50 Shades of Hospitality
A global podcast dedicated to learning from industry players around the world. These podcasts are a series of interviews with international hospitality and tourism industry professionals. I prompt our guests to share their personal experiences, as well as analyse the current trends, technology and innovations. The podcast’s goal is to inspire people in the field and to encourage young people to join this exciting industry. I am committed to evaluating the current educational and training opportunities for industry professionals in the hopes of finding solutions to the challenges the industry is now facing.
50 Shades of Hospitality
Cooking Her Way Around the World
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Celine Maier, the EuroSkills Gold Medalist for Culinary Arts, decided after winning Gold to embark on a global, culinary journey. Since 2024, she has been a culinary globetrotter, traveling through Europe, America, and Asia to explore the diversity of international cuisines, learn new techniques, deepen and expand her network, and experience cultural influences firsthand.
In this podcast, Celine talks about the competitions she has participated in and how, during her journey, she continues to grow beyond her limits, consciously steps out of her comfort zone, learns new languages, and gains valuable self-knowledge.
Celine has been working passionately in the hospitality industry since 2018 and has completed her apprenticeship as a certified Swiss chef. During her apprenticeship, she gained early insights into the world of culinary competitions and took part in numerous apprentice and cooking contests.
Among the most formative experiences was her participation in the Bocuse d’Or and the SwissSkills, through which she qualified for the EuroSkills competition in Gdansk, Poland and won first place. In this interview, Celine describes this unforgettable experience and praises her mentors and coaches for their unwavering support.
During the recording of this interview, Celine was in China and had plans to visit and work South Korea and Japan. Her passion and enthusiasm for the culinary arts is simply astounding and infectious for such a young woman.
Good afternoon and welcome to Fifty Shades of Hospitality. This is Crystal Cavan, your host. Today we are happy to welcome Celine Meyer. Celine, it's a pleasure to have you on our podcast today. Can you tell our listeners a little bit about yourself?
SPEAKER_00Hello everyone. First of all, thank you, Crystal, for having me here today. It's a great pleasure for me to talk about my journey and share my story with you. As you mentioned before, I'm Celine Meyer. I'm 23 years old and I'm a trained chef. And for almost two years now, I've been traveling to discover the culinary world. And currently I'm in China, Shanghai. And in the past, I have also been able to participate in many cooking competitions, including the Euroskills competition in Gdansk 2023, where I luckily won the gold medal.
SPEAKER_01So, Celine, you are a chef with a Swiss certificate of competence, and you have been working in different culinary positions since 2018. Where did this passion for cooking come from?
SPEAKER_00I believe I absorbed my passion and joy for cooking in my childhood, as cooking and eating together was a very central part of my family life, and I find it incredibly wonderful to be able to bring joy to other people through food. And once I started my apprenticeship, my passion for the profession only intensified as I was surrounded by the right people, and I have to say, to this day, I couldn't imagine to do anything else.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, I understand that. I'm also really passionate about cooking as well. You also participated in the Bokus d'or competition. Can you tell us a little bit about that experience?
SPEAKER_00Being part of the Bokistor team and representing Switzerland internationally filled me with pride. It was an intense time, over two years of training, and there were certainly difficult moments like the European selection. However, I learned a lot during this time, and I'm so grateful to Christoph, the candidate, for taking me on this journey and seeing it through the to the end, and despite to make mistakes that were made. And I'm also very grateful for the encounters that I made there, which have helped me a lot on my journey here as well. And I also really grateful for the friendship that we made in the team that are last to this day.
SPEAKER_01Celine, so as you mentioned, you are a Swiss skills silver medalist and a Euroskills gold medalist in culinary arts. How did you become involved with those competitions?
SPEAKER_00I've always been a competitive person and I participated in many competitions even as a child. And when I started my apprenticeship, I was in the right place at the right time. My boss at this time, Beat Weibel, introduced me to the world of culinary competitions and encouraged me to participate. And I still remember a conversation we had in my first year of apprenticeship when he told me about the Swiss skills competition and said that you need that you needed at least a five in your final exams to participate. And I told him I would achieve that and that I wanted to compete. And just for understanding, from a scale from one to six, five is the second best. Right.
