D aybreak parcels the elements, saturating the sky with a dull gold bruise that slowly turns to blush, separating it from the inky blackness of the waters of Lake Zurich that warm to a solemn grey. As the placid lake gradually comes alive, ducks circle Andi Braschler’s fishing boat, loudly claiming their share of his morning catch. It’s 4 am and Braschler, a passionate fisherman, who is no stranger to such dawn coasting, is hard at work, as he has been for over 30 years—the 6th generation in his family’s fishing business.
But it isn’t just his passion turned profession that has drawn us to this angling expedition in near freezing temperatures. It is to experience first-hand the links in the chain that sustain Zurich’s farm to table sensibility and feed its seasonal, regional and sustainable food philosophy..