Stories and faces

Imad grew up in Syria, first in a small village and then at the age of six in a larger city. He has two siblings – a younger brother and an older sister. In his home country, Imad completed a degree in agricultural engineering and then came to Switzerland. However, he was unable to pursue his profession here, which ultimately led him into the catering industry. After several years in restaurants as a waiter, he set up his own business in 2012. His restaurant was characterized by his Syrian roots, which was also reflected in the oriental cuisine. However, the pandemic put an abrupt end to his dream and he had to give up the restaurant in 2021. But he still hasn’t completely let go of his dream of owning his own restaurant.

Imad was already familiar with the Hotel Sedartis, as he had often been a guest here himself. When he saw the job advertisement for a banquet manager, it was clear to him – and to us too! He joined the Sedartis family in 2021 and has enriched our team enormously with his cheerful, loving and humorous manner and his great expertise and professionalism. Not only do we like him, we can also “smell” him very well – because his perfume always indicates where he has just been in the hotel and with a very fine fragrance. We hope that he will stay with us for a very long time to come.

He loves to spend his free time with his two children, a 9-year-old boy and a 5-year-old – he affectionately calls her – diva princess daughter. But he also often goes swimming, likes to watch football and accompanies his son to his football tournaments.

Luca Kessler grew up in Wägital in the canton of Schwyz and still proudly calls the beautiful village on Lake Wägital his home. He completed his apprenticeship as an EFZ hotel specialist at Hotel Sedartis in 2023 with distinction: He was the best graduate in the canton of Zurich and achieved the highest grade among all graduates in the hotel and catering professions. Since then, he has been working as deputy head of housekeeping at the hotel and brings a great deal of commitment and enjoyment to his work.

In addition to his work, Luca is involved in a wide range of activities. He plays and acts as musical director in the Guggemusik “Los Chaos”, is passionate about performing on the theater stage, does judo and is active in the gymnastics club. His passion for music, especially rock from the 80s and 90s, as well as his interest in cars, especially his own, set him apart. His enthusiasm for the processes and organization in the catering and hotel industry was a decisive reason for Luca to choose this career path.

We really appreciate Luca’s helpful and approachable nature and are delighted that he has stayed with the team after his training.

Katharina Ritter, our Front Office Manager and member of the management team, is a real power woman. Born in the Engadine, she began her career with an apprenticeship in business administration at the Hotel Guardalej (now Giardino Mountain). Even then, she gained valuable experience in various areas such as front office, catering, administration and HR. After further exciting positions in various hotels and in tourism in the Engadin, she moved to beautiful Lake Zurich at the end of 2017.

Since then, Katharina has found her new home in Thalwil and has been part of the Sedartis family since March 2018. It’s hard to imagine life here without her: with her positive manner, she welcomes our guests every day, looks after apprentices and thinks for everyone. Katharina is always calm and has everything under control, even on hectic days.

She also remains true to her passion in her free time: together with her partner and her dog Milo, she enjoys exploring new hotels both in Switzerland and beyond. She also really enjoys spending time with her “Gottimeitli”. Katharina’s commitment and positive charisma make her an indispensable part of our team, and we look forward to sharing more experiences together. 😊

Dominic grew up in Untervaz, a small village in beautiful Graubünden. As the youngest of three siblings – with one sister and one brother – he was allowed to take more liberties and try things out. From an early age, he spent a lot of time in his grandparents’ restaurant, where he was often allowed to help out as a child. They always served chips, which he particularly liked. Family celebrations, Christmas and other festivities always took place in the restaurant’s large hall, which strongly influenced his childhood and therefore his choice of career.

His professional journey began with an apprenticeship in Flims and led him via Chur, Lachen, Wallisellen and Zurich, finally to Thalwil. Along the way, he gained valuable experience in various areas of gastronomy. From a gourmet restaurant to a steakhouse by the lake to working with people with disabilities. Dominic has been an important part of the Sedartis family since April 2020. Initially in the position of restaurant manager, he later moved to the seminar department as banquet and event coordinator. Thanks to his calm and collected nature, nothing gets him down so quickly. He has almost superhuman patience, is extremely competent and always has a complete overview. When he is involved – everything runs smoothly.

In his free time, he is often drawn to the mountains and the Grisons region. He has been a passionate floorball player for many years. Fishing on a quiet, idyllic lake also provides him with a balance to his stressful everyday life. Dominic is the epitome of “still waters run deep”, he has a wonderful sense of humor that sometimes strikes unexpectedly but with perfect timing. Apart from work, he spends as much time as possible with his daughter – she is his greatest happiness.