SPEAKER_01Five is very, very good for uh listeners from other places.
SPEAKER_00Yes. And sure enough, four years later I came in second place at the Swiss Skills, and which also secured my qualification for the Euroskills, where I finally won my long-awaited gold medal.
SPEAKER_01Yes, and I was so happy and so excited that I was there and got to see you win that gold medal. It was it was really uh well proud moment because of course I also work with the Swiss Skills and yeah, very proud moment to see a lot of our Swiss candidates win gold there. Yes. Can you explain to our listeners what it is like to compete in a major competition with so many other competitors from European countries? I mean, I don't know. How do you remember how many competitors were competing against you at the Euroskills?
SPEAKER_00I had 25 or we were 25 competitors in total, and it's always the skill cooking always have the most competitors, and it is quite an international profession. And it's something very unique, I have to say. It's not often that you find yourself surrounded by people of the same age with similar mindsets who share your passion for this profession. So exchanging ideas with them, building a network that extends beyond Switzerland's borders and drawing comparisons is incredibly interesting. And once you get to know each other, you're simply part of an incredibly large family in the hospitality industry. And I have rarely seen anything like this in any other profession.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, yeah, a lot of incredible talent there. Well, you must have been doubly proud at the end of the Gdansk Girl Skills competition because Switzerland won the most medals that year. So you were part of an incredibly amazing Swiss team. What what was it like to be part of that winning Swiss team?
SPEAKER_00Yes, that's definitely true, and this feeling is incredibly difficult to put into words, as it felt like a fever dream. During the award ceremony, one highlight followed another, and we couldn't stop cheering. So luckily we were only represented in 16 professions. And for me personally, a long cheerished dream came true, finally holding a gold medal in my hands. And then for the entire Swiss team to finish so successfully was just the icing on the cake. We had an incredible team spirit and supported each other, which certainly contributed to this success. And to this day, we have an annual ski weekend where we get together, and I find that incredibly wonderful. And it's generally great when such connections extend beyond a competition.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, I totally agree. There was an incredible feeling in Poland. So working as a chef in kitchens, I assume that you are no stranger to stress. I imagine that you were probably under a lot of stress during the competitions. How did you feel uh about that? And how did you deal with managing your stress?
SPEAKER_00So you're absolutely right. That's nothing new for me, as it is part of my daily routine. But honestly, I was quite calm during the competition and didn't let myself get stressed because I trained intensively for three months and knew what the tasks were and I knew what I was capable of. So I just had to put what I learned into practice, and I actually managed that quite well. And it's also important to have the self-confidence to execute the task and if the things don't go as planned, to have the ability to react. And I think I had that. And because I already had a lot of competition experience, it was normal for me to have people looking over my shoulder and for things to get a bit louder because there were fans cheering for you. And I also think the book store really toughened me up for that.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, yeah. And I I mean I can attest to it because when I wasn't working with the hotel reception, I was walking around and I often stopped by to see you and watch you. I mean, I don't think I've ever seen someone so focused in my life. You could like see, you could like see the focus all around you. You were so intense and focused on what you were doing. I was sometimes trying to catch your eye, but no, no, you were very focused on what you were doing. Yeah.
SPEAKER_00I mean, yeah, I mean, yeah, I wasn't really realizing what's going on over there.
SPEAKER_01So yeah, I was just full focus. Totally. No, I I kept saying, is she gonna look up and it just maybe catch my eye? Nope, nope. You were in your thing, you were doing your thing. So Celine, how has winning these medals influenced your career path?
