Grace La Margna St. Moritz Hosts Chef Alex Dilling – CUISINE HELVETICA

The Grace La Margna Lodge partnered with the St. Moritz Connoisseur Competition for the primary time this yr. Categorised as a 5-star boutique resort, it hosted Chef Alex Dilling in the course of the week of January 27 to February 1. His eponymous restaurant on the Lodge Café Royal in London has earned two Michelin stars. With a up to date strategy to French delicacies, his cooking match effectively with the pageant’s theme of a “New Culinary Way of life.”

An Artwork Nouveau Lodge Reinvented

Constructed within the early twentieth century with Artwork Nouveau particulars, the historic La Margna wing presents 47 rooms and suites. Related to La Margna is the brand new Grace wing, which has 27 extra fashionable and spacious lodging. The resort formally opened in August 2023.

Moreover, throughout the Grace La Margna Lodge one can find 5 completely different eating choices:

• N/5 – The Bar: Open every day, the bar welcomes friends from 11:00 to 23:00 for espresso, cocktails and a inventive bar menu that features burgers and lobster linguini.
• Residing Room: A cushty environment for a day tea and a candy deal with in entrance of the fireside.

• The Mediterranean: The signature restaurant of Government Chef Andrea Bonini, this house hosts friends in the course of the morning for breakfast and within the night.
• Stüvetta Moritz: On the bottom flooring of the La Margna wing, the comfortable Stüvetta opens for comforting Swiss dishes, reminiscent of rösti and cheese fondue.

• Beefbar: A world chain, Beefbar lately landed in St. Moritz within the Grace La Margna resort.

Alex Dilling on the St. Moritz Connoisseur Competition

I had the prospect to talk with Alex Dilling within the bar on the Grace La Margna resort, in between his occasions for the St. Moritz Connoisseur Festial. Whereas he instructed me he had visited Switzerland earlier than, he stated this was his first time in St. Moritz. He loves touring, so he didn’t hesitate to just accept the invitation to the pageant when he acquired the decision, and was “flattered to be invited.” To Switzerland, he introduced three workers from his restaurant again in London, which opened on the Lodge Café Royal in 2022.

Alex Dilling began appreciating good meals at a younger age, influenced partly by his grandfather’s ardour for cooking. Raised between England and the US, he ended up working for 2 legendary French cooks, Alain Ducasse in New York Metropolis and Hélène Darroze in London. He stays motivated by the pleasure he feels for his work—serving high-quality dishes at his restaurant “with out pretension,” he stated.

Because the Grace La Margna’s visitor chef in the course of the pageant, Alex Dilling ready his culinary specialties for a number of completely different occasions. His menu for the resort’s Connoisseur Dinners featured his modern, elegant interpretations of basic French dishes. Every course highlighted premium components, elegantly introduced and completely scrumptious. He loves caviar, which was not surprisingly on the menu, topped with gold leaf and paired with a flavorful smoked eel “rillete” and cuttlefish.

Right here is the complete menu that Alex Dilling served on January 29:

Winter Broth
barbajuan

Caviar Crystal
smoked eel “rillete” │cuttlefish │ bergamot

Charcoal-Grilled Blue Lobster
bouillabaisse juice │ rouille sabayon

Brittany Pigeon Ballotine
black truffle │ colonatta lardo │ hibiki whisky

Pure 60% Chocolate “Vacherin”
roasted buckwheat ice cream │ vin jaune sabayon

Thai Basil
chartreuse

For a chef who likes to make roast hen with mashed potatoes when at dwelling, Alex Dilling elevates these comforting dishes which might be the hallmark of French delicacies for his restaurant. For instance, on the Mountain Brunch held on the Paradiso Mountain Membership & Restaurant in St. Moritz, he made a crumpet topped with a luscious lobster salad. I heard from plenty of friends that this was their favourite dish on the brunch.

Lastly, Alex Dilling solely had good issues to say about working with the resort’s Government Chef Andrea Bonini. Given his experiences at pop-up cooking occasions at completely different locales, Alex was shocked that every part was going so easily for him in the course of the pageant in St. Moritz. After I left him, he was heading on to the Grand Lodge Des Bains Kempinski to arrange for the closing get together. When he returns to London, he’ll begin trying ahead to springtime components at his restaurant, like asparagus and wild garlic. How fortunate that we received to expertise his cooking in St. Moritz, if just for only a week.

For extra data:

St. Moritz Connoisseur Competition, WOEHRLE / PIROLA Occasions & Public Relations, +41 (0)44 245 86 88, [email protected]

Grace La Margna Lodge, By way of Serlas 5, 7500 St. Moritz, +41 (0)81 832 22 10, [email protected].

Please word: I stayed on the Grace La Margna Lodge for 2 nights as a visitor of the St. Moritz Connoisseur Competition. As at all times, the ideas and opinions expressed on this article are purely my very own.