Upon ordering (the other option was cod) I asked the stewardess, quite normally, if it could please come medium rare. She laughed.

The food tray (plastic) arrived. For those, like me, wondering what exactly ‘char siu pork with kao fu’ is, I am afraid, having eaten it, the mystery lingers.

The beef was nowhere near medium rare and my baby carrots were in close competition with the asparagus as to which could be soggier.

Opera cake was more Gilbert and Sullivan than Monteverdi, although the nicest part of the meal.