SPEAKER_00I believe it's the competitions themselves that have influenced my career more than the medals themselves. Through all these competitions, I had the opportunity to meet so many people, both in Switzerland and abroad, which has opened so many doors for me and allowed me to have unforgettable experiences. And I think the medals simply reflect my ambition, my passion for my profession, and the fact that I do everything I can do to achieve my goals. And they were also that what pushed me to keep going, because if I had always come in last in every competition, I might have given up quickly. But because I always became second, that motivated me to continue until I finally held my gold medal in my hands.
SPEAKER_01So we actually met each other for the first time at the hotel and gastro training center in Vegas, Switzerland, which is near Lucerne. At that time you were preparing to compete in the Euroskills competition later that year in Gdansk, Poland, by training with other competitors from Europe during a friendly training weekend that we organized. What did you think about this training and how did that experience impact you?
SPEAKER_00Yeah, I love to remember this time back then. That was great. I think it's an excellent idea to get to know other participants before the competition, to exchange ideas, to see where you stand. And it also gives you a comfortable feeling during the competition itself, when you already see familiar faces and have something in common with them. You don't feel so lost basically. And that's why I was so pleased that this thing has continued in the recent years, and I think it will remain an integral part of trainings in the future as well. And it was also great for me to do it with you, the hotel reception. It even allowed me to make more contacts across different professions, and overall it's a good way to look at things from a different perspective.
SPEAKER_01And you were also really lucky to have had an incredibly committed coach, Martin. Can you explain how he supported you in your preparation for the Euroskills?
SPEAKER_00Yes, so you're absolutely right. I was very lucky to have Martin on my side for this journey. He basically did everything necessary to prepare me optimally for the competition. He organized training sessions all over Switzerland. He much he made sure I was technically, mentally, and physically prepared for a peak performance, and he constantly challenged me and pushed me out of my comfort zone, which was crucial for the competition later on. And we also had a very close exchange and open communication. And Martin has an incredibly good sense of people, and he knew when enough was enough and when I needed a break. So yeah, it was just an amazing time.
SPEAKER_01He was actually uh he's actually quite young. I mean, some of these experts and coaches tend to be quite a bit older, but Martin uh he was closer to your age.
SPEAKER_00Yes, he is 27 right now, and he's turning 28 uh this year. Yes, he's very young to in comparing with other experts. Also, we were already friends before the competition, so I think that helped a lot as well. Yeah, probably.
SPEAKER_01Celine, could you see yourself as a coach for Euroskills or world skills competitions?
SPEAKER_00Yes, I could definitely imagine that. However, both coaches are quite new to their positions. Next year will be Martin's third Euroskills competition, and Mario is participating in his first world skills this year. So I don't think the position will become available anytime soon, but I'm more than motivated to support them if they want my help, especially for the Euroskills since I have a stronger connection to that competition and to Martin as well.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, yeah. Well, I hope the uh Swift Skills team is listening to this. They know that you are ready whenever they need you. Exactly. Since May 2024, you have been on a culinary world tour with the goal of experiencing the diversity of international cuisines firsthand.
SPEAKER_00So, firstly, I think travel is partly in my teens. My parents traveled when they were my age, and I have an older sister who also went on a world trip when I started my apprenticeship. So when I knew I wanted to become a chef, it was clear to me that I want to travel the world too, and to get to know the cuisine of other countries, because there's no other profession where that's easier than cooking. Even if it's not in a restaurant, people eat everywhere. I can also learn to cook traditionally dishes in private homes. So the dream was there from an early age on, and because of the competitions that I did, it simply wasn't possible for me to leave earlier. But once all those were behind me, nothing could hold me back from leaving.
SPEAKER_01And how did you manage to travel for so long? I mean, you're still traveling without a regular income.
