Heart and soul, local ingredients and culture on the village square

The view from Café Ajüz is unique. Nestled in the heart of the historic village square of Scuol Sot, the restaurant is surrounded by an arena of traditional Engadine houses. Behind these houses sits the church of San Geer with its striking pointed tower. Centrally located in the square is the magnificent Bügl Plaz village fountain. And all of this is framed by the breathtaking Engadin Dolomites. It's as if you've stepped into a stage set, but the best part is that everything here is real!

Anyone who gets hold of one of the small red tables on the terrace with its lovingly arranged bouquets of wild flowers is greeted in a friendly manner - usually by Helena herself, the dedicated manager of Café Ajüz. Helena's personal touch is quickly recognisable. Three years ago, she developed the concept for Café Ajüz with a great deal of passion and attention to detail and was able to convince the landlord of the location. Café Ajüz is only open in summer. In winter, the kitchen is part of the Ajüz group house, which is rented out to school classes and larger groups during the ski season.

Helena knows the Lower Engadine very well! Her godmother used to run the Hotel Rezia in Sent, so she's spent a lot of time there. However, she grew up four hours away by train in Baselland. She picked the Lower Engadine – Scuol, to be exact – as her first little home away from home and place of work because of an internship during her training in hotel management at the Lucerne Hotel Management School. One season turned into several, and before she knew it, the Engadin had become her home. Helena has already been to many wonderful places in her life, but she feels truly at home in Scuol. When the pandemic hit in 2020, it was a difficult time for everyone in the tourism and hospitality industry. But Helena, who had become part of a wonderful community in Scuol, decided to stay. She loved being outdoors in nature, enjoying the company of her friends and the people she had met during her time in the Engadin. «I feel at home in Scuol and wouldn't want to leave voluntarily», she says with a laugh.

Helena has always been a strong believer in making her own decisions in life. Helena is a very independent person and she was able to develop the concept for Café Ajüz on her own, which she values a great deal. Originally, she wanted to train in social work, which she found very interesting. She also found the Poly-Design specialisation, which is more about the digital implementation of creative ideas and projects, very interesting. However, after a detour into the hospitality industry, Helena decided in favour of an study hotel management. She can work independently, be creative and have contact with people at the same time, which suits her perfectly.

From delicious homemade cakes to refreshing aperitifs after work, every single thing is prepared with care and love. Local products are favoured wherever possible. Helena Erny runs Café Ajüz with a clear philosophy: she's all about sustainability and local production! Café Ajüz is 100% vegetarian, so no meat here! Helena really cares about where ingredients come from. As much as she can, she sources ingredients from the local area or from her own garden. The milk is straight from a farm, while cereals and lentils come from Thusis. Vegetables come from the local Chavalatsch farm. Even if some ingredients can't be sourced regionally, she finds great, high-quality ingredients all over Switzerland.

However, there are also challenges that come with sustainable business practices. «Sustainability is naturally reflected in the price», says Helena. When she picks the berries herself on the alp or in the garden, the products are handmade and of the highest quality, but also more expensive. However, Helena emphasises that the problem is not the price, but the fact that many products are often sold at unrealistically low prices. Her philosophy is to communicate the true value of these high-quality, sustainably produced foods. And it works.