St. Moritz Gourmet Festival 2026: First Summer Edition
World-Class Chefs, Alpine Dining and a Brand-New Summer Format in the Engadin
Tuesday 25th to Sunday 30th August 2026
Having attended the St. Moritz Gourmet Festival for the past few years, it has become one of my favourite food events in Switzerland. There is something very special about meeting world-class chefs in some of the finest hotels and restaurants in the Engadin – but in 2026 the festival is changing dramatically.
For the first time in its history, the St. Moritz Gourmet Festival is moving from winter to summer, taking place from Tuesday 25th to Sunday 30th August 2026. Instead of snow-covered mountains and January evenings, this year’s backdrop will be green valleys, mountain trails, lakes and the beautiful late-summer landscape of the Upper Engadin.
And it isn’t simply the same festival in a different season. The organisers have introduced a fresh concept and new experiences designed to make much more of the extraordinary surroundings of St. Moritz, Pontresina, Sils, Silvaplana, La Punt and Bever.
The new motto for 2026 is “Every MOMENT has its own FLAVOR.” The idea is that great food is not only about what appears on the plate, but also where, when and how it is experienced. Alongside the famous Gourmet Dinners, Kitchen Party and Gourmet Safaris are outdoor dining experiences, hikes, an open-air Tavolata, a gourmet journey by historic train, a summer Garden Party and a new closing event designed to make the festival accessible to a wider audience.
St. Moritz Gourmet Festival 2026 – Dates at a Glance
The St. Moritz Gourmet Festival 2026 takes place from 25th–30th August 2026 at locations throughout St. Moritz and the Upper Engadin in Graubünden. The six-day festival brings international guest chefs together with leading local chefs from nine partner hotels and restaurants, with events ranging from intimate fine-dining experiences to much more relaxed summer gatherings.
The main partner properties include Badrutt’s Palace Hotel, Kulm Hotel St. Moritz, Suvretta House, GRACE LA MARGNA ST MORITZ, Grand Hotel des Bains Kempinski, Grand Hotel Kronenhof in Pontresina, Nira Alpina in Silvaplana, Waldhaus Sils and Krone Säumerei am Inn in La Punt Chamues-ch.
Why Has the St. Moritz Gourmet Festival Moved to Summer?
The move to August represents one of the most significant changes since the festival was founded in 1994. The St. Moritz Gourmet Festival was originally created partly to strengthen what was then a quieter part of the winter season. More than three decades later, late January and early February have become an extremely successful period for tourism in the region.
The organisers are now looking to perform a similar role during the increasingly important summer season and showcase not only the culinary quality of the Engadin but also its natural landscape. From 2026 onwards, the festival is therefore being positioned as a summer event, with closer collaboration with the St. Moritz destination organisation and new formats making full use of the mountains, valleys and outdoor spaces of the Upper Engadin.
For visitors, this opens up a completely different way of experiencing the festival. A gourmet lunch might now involve a mountain hike, an open fire in a secluded valley or a train journey through UNESCO World Heritage scenery.
The Guest Chefs at the St. Moritz Gourmet Festival 2026
The international St. Moritz Gourmet Festival 2026 chef line-up stretches from Taiwan and South Korea to Colombia, India, Scandinavia, Monaco, Austria and Switzerland. The participating chefs represent a fascinating mix of Michelin-starred fine dining, sustainable gastronomy and contemporary interpretations of regional cuisine.
- Kai Ho – Taïrroir, Taipei, Taiwan: The three-Michelin-starred chef combines Taiwanese ingredients and culinary identity with French technique. He will be hosted by Badrutt’s Palace Hotel.
- Julian Stieger – Rote Wand Chef’s Table, Lech, Austria: Awarded two Michelin stars and 18.5 GaultMillau points, Stieger brings contemporary Alpine cuisine to the Grand Hotel Kronenhof in Pontresina.
- Varun Totlani – Masque, Mumbai, India: The chef of one of India’s most acclaimed contemporary restaurants will be based at the Kulm Hotel St. Moritz, presenting a modern exploration of Indian ingredients and regional flavours.
- Joseph Lidgerwood – EVETT, Seoul, South Korea: The Australian-born chef’s two-Michelin-starred restaurant explores Korean ingredients through highly contemporary techniques. He will be at the Grand Hotel des Bains Kempinski.
- Álvaro Clavijo – El Chato, Bogotá, Colombia: His restaurant was named No. 1 in Latin America’s 50 Best Restaurants 2025. He joins local chef James Baron at the Krone Säumerei am Inn in La Punt Chamues-ch.
