AlphaSigOU

Check out the latest Brancatelli File for an interesting article on inflight food: http://misc.biztravel.com/V4/bizTrav...et=_top&dest=0 .

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AlphaSigOU
Causa latet vis est notissima - the cause is hidden, the results are well-known.

Celestar340

Never mind about the article. Travellers should try the Business Classes of Lauda Air and Ansett Australia (International). It really beats any airline's First Class service and food quality. Lauda Air's antipasti selection alone (on a trolley) and served on real plates instead of on a tray, has over 8 different items. Ansett Australia serves sushi rolls for their starters on their HK, TPE and KIX flights, followed by 8 courses . This is on a normal Biz class fare!

dgolds

AlphaSigOU: That's an interesting article. Thanks for posting the URL.

I always get a chuckle when I see the chefs listed on one of CO's menus or in their in-flight magazine, Roy Yamaguchi among them. I've eaten at Roy's on Kauai a couple of times and I can assure you the food on CO (in either first or coach) is about as far from Roy's as one can get.

One good point in the article - the airlines would do a lot better sticking with cold food than trying to serve up elaborate hot meals. I would much prefer a nice sandwich in coach to the usual vegetarian lasagne or chicken you always get on UA ORD-SFO flights. It would probably be cheaper for the airlines to serve that kind of fare, and easier on the flight attendants.

AlphaSigOU

I used to work in the inflight catering business about 12 years ago. (If you must ask, it was with Marriott In-Flight Services at IAD.)

I got the job soon after I was separated from the U.S. Air Force (where I was a cook). Worked mostly with All Nippon Airways' Western meal selections for their IAD-NRT thrice-weekly (later four) round trips.

About three to four days before flight time we'd get the preliminary passenger loadings (a full load on their 747s was 24F/80C/320Y) and prepare the meals according to strictly-followed standards by ANA. Remember, the food isn't usually cooked all the way through -- they finish cooking in the aircraft galleys in flight.

The day before the flight was the Y class plate-up, again with very strictly followed procedures established by ANA. This is when we'd find out of any special meals required (prepared by another department, but we were responsible for plating them up to ANA standards) and begin preparing the first class meals.

On flight day, the final pax count was known, and this is where we either added or subtracted meals to match the count. The meals were then carted away to the waiting 747.

You were wondering about the Japanese meals? Those were prepared by a Washington-area Japanese restaurant contracted by ANA.

Domestic wasn't as fancy... coach got the infamous pop-outs (quick-frozen prepared meals that were heated before flight). First got a little better. (And this was before the days of the infamous bag-nasty!, the staple of the airline industry these days.)

I no longer work in the food-service industry, trading in my cooks' whites for a computer. (Pay's better and you don't come home smelling like a grease trap!) I do cook up a mean barbecue once in a blue moon, though! TWA-style Chateaubriand, anyone?




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AlphaSigOU
Causa latet vis est notissima - the cause is hidden, the results are well-known.

Old Gold

dgolds comments remind me of a few years ago when CO was flying a number of 727s that were originally from People Express. These planes were not equipped to serve hot food, and I remember that some of the tastiest meals that I can remember eating in first class were on those planes.

hnechets

Thanks, AlphaSigOU, for a very interesting post. I always am fascinated by what goes on "behind the scenes."