Swiss International Air Lines launched the summer phase of its established "Swiss Taste of Switzerland" culinary concept on June 3, 2026. For the next three months, the airline will focus its culinary offerings on the canton of Nidwalden.
This time, top chef Fabian Inderbitzin is responsible for designing the menus in First and Business Class on long-haul flights departing from Switzerland. The head chef of the Belvédère lakeside restaurant in Hergiswil on Lake Lucerne is known in the international culinary scene for his cuisine, which has been awarded one Michelin star and 17 Gault&Millau points and combines traditional Swiss recipes with global influences.
Swiss's rotating in-flight catering system features a different Swiss region and its regional specialties every three months. According to Heike Birlenbach, Chief Customer Officer of Swiss, the canton of Nidwalden is returning as a culinary guest on board after an eight-year hiatus. The involvement of renowned chefs is part of the airline's long-term premium strategy to differentiate itself from international competitors in the long-haul flight segment through high service quality and a distinctive in-flight product. The updated menu will be served on the wide-body Boeing 777-300ER and Airbus A330-300 aircraft.
For First Class passengers, the summer menu includes appetizers such as duck liver parfait with quince gel and regional meats like venison cured in mustard sauce. Main courses offer options like herb-crusted lamb loin or black cod with saffron beurre blanc, followed by pistachio flan with summer berries. Business Class passengers are served dishes such as marinated salmon trout with ponzu rooibos gel, braised beef with black truffle jus, and a chocolate marquise. Premium Economy passengers also enjoy a four-course menu inspired by the guest canton, featuring beef stroganoff and local cheeses such as "Dallenwiler Weichi Geiss" with traditional Swiss pear bread.
The logistics behind such culinary programs require precise collaboration between the Michelin-starred chef and major airline catering companies like Gate Gourmet. The challenge lies in modifying the refined recipes of haute cuisine so that they develop their full flavor under the altered pressure and humidity conditions in an aircraft cabin at cruising altitude. At the same time, the dishes must be able to be regenerated and visually appealing in the galleys, within confined spaces and using standardized processes.