layz

That's also a seafood meal!

For some reason, the non-religious choices like seafood meal require an extra click in MMB to get to. However, I think it's worth the while. Someone selecting seafood meal is more likely to be selecting it because they're disappointed with the standard brunch/afternoon tea offering whereas someone selecting Muslim/Kosher are likely to be doing it to ensure they have something they can eat in line with their beliefs. In other words BA are more likely to see the non-religious options as a criticism of their standard offering.

DreamTrip

I am not a huge fan of seafood. I want something tasty and filling. The muslim meals never disappoint. Here is a Band 3 Afternoon tea meal. My neighbor was very jealous. And yes I do like my vodkas.

HilFly

What is that? Apart from the vodka!

sds1493

If the person serving the food isn't Jewish, then he or she cannot be expected to know the kosher laws so as to be able to observe them. However unlikely it is that anything 'untoward' would have occurred, there has to be strict guidelines which will hold in all situations.
I do agree that BA's FA's are great with SPML choices.

msm2000uk

To expect somebody Jewish to serve the Kosher meal is ridiculous. It would be a logistical nightmare for BA to manage, and it would go un-noticed by almost all the people they serve the Kosher meal to!

One thing to note in addition, and this is pretty much why I didnt want the thread to be diverted in this direction;

In order to expect the Kosher meal to be served by a Jewish member of Cabin Crew, BA could not simply select a Cabin Crew member to be on-board the plane. BA would have to ensure the person serving, was fully aware of all of the Kashrut laws and that would involve a very particular exam/test. It takes year for somebody to learn the laws, and hence a 'Shomer' is paid so well. Now, in order for the passenger to be completely happy, they would require a Shomer to be on-board. However, a Shomer would not work in an environment which was not fully Kosher and therefore would not get onto the plane to begin with.

See what I mean!

There is a far simpler solution to the issue, and the solution comes in 2 parts:

1) For Long-Haul flights, if you are not happy with the level of Kashrut on-board a BA flight, fly El-Al.
2) For Short-Hal flights, if you are not happy with the level of Kashrut on-board a BA flight, bring your own food!

My experience with BA, as previously stated, has been absolutely excellent. Whether it is my wife who is served the meal, or my boss, or indeed his family, the crew are superbly trained to ask both the right, and the relevant, questions concerning the meal.

mikebg

There is no Jewish religious requirement for the food to be served by somebody Jewish. Period. That is why kosher airline meals are double wrapped so they may be reheated in regular aircraft ovens. These arrangements are accepted by all Orthodox (and ultra Orthodox ...) Jewish authorities, without exception.

msm2000uk

Hence the oddity of the original comment by the head of HM Govt's inspector for Kosher Slaughterhouses.

TCM1976JJC

Is it possible to request special meals for my connecting short haul flights while leaving the long hauls alone? Or will someone notice that the long hauls were not ordered, and in good faith order for the long hauls, as well? Thanks in advance.

Skipcool3

My two flights show that I have to book a special meal for each flight, which would suggest to me that they are treated individually.
Anybody know how much a Kosher special meal is costing BA?

Banana4321

but it arrived unwrapped. It was shown to him with seals intact and then taken away and server unwrapped. As per comments about this could be normal practice but not what he was expecting.

seaskybound

There are many Kosher restaurants where the servers AND chefs are not Jewish (a kosher supervisor will be present and as this is semi rabbinical knowledge will be Jewish) , not sure where even the idea of Jewish person needs to serve came from.

pianoamit

The food mustn't be touched by someone who touched non-Kosher food (if I understand 'my' religion correctly). That's why they're usually double-wrapped... But what do I know, I eat whatever I like...

FF

I'm afraid the chap was being economical with the truth about his profession as the position of "HM Govt's inspector for Kosher Slaughterhouses" simply doesn't exist. In the UK, there is DEFRA's (Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs) Livestock and Meat Inspectorate and they have inspectors for abattoirs - but these inspectors work in all types of abattoirs ("normal", Halal and Kosher).

Also, as mentioned by others, there is absolutely no problem with someone non-Jewish serving Kosher food - and it happens all the time in restaurants and catered events. The problem is in ensuring that no kosher food gets added by mistake to the kosher food, or substituted, and that's why normal practice on airlines is for kosher meals to be served sealed to the passenger.

If one is sufficiently familiar with the contents and menu of a particular type of kosher meal then in some cases people who keep kosher might be OK with a cold dish being served unsealed - more normal in J/F class as in coach the meal is served on one sealed tray. It's more complex with hot dishes - were they sealed when they were being heated in the oven at the same time as the non-kosher food / what utensils were used to plate the meal - were they completely clean and not recently (or ever) used for non-kosher food. It's quite complicated and in practice it's easier to have the dish served in its sealed casserole, or (on BA in First) to plate it up oneself, either in the Galley or ones seat.

Cityguy1

Can anyone report what the quality of the BA Club World (LHR-MIA) Kosher meals are? Does anyone have any recent photos they can share? Has this improved with the new caterers? Thank you!

FF

KSMLs from the UK (on BA) are supplied by Hermolis and have been for many, many, years. Quality is excellent - although there have been some moans and groans about the breakfasts, but that seems to be a matter of personal taste. BA's caterers have indeed changed recently, but the supplier of the meals themselves is still Hermolis.

MIA-LHR, however, is an entirely different ball game, with mostly crap-quality meals being supplied by Borenstein.