British born James Baron heads up Krone Säumerei am Inn in Switzerland’s La Punt-Chamues-ch as both head chef and general manager. The hotel’s fine dining restaurant, La Chavallera (the ‘pack horse’), is now a well-established eatery which was awarded a coveted Michelin star only three months after its launch in mid-2022.
James is a dynamic and innovative chef whose cooking style combines Alpine tradition with modern influences and fresh flavours from around the world. The 37-year-old has an impressive international career history and is a rising star in the industry. He served 700 guests to the highest standards every week with his team of 25 chefs in the Amber Restaurant in Hong Kong, named one of the Top 50 restaurants in Asia and worldwide.
While Krone Säumerei am Inn has long been an idyllic spot for hiking and biking, it’s now garnering attention from discerning diners who travel miles to visit its standout La Chavallera restaurant.
We sat down with the leading chef to find out a little more about his culinary background, his signature dish and his aspirations for the future.
Can you tell us a little bit about yourself, including where you are today, professionally, and what got you here?
I am James Baron, the general manager and head chef of Krone Säumerei am Inn, in the town of La Punt Chamues-ch, Engadin, Switzerland since it opened in the summer of 2022. Before then, I have had over 15 years of experience in the hospitality industry before embarking on my Swiss journey.
What or who inspired you to become a chef?
Marco Pierre White and his book White Heat.
Who has been your biggest influence to get you to where you are today?
My previous bosses, Jake Watkins and Andreas Caminada, have been great influences.
What’s your signature dish?
Pear ravioli with sage, brown butter and mountain cheese.
What are the most important considerations when crafting your menu?
The dishes need to be balanced yet exciting – for this we use a lot of acidity and often sweeter ingredients to offset the flavours and refresh the palette.
Do your personal preferences influence the menu at all?
Absolutely, I cook what I love to eat and I think that works best for me.
How would you describe your cooking style?
We want to represent the region first and foremost with local projects and touching on the traditions and cultures that surround us.
Do you have a favourite time of year or set of ingredients that you look forward to working with?
We have a beautiful edible garden here at the Krone, and when July hits we can really start to reap the rewards! For me it is a great time as after all the hard work put into the garden it is great to get to use the produce. Examples include unusual ingredients such as quince, sea buckthorn, barberry and myoga – a Japanese ginger that only grows above a certain altitude.
What is your favourite ingredient to create with?
I am going through a Szechuan pepper phase at the moment. We have three trees in the garden and last summer we received the first harvest – not very much so far but it is a really exciting product to work with.
What would you be doing if you weren’t a chef?
Architecture or design.
What is your favourite dish to cook at home?
Pasta with bacon and tomato sauce with loads of parmesan.
When are you happiest?
On a Sunday night after the last service of the week (assuming all went to plan) I go home to the family, put Match of the Day on and drink a good bottle of wine.
What is your favourite piece of kitchen equipment?
A decent gravity slicer.
When you’re not in the kitchen where can you be found?
With the kids on the ski slopes.
What’s your favourite takeaway or comfort food?
A good Indian.
Where is your favourite place to dine?
At home in Hampshire it is tradition that when I am back we go to the Harrow Inn in Steep. The beer is still in wooden casks and the ham hock soup is the best thing ever after a cold walk.
What do you think is the most over-hyped food trend?
Fusion.
What differences do you find working with local produce as opposed to non-local produce in terms of what you can create and flavour?
The airmiles and hormones that are often sprayed on products that come from afar are shocking – for me there is nothing better than getting great produce from the region.
How do you go about menu planning? What’s the process from picking the ingredients to getting them fresh into the kitchen and into dishes?
I am dedicated to championing local and hyper-seasonal ingredients, celebrating the natural rhythm of the seasons. Meat and freshwater fish are sourced locally, from farms across the valley. These ingredients shape our ever-evolving menu. We always prioritise locally sourced ingredients from nearby farms and producers, as well partnering with three other hotels in the area with the aim of sharing produce to remain as self-sufficient as possible and reduce carbon footprint and support the local economy.
How would you describe the food you create at La Chavallera to someone who’s never experienced your kind of food?
The dishes we create at La Chavallera, the fine dining restaurant at the hotel, blends culinary ingredients and flavours of the Alps with fresh flavours from all over the world.
What’s your favourite flavour combination?
My wife is half Thai, half Swiss so I am lucky enough to taste a lot of good Thai food, and the flavours here always have such fantastic contrasts between salty, sour, spicy and sweet!
What is the USP of your restaurant?
La Chavallera was awarded a Michelin star only three months after launch in mid-2022, which we take great pride in.
What do your future plans entail?
We are currently developing a local bakery takeover that will offer a more relaxed dining setting ideal for families and larger groups. We will be giving the original bread oven a new lease of life, and a sharing concept will define the menu.
Factbox
Address: Via Cumünela 2, 7522 La Punt-Chamues-ch, Switzerland
Phone: +41 81 854 12 69
Website: krone-lapunt.ch/en/cuisine
