Flying

Food
BRITISH AIRWAYS IN FLIGHT BREAKFAST.

reating palatable, let alone enticing,
C menus for passengers is a
challenging and competitive task for
airlines. Without a doubt, in-flight
meals in all classes have improved
drastically over the past decade. Airlines are
increasingly turning to industry experts and
celebrity chefs for guidance on how to lure
passengers into their cabins with decent nosh.
Most of the attention is paid to the pointy end of
the plane, where the competition for passengers is
stiff.
Qantas offers an 8-course tasting menu on
selected services in first class, under the watchful
eye of Australian restaurateur of note, Neil Perry. Air
Tahiti Nui has invited French chef Michel Sarran,
crowned with a 2-star rating by the world-famous
Michelin guide, to impart his expert advice to the
airline. Over at United Airlines they have Charlie
Trotter designing the menu. Along with celebrity
chefs, all the major players have their point of
difference when it comes to dining, often focusing
on their regional specialties. On Cathay Pacific,
flight attendants prepare fresh rice in the air for first
class. Etihad Airways offers tiramisu laced with
Arabic coffee and begins meals with traditional dips
and bread.
A+D asked Carol Conway, British Airways
Catering Innovation & Standards Manager, what
goes in to creating a standout meal in the air…
Does British Airways strive to inject a national
flavour to its cuisine; or is a more global fare
provided?
The airline’s British heritage is celebrated with
classic menus for customers to enjoy. Classic
menu options may include traditional afternoon tea,
Shepherd’s pie, treacle tart and the best British
breakfast. However, we also offer the ultimate in
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AIR TAHITI NUI'S MEALS INCORPORATES TAHITIAN
FLAVOURS AND FRENCH EXPERTISE.
contemporary cuisine, and British Airways’ First
and Club World menus are enhanced with a truly
international flavour, offering specialty dishes from
around the world.
Is it true that one can expect a “Full English”
on board at breakfast time?
When a customer lands at London Heathrow in the
morning on a long haul flight they are served
breakfast. What we offer customers varies
depending on the length of the flight and the cabin
in which they travel. If you fly from Sydney to
London passengers are served a hot English
breakfast in all cabins.
Our First passengers are offered a full English
breakfast that includes scrambled eggs, grilled
bacon, sautéed mushrooms, pork sausages, grilled
tomato and Irish potato farls.
Is provenance of ingredients important to the
airline and its chefs?
British Airways is determined to improve the
perception of airline food in the simplest way
possible – by proving that it is possible to serve
tasty, high quality dishes at 35,000ft.
Taking this into consideration and in line with
modern trends, British Airways focuses on
providing top quality food that is made from
seasonal, locally sourced ingredients.
British Airways has a commitment to corporate
responsibility, with food provenance and packaging
at the core of our decisions and gives customers
reassurance on the provenance of their food and
working with suppliers to use the best of British
and seasonal produce around the world.
Has Britain’s food renaissance across the last
decade had its impact on British Airways?
When creating menus we always look at top quality
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CATHAY PACIFIC INFLIGHT SERVICE.
food that is in line with modern trends. We recently
announced the Taste Team and part of our new
approach will include British classic dishes.
Would you say that customers’ expectations of
airline food have changed greatly over the last
few years?
In line with modern restaurant trends, British
Airways focuses on providing top-quality fresh food,
at flexible times with the best service and this focus
continues with new Club World. The new Club
World features Club Kitchen, which enables
customers to help themselves to a wide range of
chilled savoury snacks, sweet items and drinks
between meal services. Hot snacks and soups are
also available. Items include a range of salads and
fruit pots, sandwiches, wraps, bite-size cakes,
organic chocolate, mixed chocolate bars, crisps
and smoothies. There is also a choice of wines,
beers, lagers and soft drinks available.
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Does nutrition factor in to the development of
a menu?
Definitely. British Airways offers customers a
balance of health and indulgence and consults with
nutritionists and suppliers to ensure our customers
are given more information about content and
origins of food. We aim to remove hydrogenated
vegetable oil from our food in the next year and are
also working with Consensus Action on Salt and
Health (CASH) & the UK Food Standards Agency in
reducing salt content of food.
In April 2008, we launched a new kids menu,
which includes fruit and vegetables; no artificial
colours or flavouring; no added sugar, salt, or
hydrogenated vegetable; and is GM free.
What, if any, are the marketing resources used to
determine the “right” menu for your customers?
Are focus groups, tastings or surveys undertaken?
British Airways takes its catering so seriously it has
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just launched its ‘Taste Team’. They search out the
world’s best food and bring it to life for customers.
The ‘Taste Team’ embraces a new approach to
food at British Airways, focusing on seasonality,
provenance, quality and “Britishness”.
The ‘Taste Team’ is made up of six hospitality
experts who represent the best in their fields. They
are: Michel Roux, proprietor of The Waterside Inn,
Bray; Shaun Hill, chef and proprietor of The Walnut
Tree, Abergevanny; Vineet Bhatia, chef and
proprietor of Rasoi, London; Jancis Robinson,
renowned wine critic; Liam Tomlin, food editor for
South Africa’s largest travel magazine and Nicholas
Lander, food critic for the Financial Times.
The ‘Taste Team’ members are set assignments
to create menus that celebrate seasons and global
food trends.
Throughout the year, guest correspondents will
join the ‘Taste Team’. These will include kid
correspondents, crew correspondents and
customer correspondents.
To complement the food we have Jancis
Robinson and Peter Nixson, our wine
correspondents, helping to choose the perfect
accompaniment to every meal.

