Swiss cuisine
Swiss cuisine is an ensemble of national, regional and local dishes, consisting of the ingredients, recipes and cooking techniques developed in Switzerland or assimilated from other cultures, particularly neighboring countries. The diversity and comprehensiveness of Swiss gastronomy reflects the linguistic, cultural and geographical diversity. The climate of Switzerland allows for a large variety of terroirs, and therefore a wide range of indigenous food from refined products like bread and wine. Typical ingredients include dairy, potatoes, grains and root vegetables, which feature prominently in traditional Alpine recipes and cuisines.
Switzerland is historically an agricultural country, with many regions being isolated from each other by the Alps. Therefore, one of the main characteristics of Swiss cuisine is its simplicity, with many dishes made up of few but hearty ingredients, often of dairy origin. Swiss cuisine evolved dramatically during the last centuries. Probably the most significant changes occurred after colonization of the Americas and the introduction of now-widely-used ingredients such as potatoes, maize and cocoa. The increase in purchasing power and a certain homogenization of taste have allowed the emergence of some emblematic national dishes such as fondue, raclette, Zürcher Geschnetzeltes, rösti and Birchermüesli.
Well-known products exported worldwide include chocolate, cheese, refined coffee, beverages, baked goods, pasta, flavorings and ingredients. Many of them are protected by a geographical indication. A strong food industry, often related to chocolate, has developed over the past centuries in Switzerland.
Agriculture and foods
The climatic and cultural diversity of Switzerland is reflected in the diversity of its food products. Various cereals and fruits are cultivated in the lower regions, while the warmest and sunniest areas in the south lend themselves to growing grapes, chestnuts, and even olives. The other most common fruits cultivated in Switzerland are apples, pears, apricots, cherries, plums and strawberries. The mountainous and coldest areas feature the perhaps most emblematic agricultural practices of Switzerland: dairy farming and alpine transhumance.Swiss cuisine comprises a variety of staple foods. These typically include bread, potatoes, pasta, rice and polenta. Potatoes are particularly ubiquitous in Swiss cuisine, although it is only the case since the late 18th century. They are notably used in rösti, a popular dish that is eaten all over Switzerland, and originally a breakfast food. Bread and cereals are eaten on a daily basis in Switzerland. Muesli, which is commonly eaten for breakfast, goes by the name of "Birchermüesli". For breakfast, most Swiss enjoy sliced bread with butter and jam; bread also accompanies most meals. There is a wide variety of breads made in Switzerland, from pain de seigle to Zopf. Tarts and quiches are also traditional Swiss dishes. Tarts in particular are made with all sorts of toppings, from sweet apple to onion.
Pork, poultry and beef are the most consumed meats in Switzerland. Pork is particularly omnipresent in Swiss cuisine; it is both consumed as cooked and cured meat. Swiss meat specialties are highly diversified: all sorts of pork sausages, bratwursts, smoked ham, salami, prosciutto, and others. Famous meat products include Grisons Meat and the "national sausage", cervelat. Fish is eaten in moderation, traditionally once in a week. Swiss lakes and rivers provide a small fraction of fish and shellfish consumed in the country. These include the popular perch and fera, which are served in lakeshore restaurants.
Foods associated with Switzerland often use milk as an essential ingredient; butter and cream are classic ingredients in Swiss cuisine. They notably include hard cheeses and chocolate. Swiss cheeses, in particular Emmental, Gruyère, Vacherin, and Appenzeller, are famous Swiss products. Two of the most popular Swiss dishes are fondue and raclette, which essentially consist of melted cheese accompanied with bread or potatoes. The first solid milk chocolate was invented in Switzerland in 1875 and Switzerland has continued to be strongly associated with chocolate ever since then, with a thriving Swiss chocolate industry.
Food preferences vary within Switzerland, often reflecting languages: the German-speaking north and east has strong ties with Central Europe, whereas the French-speaking west and the Italian-speaking south tend to have more ties with Western and Mediterranean Europe. This applies notably to starchy foods, dairy products and fish. While potatoes, rice and pasta are commonly eaten everywhere in Switzerland, the proportion of pasta and rice is larger in the Italian-speaking regions. Conversely, fats like cream and butter are eaten in larger proportions in the German-speaking regions. Fish is also more commonly eaten in French- and Italian-speaking Switzerland. Those differences are also noticeable in wine and beer drinking habits.
