Menus by celebrity chefs served in designer chinaware are the new heights of in-flight catering that fliers are gorging on with glee,

Culinary flight

Menus by celebrity chefs served in designer chinaware are the new heights of in-flight catering that fliers are gorging on with glee,

    FLYING is a feast now. Gourmet binges at an altitude of 35,000 feet above sea level are the latest attraction for jet setters. Soggy rice, rubbery chicken and unappetising set meals have made way for sophisticated preparations by world-famous chefs Heston Blumenthal of Fat Duck, London, Vineet Bhatia of fabled London restaurant Rasoi and iconic chef Florian Trento of The Peninsula Hong Kong Hotel. No longer is one worried about pre-set timings for breakfast, lunch or dinner. Travellers can order entrees, main course or desserts at any time of the flight and lap up gourmet delights devised by the likes of Sam Leong from Singapore and Australian Matt Moran. Flying is now an experience you want to lap up rather than sleep through! 

Banquet in the air Frequent flier sommelier Magandeep Singh checks the cuisine and wine list on offer to turn his air travel into a culinary flight. “Finest of locally produced wines being paired with a cuisine high on popular ingredients from a particular region is a great step to experience the culinary culture of a country,” he observes. His argument holds merit as some of the inflight menus resemble food fests at popular eateries nowadays. Swiss aircraft have a menu boasting of cuisine from Switzerland’s Solothurn Canton prepared by celeb chef Reto Lampart of fabled Lampart’s restaurant in Hägendorf and delicious vegetarian cuisine from one of the oldest vegetarian restaurants in Europe, Hiltl in Zurich.
    Essa Sulaiman Ahmed of Emirates Airline says, “Instead of making do with the staid meals on offer at stipulated times, travellers can order from a range of appetisers, hors d’oeuvres, entrées, desserts, fresh fruits and cheeses. These are served in Royal Doulton fine bone china and elegant Robert Welsh cutlery to add to the high-quality dining experience.” Estonian Air treats travellers to a meal from a popular Estonian restaurant each month and Singapore Airlines lets you choose from their panel of eight celebrity chefs. Qatar Airways has roped in chef Ramzi Choueri for Middle Eastern cuisine, chef Vineet Bhatia for exotic Indian fare, chef Tom Aikens for a European delight and chef Nobu Matsuhisa for a fusion Asian feast for their fliers. The overall experience is enhanced by meals being dished out in designer chinaware, paired with equally stunning cutlery. 

 
Fresh from the oven…almost! The whole business of taking the mid-air dining experience to newer heights is keeping airlines and chefs on their toes. G M Toh of Singapore Airlines feels there is no option but to offer the best to beat the competition. “One has to make the flying experience an affair to remember. After all, giving great taste, freshness and presentation in food within the limited space of an aircraft is a big challenge,” he comments. Ensuring the food remains fresh and tastes great at that altitude is testing the cooking skills of even the best. “An aircraft is a high pressure cabin in the air. At that height the food doesn’t taste the same. We conduct workshops with the flight crew on how to serve tasty food that doesn’t need elaborate preparations. We cook food on ground as close to the flight time as possible so that it tastes fresh when served in the air. To retain the taste, we intensify the food by marinating it and cooking it for a longer time. We add citrus fruits to tickle the taste buds and cut down on oils to make the meal light,” spills chef Vineet Bhatia. 

Long haul What’s more? International airlines have also forayed into specific baby meals, Jain meals, low lactose meals, gluten intolerant meals, diabetic meals and even ulcer diet meals! Dutch health food brand Vitalit has introduced a range of ready to have snacks containing antioxidants to prevent dehydration, Vitamin C and zinc shots to reduce fatigue and citrus fruitbased drinks for proper blood flow during long flights.
    With airlines working overtime to enhance the in-flight dining experience, you are advised to smile through the procedural delays, long queues and endless security checks. Once seated, a gastronomic ride awaits you.