Celebrity Chefs Spice Up First Class Menus

While airlines cut back on in-flight food choices, particularly in economy class, many are also wining and dining business and first-class passengers by spicing up their in-flight dining programs with the expertise of well-known restaurants and celebrity chefs.

For the first time, Air Canada is partnering with Toronto's Lai Wah Heen restaurant to offer passengers flying business class from Toronto and Vancouver to Hong Kong and Beijing traditional Chinese dishes. And starting June 3, it will be offered on flights from Canada to Shanghai as well.

Seven dishes have been created for Air Canada by Ken Tam, Lai Wah Heen's executive chef, and Raymond Cheung, executive chef of Hemisphere's Restaurant (Lai Wah Heen's sister restaurant at the Metropolitan Hotel Toronto).

The dishes range from pan-seared beef tenderloin paired with seasonal Chinese vegetables and egg-fried jasmine rice to shredded Peking duck breast. Each month, two of the seven items will be featured on the menu, alongside other selections.

"Lai Wah Heen is a well-known restaurant, particularly with business executives, and this is a great opportunity to work together," says Robert Volstuben, Montreal-based executive chef of Air Canada.

"Food is important to regular flyers. Results of our latest passenger surveys tell us that passengers don't want a long dinner service (they want the time to work or rest). But they do want a high-quality meal, more choices and expert service."

Volstuben says since the program has received a good response, Air Canada is looking for other restaurant or hotel partnerships to complement dining service on other routes.

Numerous travel surveys exist on the preferences of flyers, but according to Skytrax Research, the London-based airline survey group, the top 10 best airlines for onboard catering in business class are: Gulf Air, Continental Airlines, bmi British Midland, Austrian, Qatar Airways, South African Airways, Qantas, Emirates, Malaysia Airlines and Royal Brunei Airlines.

Air New Zealand has been on the celebrity bandwagon for a few years. Its latest recruit is Govind Armstrong, executive chef and partner of trendy Table 8 Restaurant in Los Angeles, who has developed a new menu for its Business Premier Class travellers on flights from the U.S. (Los Angeles and San Francisco are main hubs for Canadians travelling to New Zealand.)

He has also developed menus for Crystal Cruises and Cunard's Queen Mary 2, and is regularly featured on programs such as The Today Show and The Great Domestic Showdown.

"I'm a huge fan of New Zealand wine and cuisine," says Armstrong. "My goal is to showcase the best tastes of New Zealand, using only the freshest ingredients."

Other top-notch chefs working with Air New Zealand include Geoff Scott, owner and chef at Auckland's Vinnie's restaurant, and Rex Morgan, of Citron restaurant in Wellington.

For foodies who fly, the airlines believe there is strong recognition value for celebrity chefs and top-notch restaurants.

"People who keep in touch with dining trends recognize the chefs and the restaurants we work with, so the costs are worth the investment," says Lucy Powell, Air New Zealand's communications manager.

Olivier Schlegel, general manager in Canada of Swiss International Air Lines, agrees. The airline offers its "Taste of Switzerland" program in business and first class on long-haul flights within Europe. Each quarter, the menus reflect a different region of Switzerland.

Featured this summer is Ticino, the most southerly region near the border with Italy. The Ticino menu has been developed by Rolf Krapf, chef of the five-star Hotel Eden Roc in Ascona, and features sliced veal with tuna mousse, and roast beef steak served with Ticino-style polenta.

"We have actually had passengers fly with us just to try out the different menus because they recognize the chefs or the restaurants we're working with," he says.

The menus on Air New Zealand change every three months to offer frequent travellers something different, from New Zealand lamb to confit of chicken thigh with kumara puree to a hotpot of New Zealand seafood.

"Airline food often gets a bad rap. We pride ourselves in serving the best we can at 30,000 feet," says Powell.

"We offer distinctive New Zealand cuisine, which can often be described as a fusion of Asian-Pacific flavours. And of course, we serve New Zealand wines."

So, are passengers really getting gourmet meals?

"Adapting fine cuisine is difficult. That's why it is important to use high-quality ingredients," says Schlegel.

Airlines acknowledge that guidelines must be followed for the preparation of in-flight meals to ensure the safety of the food. It's commonly referred to as the "cook and chill" method. After the chef has established the menus and taste-testing is complete, the meals are prepared by the airline's catering company. They must be completely cooked (usually many hours from when they'll actually be served), cooled, frozen, then reheated on board.

Additionally, there are height restrictions for the food, because they have to fit in the little trays, and usually don't come with fancy garnishes because they rarely survive the preparation process.

"Our storage facilities are limited," says Schlegel, "so we can't use large fancy plates. However we do use real glassware, china and cutlery as we believe that enhances the enjoyment of the meal. We also make every effort in presentation, because we really eat with our eyes as well as our tastebuds.

"On short flights, perhaps food doesn't matter so much, but on longer flights, quality dining and service are really important. It is part of the flight experience. When passengers have a positive experience, they share that with others and that's the best publicity we can have."

News stories provided by third parties are not edited by "Site Publication" staff. For suggestions and comments, please click the Contact link at the bottom of this page.