History
The agrarian regions began to specialize toward the end of the Middle Ages, thus developing their own food pattern: in the Alpine regions, breeders fed on dairy products, cheese, nuts, berries, mushrooms, vegetables and fruits; on the Plateau, ploughmen fed on porridge, soups, bread, legumes, vegetables and, from time to time, wine. The diet varied greatly according to the seasons. Fresh garden vegetables gave way in winter to dried fruit and sauerkraut. The occasional famines forced the consumption of more acorns, beets, roots and breads made of substitutes.The population boom of the early modern period led, while agricultural productivity stagnated, to an impoverishment of the diet and a decline in meat consumption. The supply was irregular, shortages and high prices frequent. However, the European colonization of the Americas led to the introduction of new food products, such as sugar and various fruits and vegetables. The 18th century finally experienced the food revolution which notably saw the introduction of potato, maize and cocoa. Maize spread to Ticino, the St. Gallen Rhine Valley and a few valleys in Graubünden, which adopted polenta for breakfast. Meanwhile, the potato was adopted as staple food in most regions of the country.
These new crops were not only easier to cultivate in Swiss soil, which made them crucial in combating food insecurity. By the end of the 18th century, local governments and reformers even encouraged potato cultivation as a public health and economic measure. The growing integration of Switzerland into European trade networks also facilitated the circulation of foodstuffs, culinary knowledge, and preserved goods, laying the foundations of modern Swiss gastronomy.
During the 19th century Switzerland experienced industrialisation and increased urbanisation, which began to transform traditional food systems. Railways and improved infrastructure enabled greater distribution of agricultural goods and regional specialities across the country. Urban populations gained access to a wider variety of foods, while rural areas began to produce more for trade than subsistence. The growing food industry saw the rise of major companies such as Nestlé, which played a pivotal role in developing processed foods like condensed milk and infant formula. At the same time, national pride in local products began to take shape, leading to the formalisation of recipes and the promotion of regional dishes such as fondue and raclette. Culinary schools, cookbooks, and domestic science education also contributed to a more unified but still diverse Swiss food culture. Despite modernisation, traditional farming, and seasonal eating remained important in many areas, particularly in the Alpine regions where artisanal production methods were preserved.
National dishes
A few dishes have become emblematic of Swiss cuisine and highly popular throughout the country. All of them have also become popular outside Switzerland's borders.Muesli
, known in Switzerland as Birchermüesli, is a breakfast or snack consisting of cereal flakes, chopped fruit and milk. There are many ways of making a muesli, for example with honey, yoghurt and nuts. Muesli was created by the Swiss nutritionist Max Bircher-Benner in the early 20th century. His 'apple diet dish', developed as part of a raw food diet, was originally served to sanatorium patients as an easily digestible evening meal. After the Second World War, muesli became very popular throughout Switzerland thanks to home cooking courses and being served to the armed forces. Nowadays muesli is a staple in Western breakfast culture and is especially popular among athletes as a nutritional supplement.Rösti
is a kind of fried potato cake served as a main course or side dish. As a main dish, rösti is usually accompanied with cheese, onions and cold meat or eggs. This dish, originally from Zürich, was first simply made by frying grated raw potatoes in a pan. It has then spread towards Bern where it is made with boiled potatoes instead. This is where it took the name Rösti. There are many variants in Switzerland and outside the borders. This culinary specialty gives its name to the Röstigraben, which designates the cultural differences between the German- and French-speaking parts of the country.Fondue and raclette
is a dish of usually several hard cheeses, such as Gruyère and Vacherin, which are melted with white wine and eaten hot with bread. It is served in a caquelon in which each guest dips their piece of bread using a special fork. At the base of the fondue pot is the heat source. Fondue was first described in 1699 in a Zürich manuscript by Albert Hauser. It is entitled To cook cheese with wine and resembles the recipe of today. Fondue was also promoted by the Swiss Cheese Union in the early 20th century. Today, it is often considered to be the national dish.Raclette is also a dish of melted cheese, originating from Valais. Traditionally, half a cheese wheel is heated on the cut side and, as it melts, the cheese is scraped off onto a plate. Now, this is often performed using an electric appliance. Raclette is served with skin-on potatoes and mixed pickles, and often accompanied by Fendant as a drink. Melting cheese in front of a fire is attested in the 16th century. Since 1875, the French term raclette is commonly used for this dish. At the 1909 Cantonal Exhibition of Sion, raclette was promoted as a national dish of Valais. Raclette eventually gained national popularity from the 1964 National Exhibition.
Contrary to muesli and rösti, fondue and raclette are not meant to be staple foods, but rather convivial dishes intended for special occasions. Both fondue and raclette are especially popular during cold weather and have become associated with mountain culture and winter sports.