Sorry to hear, this service did not work out / work out less for you than before.
I did have a similar scheme as you, though from a different EU town to HKG (& return) and I have to say, my experience is, the new service does get better every time I get submerged.
Some remarks:
- Unfortunately, my pictures on the return leg failed, seems my camera does have a software bug and overwrites the latest image under some circumstances.
- I did not get the nuts
- CX is known for 'bland" meals, I just ask for pepper & salt every time a main meal is brought. It does improve the taste significantly. Some more condiments from CX might be nice, though.
- The soup crockery is now no longer the rough surface bowl.
- The new service needs more "upfront" attention of the customer, which is less desirable, given the customer "just sits down" in the airplane.
- During J meal service, the amount of crew in J is high (2-3 people continuously serving trays, 2 people floating, 2-3 people (including ISM) in the kitchen.
- Crew still has get used to this service. Items needing attention for my experience:
= Missing PDB nuts.
= Missing milk & sugar with my tea.
= Tea low temperature.
= Soup could be a little more and especially higher temperature.
= Sometimes pepper & salt forgotten.
= Sometimes no spoon provided.
= It needs even more preparation during boarding.
= Be more careful, making notes, a ground based restaurant does do better and makes less mistakes.
= Take care to have all "materials" at the front side of the cabin, so, there is no need to chase for some minor item to the other galley.
= Even when busy, don't walk on a fast pace through the cabin (the A350-1000 does have a huge business class cabin). If needed, have duplicate stuff during the meal services in the front and rear galley.
Suggestions for CX:
- Maybe introduce handheld devices to record the choices & options. I did have a peek in the front A350 "kitchen" and it's busy over there and the whole administration is all "paperwork", 3M gets rich from the post-its they use. That's all manual work, time-intensive and very error prone. Ground based restaurants do nowadays have automated this ordering / order-picking process ......
- Those handheld devices are an excellent way to be more interactive with the customer, making the GO/DM/OWE welcoming less of an obliged assembly line and giving the customer the real feeling that the welcome is also connected to the meal-first-choice.
- The automation would make it very easy to find out about "sold out" stuff.
- Additional choice for garlic bread would be appreciated.
- Where are my PDB nuts ?
- Some more (spicy) condiments from CX would be nice.
- The breakfast serving was finished in just over 1 hour, so the breakfast could start a little later and/or at a more leisure pace.
Some samples, being happy with this meal (mind the pepper & salt):
On the return, I only did have a soup and a cheese plate as express supper, composed myself from the items available on the menu. Good taste, suitable quantity.
And the western breakfast, also OK, though less than the express supper, but still tasty.
Unfortunately no pictures
Regarding the food amount:
- Portions are not that big, thought given the CX intention of upper restaurant style & experience, that's understandable. If you want to indulge, go to a food court.
- If you want a bigger portion, ask upfront.
- For me, the quantity is more than enough, I often do have connecting flights, do eat something in the lounge, etc. And after 3-4 flights in 36-48 hours, I tend to be stuffed, even with the reduced portions and sometimes not finishing the whole meal.
- The express breakfast is "not so much", though I think according what is written on the menu. It's intended as a 5 minutes meal.
- I would expect, if you ask for more items (Jam bread) on the order form, it would be provided, provided the paper administration does not choke up.....
Regarding "refills": I did not really check, though did ask myself for additional some items (forgotten milk, sugar, pepper and some more water, Hong Kong Style Milk Tea, Port), during and before the overall serving was finished, and I was served without hesitation.