- Pascal Steffen – roots, Basel: The Swiss chef’s vegetable-led cuisine has earned two Michelin stars, a Michelin Green Star and 18 GaultMillau points. He will cook at Nira Alpina in Silvaplana-Surlej.
- Marcel Ravin – Blue Bay Marcel Ravin, Monaco: Born in Martinique, the two-Michelin-starred chef combines Caribbean heritage with Mediterranean influences and will be hosted by Hotel Waldhaus Sils.
- Nicolai and Eva H. Tram – Knystaforsen, Sweden: Their Michelin-starred and Michelin Green Star restaurant is built around landscape, wild ingredients and cooking over open fire – an ideal match for the festival’s new outdoor format.
- Emmanuel Pilon – Le Louis XV – Alain Ducasse à l’Hôtel de Paris, Monaco: Pilon heads the three-Michelin-starred restaurant and brings his elegant Mediterranean cuisine to Suvretta House.
- Mikael Svensson – Kontrast, Oslo: With two Michelin stars and a Michelin Green Star, Svensson’s hyper-seasonal Nordic cooking focuses on sustainability and Norwegian produce. He will join Andrea Bonini at GRACE LA MARGNA ST MORITZ.
New for 2026: Dining in the Engadin Landscape
This is perhaps the most exciting element of the new summer festival. Instead of concentrating almost entirely inside luxury hotels, several of the St. Moritz Gourmet Festival 2026 events take the food out into the Engadin itself.
Fire, Nature & Fine Dining – 25th August
The festival begins in spectacular fashion with Fire, Nature & Fine Dining in Val Bever. You meet at Bever railway station before embarking on an approximately 1½-hour walk towards Spinas with local host and hunter Claudio Laager. The walk becomes part of the experience, with insights into the wildlife and landscape of the Engadin. Lunch is then cooked over an open fire by Nicolai and Eva Tram of Knystaforsen, bringing their distinctive Scandinavian approach to wild ingredients into the Swiss Alps.
The experience runs from 9.45am–3pm and currently costs CHF 240 including the food and accompanying drinks.
The Opening Kitchen Party at Badrutt’s Palace – 25th August
One tradition that is definitely staying is the legendary Opening Kitchen Party at Badrutt’s Palace Hotel. Taking place from 7.30pm–11.30pm, it brings all the visiting chefs together and allows guests to wander through the hotel’s kitchens, meet the chefs and taste their creations alongside champagne, wines, spirits and music. It remains one of the best ways of experiencing many of the festival chefs during a single evening.
Gourmet Safaris Through St. Moritz and the Engadin
The much-loved Gourmet Safari is another established event that continues in 2026. The concept is simple but rather special: instead of eating an entire menu in one restaurant, guests travel between several of the festival’s partner hotels, enjoying a different course and culinary style at each stop.
The 2026 Gourmet Safaris take place on 26th, 27th, 28th and 29th August, with different routes incorporating properties including Badrutt’s Palace, Kulm Hotel, Suvretta House, Grand Hotel Kronenhof, Grand Hotel des Bains Kempinski, GRACE LA MARGNA, Nira Alpina and Waldhaus Sils. It’s a particularly enjoyable option if you want to discover several of the great hotels and chefs of the Upper Engadin in one evening.
Hike & Fine Dining at Nira Alpina – 26th August
Another event that really embraces the new summer concept is Hike & Fine Dining with Basel chef Pascal Steffen and Nira Alpina’s Janko Glotz.
The experience starts with a short hike to the Paravicini Hut, where guests enjoy food from the grill surrounded by the Engadin mountains. The evening then continues with a gourmet dinner at the Nira Alpina Rooftop Bar in Silvaplana-Surlej, accompanied by selected wines and panoramic mountain views.
Gourmet & Jazz in Sils – 26th August
At Hotel Waldhaus Sils, the festival takes on a wonderfully relaxed summer character with Gourmet & Jazz im Lärchenwald. Guest chef Marcel Ravin, Waldhaus chef Gero Porstein and pâtissier Renato Pellegrinelli serve gourmet bites on the hotel’s terrace surrounded by larch trees, with oysters and live music from the Pius Baumgartner Trio providing a suitably summery soundtrack.
Four Hands Dinners and Gourmet Dinners
Fine dining remains very much at the heart of the festival. During the week there are numerous Gourmet Dinners, where the international guest chefs present signature dishes and specially created festival menus at their host hotels.
