Special ‘Flying Burger’ off with British Airways
Exclusive treat
KUWAIT CITY, May 26: There are few greater gastronomical delights than a juicy burger, America’s quintessential comfort food.
The USA has two dedicated days celebrating the beef patty, National Hamburger day on May 28 and National Cheese Burger day on Sept 8. In the UK, the national burger day was launched not too long ago and is celebrated annually on Aug 27.
If you are heading to New York around this year’s National Burger Day period, definitely make the time to try some of the Big Apple’s best burgers as recommended by British Airways’ pilots (after all some of these airline folks have had a burger in almost 199 different destinations!).
Recognising that customers flying with British Airways love a good burger, the airline also created a special ‘Flying Burger’ for foodies to enjoy in the air, why wait till you arrive in the Big Apple to sink your teeth into a juicy patty?
The ‘Flying Burger’ recipe has been specially honed by British Airways chefs who use three different cuts of British beef (chuck, cheek and onglet) to ensure full flavour, even at 35,000ft, where your ability to taste reduces by 30 per cent. Served with a side of triple cooked chips and choice of relishes, the ‘Flying Burger’ is currently exclusive to First customers in the ‘bistro menu’ of British Airways’ long-haul flights.
Mark Tazzioli, the British Airways’ chef who helped create the Flying Burgersaid: “Burgers are experiencing a renaissance right now, with pop up burger bars and food trucks opening in all the major cities. Burgers are the ultimate tasty satisfying treat and ‘comfort food’ we crave when flying.”
Appealing to a truly global audience, the ‘Flying Burger’ caters to the hundreds of international customers flying with the airline. Ingredients include:
100% British Beef; Three cuts of British beef to create a succulent juicy burger that keeps moisture even at altitude
Monterey Jack Cheese; A semi-hard cheese, particularly favoured by American travellers
Gherkins – also known as ‘pickles’, these are most popular with customers from Poland and Germany
Tomato Relish; using tomatoes, raisins and paprika, the smoky relish is popular with British, American and Canadian palates
Brioche Bun; a sweetened pastry especially popular with French and Italian flyers
The airline will also serve a ‘Grounded Burger’ in its First and Concorde lounges for customers featuring a different recipe for pre-flight dining.
When you arrive in New York, pull out British Airways’ pilots and crews’ top NYC burger suggestions and prepare for your true Yankee comfort food. Here are some of the top burger joints that made it to our crew and pilots’ list:
Johnny Rockets: A retro diner chain dotted across the US, Johnny Rocket’s is Senior First Officer, Tim Vaughan’s favourite choice for a burger. Tim claims that the Route 66 burger sets him up for the day, and most of the night on a flight back home to London.
Serendipity 3: An institution almost, Jose Linan, Cabin Service Director (CSD) definitely recommends this restaurant which is popular both for its food and for its client history. Marilyn Monroe was known as a frequent guest who enjoyed their desserts and comfort food classics! Also in the early days, the venue was frequented by Andy Warhol and Jackie. Today, some of the faces that you may be lucky enough to spot inside include the likes of Cher and Beyoncé!
Ellen’s stardust diner on 1650 Broadway: Another one of Jose Linan’s favourites, this is an amazing 1950s-themed diner with its singing wait staff, the Stardusters! While you dine, waiters and waitresses burst into song with all the latest Broadway musicals. Fun fact: Ellen’s Stardust Diner was featured on the most recent episode of CBS’ Hidden Heroes TV show!
Burger Joint: This Manhattan hotspot neatly hidden in the atrium lobby of the Parker Meridien claims to have the best burgers in the city – another favourite on Jose Linan’s list!
Five Guys: This popular burger chain received multiple votes from the British Airway’ pilots with both Andy Perkins, Senior First Officer & Assistant Pilot Recruitment Manager and Simon Lilly Senior First Officer of the 787 fleet who claim the chain serves up truly amazing burgers. Its numerous branches makes it very convenient for burger lovers to easily get to one.
5 Napkin Burger: Mark Grigg, Senior First Officer at British Airways recommends visiting this modern bistro on Hell’s Kitchen; however the chain does have 5 outlets in total across New York. 5 Napkin prides itself on offering burger fans options to customise their burgers to best suit their tastes. As they say: The burger experience is no longer one-wayfits-all.
Shake Shack: Another iconic American diner chain, Simon Lilly Senior First Officer, is a fan and usually finds himself near when in the US. Shake Shack started out as a food cart inside Madison Square Park in 2000, and its popularity steadily grew making it not just a popular countrywide brand but an international chain.
Mel’s Burger Bar: Located in a truly great neighbourhood spot, the restaurant is known for their signature generoussized burgers. To the untrained observer, one may think they are ordering multiple meals however if you order a cheddar, onion rings, fried egg with 100% Angus beef burger on a potato bun, these ingredients make up the Bo Burger.
‘Flying Burger’