Long the butt of stand-up comedians’ jokes, airplane meals can make you feel queasy before you even take to the skies. But happily for travelers, the times are changing: Airlines are starting to call in the experts to transform their in-flight menus. Below are four airlines currently raising the culinary bar.
France is the land of gastronomy, so it’s no great surprise that Air France is leading the way in gourmet in-flight meals. Every eight months, Michelin-starred chefs such as Michel Roth and Joël Robuchon devise a brand new range of dishes to serve in the skies.
With a nod to the American obsession with food television, Delta has recently asked four celebrity chefs – George Mendes, Hugh Acheson, Kelly English and Linton Hopkins – to compete on a culinary show for the chance to put together a full in-flight menu.
The leading UAE airline Etihad won “Best First Class Meals” in the 2013 Skytrax World Airline Awards. Their à la carte menu offers an array of fine dining options, while on-board dining experts help passengers find meals to suit their moods.
Not far behind Etihad in the rankings was Lufthansa. The airline employs a stable of Michelin-starred chefs that craft creative menus on long-haul flights. They even offer a caviar service and an outstanding selection of sommelier-selected wines.
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(Main image: First Class Travel © StudioSmart, 2013. Used under license from Shutterstock.com)