There are also several Four Hands Dinners, pairing two chefs and two very different culinary philosophies in the same kitchen. Among the 2026 combinations are Nicolai Tram with James Baron at Krone Säumerei am Inn, Emmanuel Pilon with Fabrizio Zanetti at Suvretta House, and a particularly intriguing pairing of Joseph Lidgerwood and Marcel Ravin at the Grand Hotel des Bains Kempinski – bringing together Korean inspiration, Caribbean roots and Mediterranean influences.
Val Chamuera Tavolata – 28th August
One of the events that best illustrates the festival’s completely new direction is the Val Chamuera Tavolata. Local chef James Baron and Colombian guest chef Álvaro Clavijo invite guests into the beautiful Val Chamuera near La Punt for an outdoor dining experience. After an approximately one-hour hike through the valley, guests arrive at an open-air Tavolata where the food is prepared over fire against one of the Engadin’s most impressive natural backdrops.
The event takes place from 11am–4pm on Friday 28th August.
Panoramic Gourmet: Fine Dining on a UNESCO Railway Journey
Another very original addition is Culinary Moments in Motion – Panoramic Gourmet on 28th August. The experience begins with a Laurent-Perrier champagne apéritif at GRACE LA MARGNA ST MORITZ before guests board the historic Gourmino dining carriage.
As the train travels through the Engadin and along part of the Rhaetian Railway UNESCO World Heritage route towards the Landwasser Viaduct, Mikael Svensson and Andrea Bonini serve a four-course lunch with accompanying wines. It is a great example of how the new festival combines two things visitors come to Graubünden for – exceptional scenery and exceptional food.
Champagne, Mountain Views and Summer Atmosphere
Summer also allows the festival to make far more use of St. Moritz’s spectacular outdoor locations. On 28th August, Berries, Bubbles & Champagne takes guests up by chairlift to the Paradiso Mountain Club & Restaurant for an afternoon combining Alpine views, champagne and food.
That evening, Fascination Champagne by Laurent-Perrier at Suvretta House pairs prestigious champagnes with Emmanuel Pilon’s Mediterranean cuisine, while FLORA OBSCURA at GRACE LA MARGNA brings together Mikael Svensson and Andrea Bonini with fine Rieslings, a five-course dinner and later DJ sounds. The result is a festival that feels broader than a conventional series of formal gourmet dinners.
St. Moritz Garden Party – 29th August
One of the major new events for 2026 is the St. Moritz Garden Party at Suvretta House on Saturday 29th August. Running from 12 noon–4pm, the event brings together all the international guest chefs and local chefs at individual cooking stations throughout the hotel’s gardens. The culinary styles range from Nordic and Mediterranean cuisine to Korean, Taiwanese and Latin American influences, accompanied by wine, champagne and other festival partners. The dress code is appropriately Summer Chic.
Children are welcome, although the organisers point out that this is primarily a gourmet event for adults rather than a dedicated children’s programme. Current prices are free for children up to seven, CHF 195 for children aged 8–14 and CHF 450 from age 15. Children’s places need to be registered in advance.
A More Accessible Side to the St. Moritz Gourmet Festival
One aspect I particularly like about the 2026 programme is that you don’t necessarily have to book an elaborate multi-course dinner to experience the festival.
On several evenings between 8pm and midnight, participating hotel bars offer Walk-in Cocktails & Culinary Bites. No ticket is required, so you can simply drop in and try special drinks and small culinary creations at the partner properties.
And the final Sunday introduces another interesting concept which should make the festival much easier to dip into.
Gourmet Festival Open “Mini-Safari” – 30th August
The festival finishes on Sunday 30th August from 11am–4pm with the new Gourmet Festival Open “Mini-Safari” by Valser. Instead of following a fixed Gourmet Safari route, visitors purchase a Festival Gourmet Pass and create their own itinerary. You can choose either four or six culinary stations from the nine festival partner hotels. Each stop offers a Signature Bite with a matching drink – including an alcohol-free alternative – and opportunities to meet the participating chefs.
Some stations are located directly in the hotels, while others come together on Plazza Mauritius in front of the St. Moritz Lobby, making the event particularly easy to explore on foot around central St. Moritz. The festival specifically describes the Sunday event as suitable for locals, holiday visitors and families.
If you want to attend the Gourmet Festival but don’t necessarily want a formal fine-dining experience, this could be one of the most interesting new additions.
Where Does the St. Moritz Gourmet Festival Take Place?
