurant Frieden, both well-known for their culinary excellence in the region.
He met his wife, Andrea, during a further education course. Andrea, who had traveled extensively for work in western Switzerland and spent a year in Australia, soon began making plans with Jan for an overseas stay. But, as is often the case in life, things took a different turn: "In 2016, we were offered the chance to take over this unique restaurant," Andrea recalls, "and it was immediately clear to both of us that we wanted to take on this project together."
What they love about Schaffhausen is how everything is close by—the personal connections with family, friends, and suppliers, as well as the short distances. "If we have an issue with the electricity on the weekend, we know the electrician's mobile number," Andrea Schmidlin laughs, adding another example: "Last year, we got married, and within a 200-meter radius, we could organize everything for our wedding: the jeweler, shoemaker, tailor, and flowers. I love the short distances and, above all, the familiarity here."
The short distances in Schaffhausen are also a blessing for Jan Schmidlin. "On my way to work, I can get 80 percent of my errands done without taking a detour—whether it's picking up selected cheese from Chäs Marili, stopping by the butcher, or shopping at the Schaffhausen weekly market for fresh vegetables and fruits. It makes time management so much easier," says the 15-point chef.
In fact, most of their suppliers and producers are people Jan and Andrea Schmidlin know personally. Over the years, they say, true friendships have developed.
Family time in Schaffhausen
Visions and Settling Down
As a young family, balancing work and private life is anything but easy. Yet Jan and Andrea have found a way to make it work. In the mornings, Jan takes care of their daughter, while Andrea takes over in the afternoons. They also receive a lot of support from their family. "Otherwise," Andrea says, "it wouldn't be possible."
Because their free time is both rare and precious, they savor their small breaks even more—whether it's on bike tours or walks in the region. Favorite spots? They have many. At the top of the list is the Rhine, followed by the forest near Guntmadingen, complete with their favorite fire pit, the KSS leisure park in Schaffhausen's Breite district with its ice rink and outdoor pool, and Stein am Rhein, where they enjoy refreshing swims at the Badi Espi and culinary delights at the Uferlos restaurant.
Restaurants, in general, play an important role even in their leisure and holiday planning. "Sometimes we choose the restaurants first and plan the vacation around them," Jan Schmidlin admits with a smile.
Jan and Andrea Schmidlin are happy. With passion and dedication, they have taken their future into their own hands and have been rewarded with success for their commitment and courage. For the future, they hope to see even more doers who turn their ideas into reality and continue to shape the gastronomy scene in the region.
And for themselves? "Schaffhausen always offers us plenty of room for new ideas. But to be honest, our next goal is to settle down a bit. Last year, we got married, became parents, bought a house, and received 15 Gault Millau points. It’s been positively turbulent. Now we want to take the time to enjoy it."
Jan and Andrea Schmidlin dared to take the leap—and won. As the owners of Schaffhausen's restaurant D’Chuchi, the parents of a young daughter embarked on the journey of self-employment and, as the crowning achievement, were awarded 15 Gault Millau points in the fall of 2023.
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