Rajaduraj, known to us and our guests as “Rajan”, has been part of the Sedartis family for almost 10 years and describes Sedartis as his second home. He lives in Thalwil and knows the community and especially the regular guests of the Sedartis restaurant very well. He is an absolute professional in his job. Not only does he mix the best drinks, he also knows exactly who likes what best. Because he loves his work, he always has a smile on his face and welcomes our guests with his friendly manner.

He shares his “first home” with his wife and three children. His daughter recently completed her vocational training and is already working. He enjoys spending time on the football pitch with his twin sons and cheering them on at their FC matches. He used to enjoy playing football himself and now enjoys watching the games from the sidelines while spending his free time with his family, which has always been very important to him. Rajan is part of a real extended family and has eight siblings.

With his warm-hearted nature and his commitment, both at work and in the family, Rajan is an irreplaceable member of our Sedartis family.

She is our early bird, because without her, we would only have a “bed” without a “breakfast”. Before the first rays of sunshine reach the Sedartis, Andrea is full of energy and prepares breakfast for our guests. Tireless, like a Duracell bunny, but still the calmness itself, she then takes care of the business lunch and feeds our guests during the afternoon. She has been an important part of our restaurant team for over 10 years and has won the hearts of our guests and employees by storm.

She grew up in the German Sauerland (NRW), where she also completed her vocational training as a hotel manageress. She then came to Switzerland for a seasonal position… 17 years later, she is fortunately still here and it’s hard to imagine life without her. She entered the Hotel Sedartis for the first time on January 1, 2013 and we very much hope that she will extend her “season” for many more years.

As a mother of two daughters, family is Andrea’s top priority. When she has a bit of “me-time” in between, she loves sewing for herself and her two girls. Whether it’s clothes, bags, rucksacks or purses, there’s nothing that can’t come out of her sewing machine – because without it, she loses the thread… 😊

Loriana and Leon were both born in 2004 – the same year as the Hotel Sedartis. An additional reason to introduce these two remarkable youngsters in more detail.

Loriana Giacomin completed her apprenticeship as a restaurant specialist with us at Hotel Sedartis and successfully graduated last year. We are very proud that Loriana has stayed with us after completing her apprenticeship and continues to actively support our service team with her extensive specialist knowledge and valuable professional experience. This multitasking talent knows how to keep a cool head even in stressful situations. Her likeable nature radiates joy and harmony and, together with her pronounced empathy, makes her an important pillar of the team. As an absolute family person, Lori (as we like to call her) loves to spend her free time with her family – she has three siblings, her partner and her friends.

Leon Lechthaler successfully completed his apprenticeship as a hotel communications specialist at the EHL Hospitality Business School in Passugg last year. During his training, Leon was able to gain valuable experience in various areas of the hotel industry. At the Hotel Hauser in St. Moritz, he completed an internship in service and in the kitchen, and at the Rockresort/Signinahotel in Laax, he acquired in-depth specialist knowledge in the areas of reception, administration and housekeeping. We are delighted that Leon found his way to us following his apprenticeship and has been an important part of our front office team since 2023. As a passionate footballer, Leon can often be found on the football pitch during the day. In the evenings, he throws himself into Zurich’s nightlife and parties with his friends.

Without him and his wife Beatrice Meier, the Hotel Sedartis would not be what it is today. Heinz Meier bought the old Thalwilerhof over 20 years ago. A true Thalwiler, he is deeply rooted in the community. When the old Thalwilerhof came up for sale, it was immediately clear to him that the hotel and its emotional value had to be preserved for the residents. The building was demolished and replaced with a modern new building, today’s Sedartis.

After growing up in Thalwil, his years of traveling as an electrical engineer first took him to South Africa, where he then went on to study chemistry at the University of Zurich. With a doctorate in natural sciences, he worked as a researcher in the development of semiconductor lasers at the IBM laboratory in Rüschlikon.

Together with his wife, he is heavily involved in the further development of the Hotel Sedartis. He provides support and guidance discreetly in the background and gives the management and the entire Sedartis team plenty of freedom and space for ideas and their implementation. This allows for positive business development and is partly the recipe for the successful history of the Hotel Sedartis.

Heinz Meier is very involved in Thalwil’s club life. Whether as the former long-standing president of FC Thalwil or as a member of the Thalwil Jazz Club, which has enjoyed the privilege of hosting concerts at the Hotel Sedartis for 20 years. The passionate golfer, skier and curling player is always active in sports. He likes to spend his days off in the Grisons mountains. But his family comes first. As the father of three grown-up children and grandfather of four, he really enjoys family life.

