Fine Dining in Luxemburgerli® Format
Sometimes a single bite is enough to tell an idea. In Heiko Nieder’s work, it is often the unexpected details that change a moment: a surprising texture. A combination of flavours that unfolds gradually. An element that does not need to be loud to be remembered.
It is precisely from this understanding that the collaboration between Confiserie Sprüngli and Heiko Nieder came about. To mark the 190th anniversary of the Zurich-based house, the Chef Fine Dining & Culinary Director of the Dolder Grand has developed two limited-edition Luxemburgerli® together with Sprüngli: Champagne Raspberry Rose and Macadamia Popping Candy. Two creations that take up the format of a classic and give it a new, personal signature.
The Luxemburgerli® belongs to Zurich much like Bahnhofstrasse, the lake and the small rituals that make everyday life more pleasant. Since 1957, Confiserie Sprüngli’s light macaron creation has stood for fine craftsmanship, freshness and precision. For Heiko Nieder, this confection is more than a Zurich classic. He describes himself as a Luxemburgerli® fan – and approaches the product with respect, but also with the curiosity that has shaped his cuisine for many years.
Since the reopening of the Dolder Grand in 2008, Heiko Nieder has played a defining role in shaping the hotel’s culinary identity. At The Restaurant, he brings together precision, creativity and depth of flavour in a style of cuisine that is recognised far beyond Zurich. Under his direction, The Restaurant has been awarded 2 Michelin stars and 19 GaultMillau points. Since 2021, as Culinary Director, he has also been responsible for the culinary direction of the entire house – from fine dining and the restaurants to seasonal concepts.
For the collaboration with Sprüngli, Heiko Nieder translates his way of thinking into a small, highly precise format. Champagne Raspberry Rose combines white chocolate cream with Marc de Champagne, raspberry and rose water. The creation is delicate, clear and floral, while retaining its fruitiness. Macadamia Popping Candy shows another side of his cuisine: playful, surprising and guided by a sense of texture. A creamy macadamia filling meets a centre of macadamia paste and popping candy, finished with a fine disc of white chocolate.
Popping candy in particular is closely associated with Heiko Nieder. He has used its crackling effect in his kitchen for many years, including in one of his signature pralines. This is not about creating an effect for its own sake. It is about the interplay of flavour, texture and sound – a moment that briefly surprises before feeling entirely natural.
The two Luxemburgerli® show how naturally confectionery and fine dining can meet when both sides take the same things seriously: good ingredients, precise craftsmanship and the pleasure of giving a familiar product a new perspective. Sprüngli brings the experience of a confiserie that has been rooted in Zurich for generations. Heiko Nieder brings his world of flavours, his sense of contrast and his eye for detail.
The result is a collaboration that does not try to reinvent the classic. Instead, it places it in a different light. The Luxemburgerli® remains what it is: light, small, familiar. And, for a moment, it carries the signature of a chef who looks for depth even in the smallest format.