Chicken or Pasta? – Enjoying the journey


During her work as an airline hostess Heleen Rittershaus, the founder of ‘Chicken or Pasta?’, became aware that flight safety instructions and expressions used within the airline industry, were also applicable in daily life. Taken out of their original context they create the same sense of direction and clarity of mind we can often use in our daily lives too.

The brand ‘Chicken or Pasta?’, (also the question many will recognise when meals are served on board..), is all about making choices. We are making choices all day long and when we become more aware of this, we can put them to better use so that they can actually positively influence our lives.

By printing the flight safety expressions on sweatshirts, t-shirts and bags, a valuable method has been created to be able to playfully and actively wear your ‘note to self’ and remind yourself of your helpful mindset throughout your day.

And because ‘Chicken or Pasta?’ is about inspiring self awareness as well as social awareness, it was a very natural choice to only use sustainably made and fair wear products as well as an environmentally friendly way of screen printing them locally in Amsterdam.

Although ‘Chicken or Pasta?’ was born and raised in Amsterdam, Heleen herself was not. Her birthplace was Kenya and she was furthermore raised in Iran and Singapore. Travelling was therefor organically an intrinsic part of her life from the start. 

After studying photography she decided to explore the world more extensively by working as a stewardess. She did so for 17 years and after her feet firmly touched ground, she began to implement the airline lessons she had learnt, in a new adventure.

The physical journey she had experienced so far, evolved into a journey within the entrepreneurial world. During this adventure she has put many of her own ‘flight safety mantra’s’ to use to guide her through good and not so good times.

Breathe Normally, Mind Your Step, Doors may be Opened…, just to name a few.

Which other choices could you make to create a positive influence in your life?

Chicken or Pasta?

Levantplein 7, Amsterdam, Netherlands
06 110 182 88

Meet the makers