This is not so much a whole trip report rather a report on the updated Air France meal service.
In the context of maintaining customer loyalty and, in my opinion, playing catch up with regards to the competition, Air France has made a heavy investment and updated its Premiere and Affaires meal service. The meal service started on December 1st.
The meal services here are for BOS – CDG and CDG – BOS, flown in the first week of December.
The updates for flights from Paris include :
A new paper menu (see scans below)
addition of a mise en bouche
the new “surf and turf” appetizer
addition of a green salad
4 choices of hot dishes vs. 3 previously
new presentation of cheese (with only 2 pieces now)
new presentation of dessert : 3 miniature desserts on a small tray, no more “cookies”
tea + coffee at the same time as dessert
Without further ado, here are the photos.
BOS – CDG
Aperitif + amuse-bouche
Champagne foie gras terrine, poached shrimp with mayonnaise cream sauce, coconut and fig chutney on cranberry raisin bread (it was not the champagne foie gras and the bread was a raisin bread, but all in all good although I don’t care for shrimp) // the baguette was good
Dessert and cheese are served on the tray at the same time for the departures from the East coast
A small detail to note : the tray is new as well with a chic anti-skid liner which is incorporated on the tray and sports the new AF “crevette” (you would only notice this if you look under the linen liner)
Salmon in filo crust with saffron sauce and mixed vegetables
Detail of the new bread / cheese dish with the new AF “crevette”
Continental breakfast (with a beautiful double espresso graciously brought to my seat)
CDG – BOS
Aperitif + amuse-bouche
Duck foie gras, salmon confit with vegetable brunoise and crisp vegetables (the vegetables weren’t so « crisp » but the salmon confit was full of flavor) /// the green salad is a new addition as well / it can be eaten at any time
Pan-seared veal, zucchini julienne with olive oil and eggplant caviar (you can tell the veal was over heated, but otherwise not so bad) /// note the cheese and the new tray
Dessert : blackberry sorbet, trio of desserts : pineapple verrine, orange-chocolate entremets with dried fruits, pistachio macaron, earl grey Fauchon tea
Light meal : vegetables with curry and lemon, marinated salmon canapé, savory tomato-almond macaroon, fresh fruit (I ate only the oranges)
My thoughts :
I like the new menu. Simple, classy. Though they could be more specific on the BOS – CDG menu by printing exactly what the cheese and dessert are ! On the CDG – BOS menu they mention “ice cream” but there is only sorbet.
I think the addition of the amuse- bouche and the more copious appetizer is good. I really like the new bread dish with the new “crevette” and even though they’re plastic, I like the look of the new cheese and dessert trays. Apparently the new china in Premiere is quite nice.
Although the addition of the mise en bouche is nice, the aperitif is now done with carts instead of the service table, the same used for the desser t service. Seriously, carts have no place in the cabin in First and Business. Not even the US companies use carts in their premium cabins.
I don’t think the cookies served with the sorbets should have been taken away … perhaps with some feedback they might be re-introduced ?
I still don’t understand why the cheese is served at the same time as the hot dish. This does not go well with AF wanting to provide an authentic French restaurant meal service. The two pieces of cheese is more logical, since the 3rd piece was always a “blue cheese”, which most people including myself robably did not eat.
There has clearly been a lot of investment put into this revamp ; time, money and reflection. I suppose now it is up to the cabin crews to stand behind it and I sure hope they do.
scans of the menus
new cover
BOS – CDG “dinner”
CDG – BOS “lunch”
“Today’s suggestions” from CDG in English
CDG – BOS “light meal”
Beverage list
Air France’s sommelier
Champagne / wine list