SPEAKER_00During my apprenticeship and afterwards, I was able to save quite a bit, and which now allows me to travel even without a regular income. But where I can save a lot is through couch surfing. Yes, this is a platform where local people offer a free accommodation. And it could be a couch in their living room, it could be a private room or even the same room as the host. And I can just search my destination in the app and see the profiles, look at them, and if I feel comfortable, I can text them a message. And if they agree, I can stay with them for a certain period. And basically that's for free. I just pay a fee of 15 francs a year. Oh yeah. And do you cook for them? Yes, not always, but mostly I try to cook for them, especially Swiss dishes, rusty or alpha makaronen, because sometimes I also need to eat against Swiss dishes because I miss also Swiss cuisine, so I just cook Swiss dishes, so I'm happy and they are happy as well.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, when you're traveling around the world, I imagine you probably miss uh eating Swiss cheese and fondue and raclet and uh Yeah, that's quite rare. Yeah, quite rare. Have you ever been afraid to stay with strangers? Especially, for instance, men? I mean, what have your experiences been like so far doing a lot of this couch surfing? Honestly, no.
SPEAKER_00Um my older sister introduced me to this app and shared her experiences. And they were always good. And I also read those profiles carefully and look at other people's references. So once you have stayed at a person's place, I'm writing a reference for them and they write a reference for me. So I always read them and especially also the woman's. If I'm not completely sure about the profile, I don't send a request. I'm not that desperate. And what's even better is that I only had the positive experiences until now. And I've always been warmly welcomed and always had a great time with my host. I think the worst moments were more irritating. Like when a host wrote me I love you. Like I don't know why they wrote I love you, but they did. And I didn't know what this meant for them, but I just I just ignored it. I didn't make a big deal out of it because I knew I will leave anyway soon.
SPEAKER_01Yeah. Before we I have some other questions, but I'd like to know, can you tell us, uh tell our listeners some of the countries that you visited and that you're going to visit? Can you kind of give a you don't have to name all of them, but I mean, where did you go first on this world traveler?
SPEAKER_00I started in Italy. So basically I wanted to start my first year in Europe. So I went to Italy. Then there was an exception where I did a project in Sri Lanka, then I came back, went to France. And basically then I did almost whole Europe except the eastern part. So to Hungary, Poland, Austria, Slovakia, that's like the border and everything, up and and left. I was visiting. And then in summer 2025, last year, I went to Canada and then I went down until Guatemala. I basically did whole North America, and from Guatemala I flew to Peru and Colombia. I just did those two countries in South America, and then in January this year I flew to Singapore, and then I did Malaysia and India, and right now I'm in China, and I'm going to do whole Southeast Asia basically. So I'm going next to South Korea, Japan, Vietnam, Thailand, and ending is most probably in Indonesia.
SPEAKER_01Wow, amazing. So during your travels, you occasionally did internships or work in restaurants for a short time. How do you manage to get these short-term internships in restaurants?
SPEAKER_00So basically it's just my network that I have that I made through the competitions. And yeah, I just get to know so many people, and I'm just asked asking them if it's possible to do an internship with them, a short-term internship with them. And it almost always worked out. And if I didn't have the contacts by myself, I tried to get contacts from friends, other chefs, or Escoffier, that's a culinary organization that I'm part of. And I have to say the biggest challenge was definitely Peru. But somehow I'm just a very lucky person and I meet the right people who help me afterwards to organize an internship. And sometimes you just have to be brave and go and ask in person. Like the worst thing that can happen is a no.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, absolutely. And was there a moment in the kitchen during your travels that you'll never forget?
SPEAKER_00There are several moments I won't soon forget, but if I focus on the positive ones, I would be when I did a month-long internship at the Freestar restaurant. And after only a short time, I had the opportunity to present dishes because I spoke German. And we always knew where the guests were from, so we also had a few Swiss guests during this time. And as soon as I knew they were from the German-speaking part, I went out and presented a dish in Swiss German, and seeing their faces when someone suddenly spoke Swiss German to them was incredibly amusing and lovely. But I was always able to integrate into a team very quickly and I felt comfortable there almost immediately. It wasn't always easy to leave as I had some truly wonderful times, but I always knew something else amazing was waiting for me, something potentially even better. And these days you can stay in touch with your mobile phone, so I still maintain some friendships I made in the kitchens. Yeah.