Although its name is the St. Moritz Gourmet Festival, events take place throughout the Upper Engadin in the canton of Graubünden. In St. Moritz itself you’ll find events at Badrutt’s Palace Hotel, Kulm Hotel St. Moritz, Suvretta House, GRACE LA MARGNA and Grand Hotel des Bains Kempinski.
Elsewhere in the Engadin, events take place at Grand Hotel Kronenhof in Pontresina, Nira Alpina in Silvaplana-Surlej, Hotel Waldhaus in Sils-Maria and Krone Säumerei am Inn in La Punt Chamues-ch, as well as outdoor locations including Val Bever and Val Chamuera. This wider geographical spread is particularly important in 2026 because the landscape itself has become part of the festival experience.
A Gourmet Festival and a Summer Break in St. Moritz
The switch to August makes the festival an excellent excuse to spend a few days in the Engadin rather than simply travelling to St. Moritz for dinner. Late summer offers opportunities for hiking, mountain excursions, lake walks, cycling and exploring St. Moritz and the surrounding Engadin villages between festival events.
And whereas the former January festival had an unmistakable winter glamour, the new summer version promises an entirely different atmosphere – long days, mountain terraces, outdoor dining and the possibility of combining Michelin-starred gastronomy with some of Switzerland’s most spectacular scenery.
St. Moritz Gourmet Festival 2026 Tickets
The full 2026 programme and ticket sales are now online, with bookings handled either through the festival ticketing system or directly by individual partner hotels, depending on the event. Some experiences are deliberately small and exclusive, so it is worth booking early if there is a particular chef, Gourmet Safari or special event you want to attend.
Availability can change, so always check the official programme immediately before making plans.
Visit the St. Moritz Gourmet Festival 2026 Website for Programme & Tickets
St. Moritz Gourmet Festival 2026 – Essential Information
When: Tuesday 25th – Sunday 30th August 2026
Where: St. Moritz and locations throughout the Upper Engadin, Graubünden, Switzerland
What: International gourmet festival featuring guest chefs, Gourmet Dinners, Gourmet Safaris, Four Hands Dinners, outdoor culinary experiences, wine and champagne events, Kitchen Party, Garden Party and Open Mini-Safari
2026 Motto: “Every MOMENT has its own FLAVOR.”
Main locations: St. Moritz, Pontresina, Sils-Maria, Silvaplana-Surlej, La Punt Chamues-ch and Bever
Tickets: Individual tickets are required for most major events; some walk-in experiences do not require tickets.
Website : Visit the Official St. Moritz Gourmet Festival Website
FAQ: St. Moritz Gourmet Festival 2026
When is the St. Moritz Gourmet Festival 2026?
The St. Moritz Gourmet Festival 2026 takes place from 25th to 30th August 2026.
Is the St. Moritz Gourmet Festival now held in summer?
Yes. 2026 is the first summer edition of the St. Moritz Gourmet Festival, after more than three decades of the event taking place during the winter season. The organisers have announced that the festival is moving to summer from 2026 onwards.
Where does the St. Moritz Gourmet Festival take place?
Events take place at luxury hotels, restaurants and outdoor locations throughout St. Moritz and the Upper Engadin in Graubünden, including Pontresina, Silvaplana, Sils-Maria, La Punt Chamues-ch and Bever.
Who are the guest chefs at the St. Moritz Gourmet Festival 2026?
The international line-up includes Kai Ho, Julian Stieger, Varun Totlani, Joseph Lidgerwood, Álvaro Clavijo, Pascal Steffen, Marcel Ravin, Nicolai and Eva Tram, Emmanuel Pilon and Mikael Svensson, working alongside leading local chefs in the Engadin.
What are the highlights of the St. Moritz Gourmet Festival 2026?
Highlights include the Opening Kitchen Party at Badrutt’s Palace, Gourmet Safaris, Four Hands Dinners, Fire Nature & Fine Dining in Val Bever, the Val Chamuera Tavolata, Panoramic Gourmet aboard the historic Gourmino train, the St. Moritz Garden Party and the closing Gourmet Festival Open Mini-Safari.
Can you attend the Gourmet Festival without booking a formal dinner?
Yes. The 2026 programme includes Walk-in Cocktails & Culinary Bites at participating hotel bars without the need for a ticket. The closing Open Mini-Safari also offers a more flexible way to sample food from different festival chefs using a Gourmet Pass.
Is the St. Moritz Gourmet Festival suitable for families?
Some events are designed primarily for adult gourmet guests, but families can take part in selected events. The final Open Mini-Safari on 30th August is specifically promoted for locals, visitors and families, and children are also welcome at the Garden Party, although there is no dedicated children’s programme there.
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