Time to dust off the fondue set? Psychologist reveals the retro melted cheese dish is back in fashion due to BREXIT - as the country considers a Swiss-style deal

  • Oxford University's Prof Charles Spence says fondue's revival could be political
  • Discussion of Switzerland's relationship with the EU could have caused boom
  • Fondue originates from Switzerland and was first popular in the 1970s 

By Imogen Blake For Mailonline

Published: | Updated:

Fondue was a firm favourite of diners in the 1970s but fell out of fashion in later decades.

However now the retro alpine dish of melted cheese is trendy again after appearing on more and more restaurant menus - and it's all thanks to Brexit, according to an Oxford University psychologist.

Professor Charles Spence has suggested that the country's consideration of a Switzerland-style deal with the EU has led to fondue becoming popular again.

Cheese fondue was a popular party dish in the 1970s but fell out of fashion until recently

Cheese fondue was a popular party dish in the 1970s but fell out of fashion until recently

Figures have shown sales of retro fondue sets - the pots heated above a tabletop flame along with the distinctive long forks - have trebled at stores including John Lewis in the last couple of years. 

The head of Oxford University's Crossmodal Research Laboratory said: 'One can't help feeling that at a time when the UK is figuring out if and how to separate from the rest of Europe, that this nostalgic food originates from a part of Europe that stands outside the European Union but is still connected with the rest of the EU in much the way that many Brits would hope to achieve.'

Switzerland is not an EU or a EEA member, but has bilateral treaties with the European Union.

It is in the single market, but has to accept free movement of people between Switzerland and the EU. 

Fondue originates from Switzerland and a psychologist believes the revival of this party classic may be because of Brexit

Fondue originates from Switzerland and a psychologist believes the revival of this party classic may be because of Brexit

The Financial Times reported earlier this year that a proposal to settle EU trade disputes with Switzerland could serve as a blueprint for Brexit.

However Theresa May has announced that Britain will leave the single market, which means Britain cannot follow a Swiss model for continuing relations with the EU wholesale.

The focus on Brexit over the last two years could have led to the rising popularity o fondue, which originates from Switzerland, according to Professor Spence, who made the claims in a report for the specialist publication, the International Journal of Gastronomy and Food Science.

He said: 'It may link to current concerns about global insecurity since the fondue can be considered as something of a nostalgic dish for some and a comfort food for many.

'The origins of the fondue in a country that lies just outside the EU but which manages to maintain good economic and political relations may also be relevant given current debate about how Brexit will play out.' 

Professor Spence has also suggested that fondue has become trendy again thanks to nostalgic dishes, comfort food, sharing plates and unusual cutlery becoming trendy in recent years.   

The special long forks used to dip bread into molten cheese or meat into bubbling oil are part of the attraction in an age where it has become trendy to use alternatives to usual cutlery and crockery.  

Professor Spence, who has worked with top chefs such as Heston Blumenthal, said: 'Dipping chunkcs of bread into a pot of bubbling cheese and wine or the pieces of meat into bubbling hot oil is not, after all, exactly anyone's notion of healthy. 

'Nor is fondue an especially photgenic dish either, so, again, off trend as far as the growth of more Instagrammable dishes is concerned. On the other hand, however, it does fit with the growing trend toward sharing plates.'    

Fondue was invented by the Swiss to warm up cold winter nights, and became popular at 1970s dinner parties in Britain.

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