What are the unique challenges a chef must

face when designing an airline menu?
The human body loses its ability to taste by about
thirty per cent at altitude so it’s critical that food
served on board is full of flavour. The consistency of
dishes is also a key consideration – foods with a
sauce work particularly well as the food remains
moist and the taste is locked in.
Also, ensuring all dietary requirements are met is
a challenge. British Airways caters for 21 different
types of meals. They are: diabetic; gluten free; low
sodium; low cholesterol; low calorie; low
protein/potassium; high fibre; bland; low purine (uric
acid free); non lactose (dairy free); vegetarian (lacto-
ovo); vegetarian (non-dairy); Asian vegetarian;
QANTAS HAS BEEN RECOGNISED AS HAVING THE BEST FIRST CLASS CELLAR.
kosher; Hindu; Moslem; Jain; children’s meal (under
12’s), children’s meal (under 2’s); seafood; fruit
platter.

What do you regard as the airline’s signature

Cellars in the
Sky
dish?
British breakfast !!!

Awards
or over two decades Business First:

F
first class.
Traveller has held annual Cellars in
the Sky Awards, celebrating the
best airline wines served on long-
haul flights in business class and

Qantas has been recognised as having the

“Best First Class Cellar” in the 2008 Cellars in
•

the Sky Awards. The airline also won the “Best
Business Class Sparkling” award and a
special award for “Consistency of Wines
Across Business and First”, building upon the
success of the airline in 2005 when it won the
award for “Best First and Business Class Wine
List” and in 2007 when it won the award for
“Most Original First Class Wine List”.
The Qantas wines entered in the 2008
Cellars in the Sky Awards included:
•
•
•
•
Charles Heidsieck Blanc des Millenaires
1995
PHI Pinot Noir 2005
S.C. Pannell Shiraz Grenache 2005
Hardy’s Eileen Hardy Chardonnay 2005
Penfold’s Reserve Bin 05A Chardonnay
2005
• Morris Old Premium Liqueur Muscat NV
Business:
• Charles Heidsieck Mis en Cave 2003 NV
• Lillypilly Estate Noble Blend 2002
• Bleasdale Frank Potts 2004
• Mount Langi Ghiran Cliff Edge Shiraz 2004
• Killerby Chardonnay 2005
• Lenton Brae Semillon Sauvignon Blanc
2007

BRITISH AIRWAYS APPETISERS

WITH WHITE WINE. a+d 109