SWISS Brings Schaffhausen Cuisine Onboard, Unveils New Zurich Lounges
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SWISS International Airlines (SWISS) is updating both its onboard dining and lounge experience, with a new ‘SWISS Taste of Switzerland’ menu launching September 2 and new Business and Senator Lounges planned for Zurich Airport in 2027. For the next three months, First and Business Class passengers on long-haul flights departing Switzerland will be able to enjoy dishes inspired by the Canton of Schaffhausen and created by the team behind Michelin-starred Villa Sommerlust. At Zurich Airport, SWISS will open two new lounges near Dock B with around 20 per cent more space, additional areas for working and relaxing, and panoramic views of the airport and Alps.
SWISS Brings the Flavors of Schaffhausen Onboard
Beginning September 2, the latest edition of the ‘SWISS Taste of Switzerland’ menu will bring new regional dishes to passengers traveling in First, Business, and Premium Economy Class.
Alejandro Perez Polo, Dan Rodriguez Zaugg, and Katiuska Villalba Paredes from Villa Sommerlust developed the new menus. The restaurant, which is the only Michelin-starred restaurant in the Canton of Schaffhausen, sits near the city’s Old Town along the Rhine inside a restored 17th-century villa. For SWISS, the team created dishes that combine regional ingredients with flavors from around the world.
“Just like travel, culinary creations tell stories of their own,” said SWISS Chief Customer Officer Heike Birlenbach. “The culinary trio at Villa Sommerlust combines classic craftsmanship with fresh ideas, taking our guests on a culinary journey that begins in Schaffhausen and extends far beyond Switzerland’s borders.”
In First Class, passengers can choose from several new dishes, including prawn salad with spicy corn soup and Catalan fish soup with clams, red snapper, and mojo rojo. Main course options include beef short rib bourguignon with mustard jus, fried bacon crumble, and truffled parsnip purée; or lobster and scallops with goat cheese beurre blanc. For dessert, SWISS will serve caramel flan with caramelized popcorn and espresso ice cream.
Business Class passengers will also see a new selection of dishes. One starter option is smoked salmon tartare with Andalusian gazpacho, kimchi mayonnaise, and quail egg. Main courses include beef short rib with mustard jus and mojo verde, or hake with green sauce, fried rice, and furikake. Dessert includes a pistachio tartlet with berries and pistachio crumble.
In Premium Economy, passengers will receive a three-course menu inspired by Switzerland. The main dish is Fleischvogel, a beef roulade stuffed with vegetables and served with polenta bramata and glazed chestnut. The meal also includes regional cheeses with Swiss pear bread, followed by chestnut cake with vanilla whipped cream.
“Our cuisine thrives on the interplay of different ideas, cultures, and experiences,” said Villa Sommerlust Head Chef Alejandro Perez Polo. “For our menus on board of SWISS, we wanted to reinterpret regional ingredients and combine them with influences from around the world. It is a special honor for us to now serve these dishes to an international audience.”
SWISS will offer the Schaffhausen menus for three months on long-haul flights departing Switzerland. The latest edition continues the airline’s ‘SWISS Taste of Switzerland’ program, which highlights different regions and culinary traditions from across the country through onboard dining.
New Zurich Lounges Will Bring More Space and Comfort
While SWISS updates its onboard dining this fall, the airline is also preparing for a larger change to the ground experience at its Zurich hub.
The airline plans to open new Business and Senator Lounges in the first quarter of 2027. The two lounges will be located in a new building near Dock B and will replace the existing lounges in Dock A. Together, the lounges will cover around 2,600 square meters, giving passengers roughly 20 per cent more space than the current facilities.
Each lounge will occupy an entire floor and offer more seating, dedicated areas for working and relaxing, and around 20 fully soundproofed workstations. Large windows will give passengers views of the apron, runways, and Alps.
“With the new lounges, we are specifically investing in our guests’ travel experience at our home airport in Zurich,” said Birlenbach. “More space, with dedicated areas for working and relaxing, combined with open views of airport operations, will provide comfort and a distinctive sense of Switzerland.”
The Senator Lounge will include a bar along the windows with 180-degree views of Runway 34, the apron, and surrounding mountains. SWISS will also add a wine humidor and a dedicated room for aging selected cheeses and cured meats. Bus gates will be located directly below the new lounge building, which could shorten the walk to boarding for some passengers.
The move forms part of broader changes at Zurich Airport as the airport prepares to replace Dock A. Once the new lounges open in 2027, SWISS will close its current Business and Senator Lounges, along with the SWISS Alpine Lounge in Dock A. SWISS also plans to move its First and HON Circle Lounge from Dock A to Dock B in 2028, with more details expected later.