James Baron from the Krone Säumerei am Inn joined the St. Moritz Gourmet Festival as a “local chef” for the first time in 2026, during the new summer edition of this event. Each year, the festival partners with four and five-star hotels in Switzerland’s Engadin Valley. These hotels host guest chefs from around the world during the festival. Together, they plan a range of culinary events, such as four-hands dinners and gourmet “safaris.” During my stay at the Krone hotel, as a guest of the festival, I attended a Gourmet Dinner prepared by Chef Baron, originally from England, along with his guest chef, Álvaro Clavijo from Colombia.
Krone Säumerei am Inn
The Krone hotel sits along the Inn River in La Punt, a village at the crossroads of a former trading route through the Albula Pass. Chef James Baron and his wife Natacha have managed the Krone hotel since it reopened in 2022. The building spans more than four centuries, but it has a fresh, modern feel, while retaining its historic character. James leads the kitchen in the hotel’s on-site restaurant, La Chavallera (the pack horse), which has earned one Michelin star. They also oversee a more casual bakery and cafe across the street, called Fö e Flamma dal Barun.
James Baron x Álvaro Clavijo: The Menu
The St. Moritz Gourmet Festival’s four-hands dinner from James Baron and Álvaro Clavijo took place in the former stables of the historic Chesa Merleda, across the street from the Krone hotel. The other guests and I gathered around a single long table in this rustic, cozy setting. We could hear the Inn river flowing and the cows mooing in the nearby pasture.
In the heart of this small Swiss village, we had the rare opportunity to taste dishes prepared by both James Baron and Álvaro Clavijo. Mr. Clavijo’s El Chato restaurant in Bogotá holds the impressive title as “The Best Restaurant in Latin America” for 2025. Here’s an overview of the six courses served during this exclusive Gourmet Dinner:
- Oyster, yacon and tonka bean oil. To kick off the meal, we had a flavorful oyster tartlet elegantly presented in a crown of green beans from Álvaro Clavijo.
- Brioche buns. Irresistibly buttery and flaky buns made with laminated dough from the Fö e Flamma bakery.
- Char, cucumber and horseradish. This light, summery dish featured fresh char and a fragrant sauce from James Baron.
- Squid, macadamia and palm hearts. In a low bowl, we had raw squid, matured in beeswax, with fresh palm hearts and macadamia nuts from Colombia in a macadamia nut milk-based broth from Álvaro Clavijo.
- Pork, gremolata and crème fraîche. A colorful plate of pork with fresh lettuce, gremolata, jus, and crème fraîche from James Baron.
- Carrot, pear and goat cheese. Carrots three ways, including deliciously chewy mochi balls and a crunchy toasted sunflower seed topping from Álvaro Clavijo.
- Peach, meadowsweet and verbena – Gently roasted peaches with meadowsweet (mead wort) and verbena from James Baron.
The following day at the Suvretta House, on stage for the St. Moritz Gourmet Festival’s Garden Party, Álvaro Clavijo described his relationship with James Baron as like a “bromance.” Their two styles, in terms of cooking and their seemingly laid-back approach to fine dining, blended well. What a wonderful chance for these two chefs to meet, and for us to experience their combined talent in a single meal.
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Please note: I attended this Gourmet Dinner as a guest of the St. Moritz Gourmet Festival. As always, the thoughts and opinions expressed in this article are purely my own.