gategroup collaborates with aspiring Young Culinary Talents at the Longest Table in Switzerland

gategroup is proud to be a premium supporting partner of Food Zurich, one of the largest food festivals in Europe.

ZURICH, ZURICH, SWITZERLAND, May 28, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Food Zurich, taking place over 11 days with more than 100 events focused on the culinary arts, celebrated its 10th anniversary this year. The festival's opening event on May 24 showcased a stunning 1.2-kilometer-long table set along the picturesque lake, stretching from Bellevue to Zürichhorn.

This year, gategroup once again teamed up with Zurich’s Vocational School for Culinary Arts (ABZH). Under the guidance of gategroup’s experienced chefs, 15 innovative students from the ABZH Talent Class prepared and served four delicious dishes at the longest table in Switzerland.

On April 8, gategroup and ABZH organized a friendly competition in which the 15 students were challenged to create cold dishes inspired by District 7 in Zurich. The students showcased their culinary skills by crafting seven unique cold dishes, elegantly packaged in picnic-style glass containers.

These dishes incorporated a contemporary twist on traditional Swiss cuisine representing Kreis 7 of Zurich. From the students' creations, three dishes were selected, and with guidance from gategroup chefs, the students refined the winning dishes, which were later served at the long table event hosted by Food Zurich.

The long table event featured 12 different Zurich districts represented in a picnic-style format, with food and beverages provided by restaurants and hotels from each district, all set along the lake from Bellevue to Zürichhorn.

Oliver Fisher, Director of Culinary Excellence at gategroup, praised the students' efforts, stating, "The students did a fantastic job both in creating these dishes and during the Long Table event. Despite the large volume of meals and the vast crowd, the quality of what they delivered was exceptional, thanks in large part to the tremendous guidance from Alexander Wilhelm and Roland Menzi, who played key roles in the collaboration with ABZH and the organization of the event." He continued, “This partnership reflects our ongoing commitment to fostering young culinary talent—the future chefs of our industry.”

Meta Studinger, Headmistress of the Zurich’s Vocational School for Culinary Arts (ABZH), emphasized the benefits of the collaboration: “For ABZH, particularly for the talent class, partnering with gategroup offered significant value. The students gained invaluable experience preparing for a major event under expert guidance, allowing them to develop skills in a practical setting that we could not provide alone.”

She added, “This experience was unique for our learners. The project encouraged them to explore new ideas, enhance their skills, and witness the versatility and creativity of their profession in a supportive environment.”

Supporting young culinary talents and emerging chefs, who represent the future of our industry, is of utmost importance to gategroup.

About gategroup
gategroup is the global leader in airline catering, retail-on-board and hospitality products and services. gategroup provides passengers with superior culinary and retail experiences, leveraging innovation and advanced technology solutions. Headquartered in Zurich, Switzerland, gategroup delivers operational excellence through the most extensive catering network in the aviation industry, serving passengers from over 200 operating units in over 60 countries/territories across all continents. For further information, please visit: www.gategroup.com.

About ABZH
The Allgemeine Berufsschule Zürich (ABZH) is one of the largest vocational schools in the Canton of Zurich, offering training in 17 professions. With a strong focus on bilingual education and practical learning, ABZH combines modern teaching methods with real-world relevance. The school is centrally located in Zurich. Learn more at www.abzh.ch

David Taylor
gategroup
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