Premium catering
Culinary Talent
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Print this pageChef Ignacio Simon "Nacho" Rueda
Ignacio Simon "Nacho" Rueda joined Gate Gourmet Spain (then Entursa, which later became Iber-Swiss Catering) as a Chef's apprentice in 1985. Chef Nacho is currently the Product Development Chef for Area South, which covers Spain and Portugal. He specializes in traditional and innovative Spanish and Latin-American cuisine and is primarily responsible for Iberia and several international, long-haul and short-haul accounts, ranging from Avianca and Aeromexico, SAS and Finnair to Thai Airways, Delta Air Lines and Aeroflot.
Over the last 20 years, Chef Nacho has participated in various workshops on traditional and innovative Spanish cuisine, supporting the Head of Production for Iber-Swiss and designing premium class menus. Chef Nacho's creations have been served to dignitaries including the Royal Family and Ministers, as well as the president of Iberia and local officials. He also develops menus for Iberia's First Class service, helping select the best products available on the market and managing the equipment to prepare creative recipes and outline menu specifications.
Chef Nacho's superb creations receive praise from valued Gate Gourmet customers. These include personal dedication notes from the Royal Family and also an official recognition from the airport Chief of Police for his commitment to the community.
Chef Nacho was inspired to enter the world of cuisine because of his appreciation for the cultural fusion between traditional and new trends of gastronomy and the arts. Airline catering appeals to him due to the challenging operational side of the business: "It is not only a matter of creating, it is about creating a fine dining experience, mindful that food will be consumed after many hours and temperature changes, which fine restaurant food would never be subjected to," says Chef Nacho. "I always concentrate on my customers' tastes, to understand and better match their needs. I have even been known to check the flight returns, to learn what is not being consumed and why."
When Chef Nacho is not serving up delicious dishes for Gate Gourmet, he enjoys cooking for his family and sharing new flavors with his three children, educating them about different foods. His family also has been more than willing to serve as taste-testers for his "experimental cuisine," which on numerous occasions has resulted in later successful menu proposals to customers. In his free time, he also serves the community as a marriage and new parenting counselor, and lectures on Catering and Food production at the University of Alcala de Henares, the oldest and one of the most prestigious universities in Spain.
