When studying a country’s cuisine and culture, it is important to talk first-hand with someone who has spent a significant time in that country. This gives real insight into the customs and traditions of that country. So, while studying Swiss cuisine it became important to talk to someone who had more experience than just a tourist in the country. This is when I reached out to a Swiss Food tour and heard back from Arno. Not only did Arno gave me a look into the culture and cuisine in Switzerland, but he was able to give me the view of someone transplanted in Switzerland. This is an important view to look at because so much of Swiss culture has been adopted from people who abruptly sought refuge in Switzerland.

 

Here are the questions I asked along with Arno’s answers:

 

I remember in your last email that you stated that you are not Swiss, so with this being said where are you from? When did you first become interested in Switzerland and how?

 

I’m from The Netherlands. I became interested in Switzerland in 1997 because of the combination of impressive scenery and wonderful train journeys one can make there.

 

What was your first experience with Swiss cuisine?

 

The first real experience probably was a Rösti dish in 1997. In my childhood I had cheese like in the below picture without realizing it was Swiss:

https://www.ah.nl/producten/product/wi36853/geska-gemalen-zwitserse-kaas

 

How would you personally describe Swiss cuisine to someone who has never had it or has never been to Switzerland?

 

I would say that Swiss cuisine is a mixture of relatively simple high calorie dishes (traditionally prepared by farmers and in cold winters), plus influences from surrounding countries and cultures. So potato based recipes, but also pizza, pasta, sausages, pastries.

 

Do you think there are any misconceptions people have about Swiss food?

 

Some people might think it’s cheese and chocolate only. Lindt chocolate and Gruyères cheese are well known brands across Europe, the world perhaps. But there’s much more.

 

How does Switzerland’s geography effect the cuisine?

 

A lot (see previous answer above). A mountain range traditionally was and still is (to some extend) a cultural border. North of the Alps language and culture have similarities to Germany. In the South it’s Italian dishes and language. In the West it’s French. The Graubünden region still has influences from the Roman era. There are lots of local products (e.g. cheeses, wines, beers). I guess that’s both because regions used be relatively isolated, and because the Swiss want to protect the environment and local farmers (why get things from far if you can make them yourself?)

 

Are there any outsider influences or do you think Swiss food has been altered by other culture’s cuisines?

 

See the above answers.

 

What are some aspects of Swiss culture and cuisine that you find the most interesting?

 

They put a lot of effort in quality. For example: when I was in the Lake Geneva region I learned that it is up to the wine association to decide when the grapes should be harvested. It’s not the farmers who decide that. Top quality regional wines are key apparently. Also I find the huge number of local products very interesting. As for culture: there are 4 national languages and countless accents. That is amazing for such a small country. It’s caused by the Alps isolating people from each other, the location of Switzerland in Central Europe surrounded by other cultures, and huge differences in altitude and thus climate: some regions have vineyards and palm trees in the valley and very close to that are the snowy peaks. In between are alpine meadows that are perfect (I guess) to raise cattle and make cheese.

 

If any, what impact has Swiss food had on food culture around the world?

 

Not sure about that. I think Swiss food is well known for its quality. Apart from that there are various multinationals like Nestlé, Lindt and Emmi who export products around Europe or the world using different brand names.

 

 

Arno’s expertise on Swiss culture makes this interview very interesting. Previously, I knew that there were different regions of cuisine, but I had no idea that the mountains were the boarders of these different cultures. Another good point is brought up, Swiss cuisine is not just cheese and chocolate, far from it actually. They have such a culturally diverse cuisine that only thinking of these two leaves out a lot of traditional ingredients and dishes. I really appreciate the time Arno took to correspond with me about Swiss culture, the value in learning from someone who has so much firsthand knowledge on Switzerland is a privilege.

 

If you are interested in booking a Swiss food tour, check out http://www.myswissalps.com for more information. They have a large variety of tours and activities to choose from.