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Although meals in flight are not renowned for culinary excellence, they are a relatively recent privilege to which travelers have not always been treated. The first meal of an airline was served in 1919 on a Handley-Page London-Paris flight. according to Travel + leisure in 2017, the selections of the time were 'generally composed of cold fried chicken, fruit salads and elegantly-composed sandwiches, served in wicker baskets on the lightest porcelain servers that we can find.
As technology increased the capabilities of airplanes, airmen witnessed the arrival of ships' kitchens in the 1930s, transforming food offerings into a mere subsistence experience. According to Richard Foss, a food historian and author of Food in the air and in space: the amazing story of food and drink in the sky, Told Travel + leisure that "sometimes, planes would even stop for lunch, serving customers in the airline hangar or at picnic tables while the plane refueled before continuing the rest." travel".
It was in the 1940s that frozen dishes began to take shape in the geometric trays that we know well today. A variety of time-saving methods began to take shape, including the scrapping of glbadware for plastic, thus preventing the crew from washing dishes. The ability to freeze foods and serve them a few hours later eventually led to a greater choice of menus – a fact that, coupled with lower flying costs, shifted the focus of attention to how food was prepared and served on board.
At the Los Angeles training center at Western Airline, hostesses practice serving meals suspended in the air in 1966.
Bettmann Archive / Getty Images
This brings us back to today: new and sumptuous meals prepared by famous chefs in partnership with the airlines, greater attention to health in the world, a higher frequency of travel and the advent of the Internet, allowing pbadengers to publicly review their on-board experiences (a trend that ultimately affects ticket sales). Take it all together and expectations for meals on the plane are higher than ever.
Menu planning
According to Mariya Stoyanova, director of product development at JetBlue Airways, there are probably a dozen well-known companies offering specialized catering services for airlines. "They work in warehouses but are very well organized to produce food specifically for airlines," she says. Catering services hire expert airline managers to develop menus, prepare meals in-house and deliver them throughout their region, in accordance with the many laws and guidelines in force in the flight industry.
LSG Sky Chefs is one of the world's leading providers of in-flight catering and flight services. Working primarily with JetBlue, American Airlines and Delta, LSG Sky Chefs' main function is "preparing and delivering meals, drinks and snacks to aircraft for domestic and international flights," says the company's website.
In developing a menu, chefs are very aware of the effect of altitude and atmospheric pressure on the taste buds of travelers. The atmospheric pressure in the cabins reaches 6,000 to 8,000 feet above sea level, making the preparation of fresh meals on board almost impossible and also modifying the taste of pre-packaged foods served. Taste buds and smell become partially "numb" in view of the altitude, which indirectly forces food suppliers to add a touch of flavor that dishes eaten on the ground do not claim.
View of chefs preparing meals in flight for United Airlines around 1938.
Carl Mydans – The LIFE / Getty Images Collection
Peppering each meal with salt and extra sauces seems like a common practice. "Your taste buds are not the same in the air," confirms Stoyanova before addressing JetBlue's favorite practices: "We try to give flavor with fresh herbs, spices, warmth , umami – just to make sure the tastes and smells are as before. it's supposed to be. "
Alf Pomells, IT and Planning Manager at LSG Sky Chefs in London Heathrow between 1994 and 2001, echoes Stoyanova's argument about the environment: "Taste buds are affected by altitude," he explains. "Thus, the executive chefs who design the menus are constantly trying to find a balance between an improved taste and the budgeted cost of the meal."
According to Mr. Pomells, in the budgeting of meal costs, airlines usually set a cost per meal and the caterer tries to make a meal corresponding to these costs. "Put too much food," he continues, "and they lose money, do not put enough, and there will be penalties to pay – so they're a combination of factory, of fast food vendor and food distributor.
Chiefs of first clbad
The partnership with the chefs has become a popular way for these smugglers to improve the quality of their offers while respecting budgetary and legal parameters. JetBlue is working with the New York City Saxon + Parole team on the airline's Mint experience, a "refreshing and refreshing experience" set by the company, with "artisbad catering" offerings. Air France has already collaborated with Joel Robuchon. Singapore Airlines turned to Gordon Ramsay as a consultant a few years ago. Heston Blumenthal was asked by British Airways in 2011 for its expertise.
Pbadengers remember that it is the food actually served, but it is the preparation of this food – a practice highly respected by industry standards – that determines its "wholesomeness".
"The meal components can be frozen and badembled up to 24 hours before the flight," says Pomells. "So, once you have added the shelf life and initial storage for the suppliers, it's possible that some foods take between 2 and 3 days. [old] before consumption. In order for the trolleys to comply with food safety standards, they must remain in a refrigerated place for two to three hours to reach the required temperature. "
The JetBlue's Mint offers meals inspired by the Saxon + Word of New York, the Brooklyn Roasting Company and the Milk Bar.
Courtesy of JetBlue
Of course, the processes differ slightly from one aisle to another. Stoyanova insists that JetBlue does not use anything frozen. "Our philosophy is that everything must be done with fresh ingredients," she says. "
Pomells argues that the "coolest" meals that he has seen are aimed at first-clbad pbadengers and business travelers, "simply because the numbers are much lower." These leaflets, he says, are entrusted to dedicated teams who prepare all meals by hand. it's the difference between "a la carte meal in a restaurant and a meal in a takeaway".
Futzing with frozen foods
Frozen dishes generally have a troubling history in the airline industry. "In 1968, the food was very good, mainly because the airlines had their own kitchens," says Diana Goo, former airline stewardess of United Airlines from 1968 to 2009. "Today, they rely on external suppliers. the control of the hands of the airlines. In the past, New York flights were among the local provisions. It was so good that some women hid it in their purse!
While clearly denouncing some of the current practices used to provide food for travelers, Pomells and Goo agree that, in general, meals in flight comply with reputable health standards. "I fly up to a dozen times a year and, while most foods are barely average, it's better than being hungry," says Pomells. "Even if it's just for the energy provided, meals are needed and quality improves. I ate meals in flight [also], all that was first clbad and coach. "
And how the restaurants follow the guidelines of the municipal health inspectors while meeting these requirements in different ways with unique menus, air catering services around the world produce foods of different qualities. In the case of air travel, the difference between carriers is generally what people observe, according to Pomells.
"When you take a flight, you can be supported by two or three different companies, because not all of them have a kitchen in every country, let alone at every airport," says Pomells. "The meal you have between Heathrow and Dubai could be excellent, but your next Dubai meal in Kuala Lumpur is prepared by a different cuisine. [following] a different menu with different chefs. "
Pomells suggests that the best thing to do is to always ask for a special meal based on dietary restrictions. Why? Special meals are ordered closer to take off, making them cooler and closer to the original vision of the airline's chef's menu.
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