Catering updates 2021
Aug 15, 2022, 3:36 am
#407
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Amsterdam
Programs: FB Club 2000, M&M Hon
Posts: 242
BUD-AMS this morning. It’s the best Wanders Box I’ve had so far, but that isn’t saying much. I ate the croissant and hot cinnamon roll (not pictured), and left the rest. The Purser suggested there would be a change in October, but she couldn’t say whether it would be a menu alteration or a return to a proper service. She did say that she and her colleagues are constantly feeding back passenger dissatisfaction though.
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Last edited by tgv2; Aug 15, 2022 at 11:10 pm
Aug 16, 2022, 8:19 am
#408
Join Date: Jun 2021
Programs: BAEC Gold
Posts: 541
AMS-JFK: ‘Tasting Delicacies’ for lunch, followed by a Cheeseburger with Truffle Sauce as the pre-landing meal. To be honest, I enjoyed it all. Much better than the catering within Europe and complimented by a truly exceptional crew:
Aug 16, 2022, 9:16 am
#410
Join Date: Jun 2021
Programs: BAEC Gold
Posts: 541
True, but the real takeaway is that the disparity is so great that it feels like flying on two different airlines. I’d say that’s a pretty big problem for KLM (not that anyone in Amstelveen seems bothered).
Aug 16, 2022, 9:50 am
#411
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2000
Posts: 14,352
And no, nobody in Amstelveen could care less, witness the profile of their flying catering guru in the Flying Dutchman magazine.
Johan
Aug 17, 2022, 7:43 am
#412
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: HAG
Programs: Der 5* FTL
Posts: 8,089
KLM would much prefer having no shorthaul J at all. Various KLM honchos have said as much in interviews I've read over the years. They are keeping it for one single reason: connecting WBC pax. They nevertheless think that they can get away with cutting the shorthaul product to the bone, and then some.
And no, nobody in Amstelveen could care less, witness the profile of their flying catering guru in the Flying Dutchman magazine.
Johan
And no, nobody in Amstelveen could care less, witness the profile of their flying catering guru in the Flying Dutchman magazine.
Johan
Aug 17, 2022, 9:00 am
#413
formerly rt23456p
Join Date: May 2017
Posts: 1,210
As a Cantonese, this one look disgusting and inauthentic, when have bell pepper part of Cantonese roast cusine?
Aug 17, 2022, 9:25 am
#414
Join Date: Jun 2020
Programs: FlyingBlue
Posts: 2,427
Sep 1, 2022, 7:02 am
#415
Join Date: Jun 2021
Programs: BAEC Gold
Posts: 541
JFK-AMS and AMS-BUD yesterday:
First up, the delicacies selection served as dinner from JFK. It was preceded by a very good crab salad, but the quality of the main dish wasn’t as good as a Westbound flight.
Second, the Wanders Box presented en-route to BUD. Curried eggs, salmon, muesli, Greek yoghurt and fruit. In a word; inedible. The gentleman in 1A wisely refused the box and pointedly asked for a sandwich from Economy instead. My neighbour and I both handed ours back the purser after a couple of bites.
First up, the delicacies selection served as dinner from JFK. It was preceded by a very good crab salad, but the quality of the main dish wasn’t as good as a Westbound flight.
Second, the Wanders Box presented en-route to BUD. Curried eggs, salmon, muesli, Greek yoghurt and fruit. In a word; inedible. The gentleman in 1A wisely refused the box and pointedly asked for a sandwich from Economy instead. My neighbour and I both handed ours back the purser after a couple of bites.
Sep 1, 2022, 10:13 am
#416
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2000
Posts: 14,352
Johan
Sep 1, 2022, 12:27 pm
#417
Join Date: Jun 2021
Programs: BAEC Gold
Posts: 541
The feedback they get must be consistently terrible, but all criticism obviously falls on deaf ears, as they have been serving this crap for years, and don't seem to have any plans to up their game. That pandemic may once upon a time have been a valid excuse for chucking everything in one box, but that doesn't cut it anymore, and even food served in a box can be edible. If served to J class pax it should be. No excuses.
Johan
Johan
The Purser was apologetic and noted that he constantly provides feedback to his superiors (this is emerging as a theme, per my post a few weeks ago). I do sympathise with the crews - I personally find that they’re often among the best in the business but have to do their job with dreadful tools.
Sep 16, 2022, 5:40 am
#418
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: YVR
Programs: TK Elite Plus, IC Plat Ambassador, HH Diamond
Posts: 921
Main meal menu
Breakfast menu
White wine list
Red wine list
Attached offerings on YEG-AMS on 9/15. I had the Tomato soup, which was pretty good, and the beef toutiere which was very good along with the veggies. This was one of the better meals I’ve had in J (excluding TK, EVA, JAL and Gulf Air), definitely better than I have had on any airline based in the Americas (well they generally are the low bar).
Breakfast was meh.
Next item to look forward to - the dreaded offerings on AMS-BER later today after a long 7 hr layover thanks to my original BER flight getting cancelled.
Sep 20, 2022, 5:09 pm
#419
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: YVR
Programs: TK Elite Plus, IC Plat Ambassador, HH Diamond
Posts: 921
Wanders box AMS-BER on 9/16, no choice given, it was the Salmon box which looked good but I cannot eat as I am allergic to seafood, containers for some olives & sun dried tomatoes and a chocolate mousse.
Sep 21, 2022, 5:06 am
#420
Join Date: Jun 2021
Programs: BAEC Gold
Posts: 541
The allergen thing has long bothered me. If you’re allergic to seafood (or nuts, as many of the boxes contain), you’re a bit stuffed. I mean, the food isn’t worth eating, so you aren’t missing anything, but it stands to reason that a passenger on a premium fare should be able to eat something if they want to.
The only caveat is that they do print the allergens on the menu, so I suppose it’s possible to pick and choose what you eat (if trace levels of cross-contamination isn’t an issue).