Daniela Kormann has been with the Hotel Sedartis since day one 20 years ago, with a brief detour to the partner hotel Belvoir. She is therefore part of the long-established Sedartis family. In addition to her full-time job as a mother, she works part-time as a service specialist in the Sedartis restaurant. She has indispensable know-how, both in her professional work and in relation to the hotel. She knows everything and knows everyone. With her knowledge, her tireless commitment and her humorous and positive manner, she is quite simply our rock in the surf.

Her passion for the hotel industry was sparked during her two apprenticeships as a hotel and restaurant specialist, which she completed at the Hotel Belvoir in Rüschlikon. She was particularly fond of gastronomy. After completing her apprenticeship, she started as a service specialist at the newly built Hotel Sedartis and was later promoted to deputy restaurant manager. In this position, she also returned to the partner hotel Belvoir for two years. Since 2015, she has been working part-time in our à la carte restaurant.

Daniela is very creative, which she enjoys doing in her free time. In her younger years, she was a passionate soccer player. Since the birth of her children, she has left the active game of soccer to her son and enjoys watching his matches on the sidelines. But she can also often be found at the football stadium with her family. Spending time with her loved ones is the most important thing for her.

Katja Schaub is just as old as Sedartis – okay, that’s not quite true, but she’s been with us since day one 20 years ago and it’s hard to imagine life without her. As Head of Seminars & Events, she always keeps track of everything, because all the threads come together in her hands. She knows the hotel like the back of her hand and also knows the odd anecdote from the last 20 years – the so-called insiders.

Katja Schaub started her professional career at the Partner Hotel Belvoir in Rüschlikon, where she completed her apprenticeship as a hotel clerk. She then trained as a service specialist and also completed commercial school. In January 2004, she joined the newly built Hotel Sedartis as a receptionist and steadily climbed the career ladder. After gaining valuable experience as Chef de Reception, she switched to the seminar and event sector, which she built up and has managed very successfully ever since. As a long-standing member of management and management assistant, she has also been part of the newly formed management team since the beginning of 2024, standing in for the management in their absence.

In her free time, Katja can always be found on the ski slopes of Lenzerheide in winter – her second adopted home. When spring arrives in Zurich with the Sechseläuten festival, the Zurich native, who comes from a guild family, is naturally right in the middle of it. She really enjoys spending time with family and friends. Sociable as she is, there’s never a dull moment with her – her laughter is infectious.

As the first director of Hotel Sedartis, Martin von Moos not only played a key role in establishing the hotel as a successful business hotel and local meeting place from the very beginning. He was also closely involved in its construction up to its opening in 2004. Since 2009, he has been managing director of both partner hotels (Hotel Sedartis & Hotel Belvoir) and therefore has two hearts (hotels) in his chest.

The passionate hotelier started his career at the Lausanne Hotel Management School. After graduating, he gained valuable experience at home and abroad in both the brand and individual hotel industry and took on management positions. The well-being and further development of his employees, as well as the promotion of young talent in the industry, are particularly important to him. After eight years as Regional President of the Zurich hotel industry, he was elected as the new President of HotellerieSuisse at the end of 2023, making him the highest hotelier in Switzerland.

In his private life, he is first and foremost a family man. Born in Lucerne and father of three grown-up children, he can often be found on Lake Lucerne or on the ski slopes in winter. As a gifted networker, he is now increasingly visiting many hotels and tourist regions in Switzerland in his role.

Ueli Knobel has held the position of host and director of the Hotel Sedartis for 10 years. He runs the hotel with heart and soul and has developed the Sedartis into an innovative business hotel with his creativity and tireless drive. Popular with guests and staff alike, he is a born chef and host.

His career path took him through various countries and cantons and finally led him here to Thalwil. After training as a chef at the Hotel Badrutts Palace in St. Moritz, he laid the foundations for his career as a hotelier. He went on to work as a chef in Crans Montana, Montreux and Lausanne before graduating from hotel management school in Lausanne. His time in Mumbai/India, where he opened a 5-star luxury hotel, left its mark on him and gave him a wealth of life experience. Knobel took up his first management position at the age of 26 and ran the Hotel Chesa Rosatsch in Celerina/Engadin with great passion for eight years. This is also where his 3 children were born. In 2004, he returned with his family from the mountains to Lake Zurich and found his way to the Hotel Sedartis in Pfäffikon SZ via a management position at the Seedamm Plaza seminar hotel.

Ueli Knobel enjoys spending his free time with family and friends in the great outdoors biking, hiking and skiing. At home, he is the cook. He loves traveling and interacting with people from other cultures. His roots are on Lake Zurich, and he is looking forward to the other tasks that the development of the Hotel Sedartis will bring.