Interview: James Baron on his culinary vision at La Chavallera
James Baron’s culinary journey began with a chance decision that would change the course of his life. While working as a waiter in his hometown of Petersfield, Hampshire, he unexpectedly chose a path away from studying architecture at university, instead opting to pursue a career in the kitchen.
This decision has since led him across the globe, from prestigious kitchens in Switzerland, Austria, and Hong Kong, to the Engadin Valley in Switzerland, where he now helms La Chavallera, a Michelin-starred restaurant set in a historic 16th-century inn. In 2023, a renovation was completed to add 18 bedrooms and there opened Krone Säumerei am Inn, a boutique hotel with a modern Alpine-style.
With a philosophy rooted in celebrating regional ingredients and embracing innovation, Baron’s approach to cuisine is both refined and energetic, evolving with the seasons. In our interview with him, he shares insights into his career, culinary inspirations and future projects in the pipeline.
When did you first fall in love with cooking?
The plan was to go to university whilst working to fund a gap year in a Michelin-starred restaurant. There, I fell in love with the energy and organisation in the kitchen, as well as the passion of the chefs working in the restaurant.
How would you describe your culinary style?
I love to cook regionally in order to give an interesting representation of the region we are working in. I like to ensure that in the kitchen, we are touching on the traditions and cultures that surround us.
What is your culinary vision for the menu at La Chavallera?
We are constantly evolving and challenging ourselves in the kitchen and this is really the secret to the vision. We don’t ever want to be standing still – we want the dishes to be changing regularly and the level and complexity of flavours with it. I am committed to showcasing local and hyper-seasonal ingredients, embracing the natural rhythm of the seasons. Meat and freshwater fish are thoughtfully sourced from farms throughout the valley. These ingredients shape our ever-evolving menu. We place a strong emphasis on sourcing ingredients locally from nearby farms and producers. Additionally, we collaborate with three other hotels in the area to share produce, striving to maintain self-sufficiency, minimise our carbon footprint and support the local economy.
Do you have a favourite dish on the menu?
I can be at times quite impatient and maybe that is why I like to change the dishes – one dish that has always been on the menu though is the pear ravioli with sage and mountain Cheese, it is a classic dish from the region which we have refined – I love it, it is sweet and savoury and packed with umami.
What is the most important lesson you’ve learned during your career?
I was lucky enough to learn early on how to focus and prioritise things correctly during service. It has meant that the pressure never really affects me no matter how busy things are or even if something goes wrong – I feel well equipped to find an alternative pretty quickly.
What are the biggest challenges faced by the hospitality sector at the moment, and how are you tackling them?
The rest of the world is moving to more relaxed working cultures and for us that is and will always be tricky. I feel that there is a huge discrepancy across the industry in the prices customers are willing to pay and what it actually costs to raise or grow the raw material, produce our dishes and clean up afterwards – it is a long value chain that needs to be carefully and sustainably managed – all of which costs money. We try to communicate this through our partners but it is a delicate topic.
Which chefs have inspired you?
The chefs who have inspired me throughout my career are Marco Pierre White, Heston Blumenthal, Alain Passard, Sergio Hermann and Andreas Caminada.
What is your approach to sustainability in your cooking?
We source responsibly and as close to home as possible. We have a lot of edible products in our garden which we use throughout the summer. We grow unusual ingredients such as Quince, Sea Buckthorn, Barberry and Myoga – a Japanese ginger that only grows above a certain altitude.
What would you like your next project to be?
We’re excited to be opening a bakery at the beginning of the summer season, in La Punt, the same town as where Krone Säumerei am Inn is located. So, there is a lot of development work involved here which is really exciting.
What is your favourite dish, and who cooks it?
Having lived abroad for a long time now the first thing I have when I come back to England is either a good old-fashioned fry up (including black pudding) or a roast dinner – it doesn’t matter which as long as my Mum is cooking.
