Culinary Weekend Retreat with Heddi Nieuwsma – Cuisine Helvetica x Culinarium Alpinum
Friday to Sunday February 13 – 15, 2026
Immerse yourself in the rich culinary traditions of Switzerland with American food writer Heddi Nieuwsma and the team at Culinarium Alpinum. This retreat combines authentic flavors, Alpine landscapes, and meaningful encounters. From fishing on Lake Lungern (optional) to snowshoeing to a mountain cheese dairy, and finally to cooking and dining together—this weekend offers inspiration, outdoor adventures, and plenty of delicious moments.
Hosts and Instructors
Heddi Nieuwsma
Cuisine Helvetica
Along with the team from the Culinarium Alpinum,
Heddi Nieuwsma will be your co-host and instructor
during the retreat. Heddi is an American food writer
who moved to French-speaking Switzerland in 2012.
Since then, she has developed a deep passion for Swiss
cuisine. Her three cookbooks — Swiss Bread, Sweet +
Swiss, and Swiss Suppers — are available in English,
French, and German.
Through her website, Cuisine Helvetica and
her newsletter, she shares recipes and culinary travel
experiences from across the country. A self-taught
cook, Heddi is dedicated to making Swiss cuisine more
widely known and appreciated.
CULINARIUM ALPINUM
Stiftung KEDA
The cuisine and traditions from the lakes and the
mountains are grounded in local heritage and have a
global future. The CULINARIUM ALPINUM combines
these culinary delights, with knowledge and thoughtful
exchanges, all within the former Capuchin monastery
in Stans. In the restaurant, alpine ingredients inspire
creativity. The hotel and seminar rooms have a
comfortable, relaxing, and historic atmosphere. In
addition, fascinating courses of myriad topics inspire
both mind and heart. Outdoors, the garden grows as
an edible landscape, while indoors, wheels of artisanal
Alp-Sbrinz cheese mature in the cellar. The monastery
shop and the “walk-in wine list” further invite you on a
culinary journey of discovery.