SPEAKER_01And nowadays or during your travels, do you see certain things in Switzerland more critically?
SPEAKER_00Yes, I think it would be strange if it weren't so. I think the biggest thing is that Swiss sometimes don't realize how privileged we are and don't quite appreciate everyday things like punctual public transport, clean streets, a good education system and fair working conditions. Or rather, if something doesn't go as planned, they complain right away. So for example, there are also discussions like whether we should abolish early French instruction in parts of Switzerland or whether apprenties apprentice should get eight weeks of vacation. I'm just saying go to another country and realize how good we have it. There are countries where people can barely speak English and only get a vacation after a whole year of working. So that's yet another reason for me why I'm traveling, because it makes me appreciate more what I have at home.
SPEAKER_01Oh yeah, I totally agree with that. I was I was wondering, was there any particular cuisine that you were learning that really surprised you? That you were like, wow, yeah, this is very different, or was there a particular place that you felt that you were taken off guard?
SPEAKER_00It was not like the whole cuisine, it were like certain more how they prepare it that I was surprised because I thought it was different. So, for example, Indian cuisine. India is a huge country, so the kitchen is changing a lot. Um, I was more in the north, I was in Rajasthan basically, or the main part, I was in Rajasthan. And I always had this imagination that Indian cuisine is basically vegan if you take out the meat. But then I was in Rajasthan and they were like cooking with. Milk ghee, that's clarified butter. So they use a lot of milk product in their cooking process. And that was something that surprised me a lot. Do you handle traveling alone? Since I always stay with private persons, I'm rarely alone and I have plenty of company. It's basically only the change of locations. Or sometimes when I exploring the cities that I'm alone. But I really appreciate that having time for myself, time to make phone calls to Switzerland to catch up with friends and family, time to process my trip and join my own company. And if I want company, then I just have to step out of my comfort zone and strike up conversation with people. And I believe I can only benefit from then.
SPEAKER_01Yeah. Have you found a place while you were traveling that kind of felt like a second home?
SPEAKER_00So there were many wonderful cities I fell in love with and that I would love to return to. However, one place that has become a second home for me is a small village in Tuscany, Italy, called Angiari. It was the beginning of my journey. It was the first destination. And it was also the place where I stayed the longest. And during this time, I was fortunate enough to live with a Swiss couple and it simply felt like home in another country. They supported me, helped me help me develop, and made me feel like a part of their family. And to this day I keep in regular contact with them and I'm already looking forward to visit them again in their little paradise.
SPEAKER_01And how do you think that this amazing global culinary adventure is going to shape your future life?
SPEAKER_00So this trip will definitely shape my future cooking style, as my idea is to incorporate everything I learned from around the world and to put it in my kitchen style. So basically, when I return, um, I will have the chance to do a pop-up with Martin, my coach or former coach. Where we do a pop-up, and the idea is that I can create a menu that represents my whole journey. So I'm really looking forward to that. And I also think this trip will also help me to think outside of the box and to be more flexible in daily routines. And I also hope to have many visitors from abroad and maintain those connections to organize potential future projects and exchanges. And I also want to encourage other young people to take a similar trip. Whether it's for three months or a year or how long they would like to make it, I believe you learn so much about yourself and grow as a person.
SPEAKER_01I totally agree with you. Celine, thank you so much for joining us today, for telling us about your amazing culinary adventure, for your plans for the future. By the way, the pop-up, when and where is that going to happen?
SPEAKER_00Like, we didn't set the date yet, but it will be in autumn in Saxon. Okay, yes, in Ofwalden. I don't know how to say this place in English.
SPEAKER_01That's okay. All right. Well, I I'll be waiting for my invitation because I definitely want to come.
SPEAKER_00Yes, I will send you an invitation.
SPEAKER_01Excellent. Thank you so much, Celine, for joining us and for uh being with us today. We really appreciate it.
SPEAKER_00Thank you very much, Crystal. Have a nice evening. You too.
