A Grown Down Under, swallowed in the sky

IRLINE food is not, generally speaking, the first thing on one’s mind when booking a flight. But, especially on a long-haul trip, being served a delicious dinner (or lunch, or breakfast) makes an enormous difference to one’s sense of wellbeing.

No one thinks much about how this food gets to the fold-down trays. The airline staff have to do the final touches in a tiny galley, which comes with its own set of challenges, but most of the work is done before the delicately balanced dinners (and lunches, and breakfasts) are loaded onto the plane.

In the vast kitchens of Caulfield racecourse in Melbourne, Australia, Emirates regional catering manager Antony McNeil and chefs from Alpha Flight Services gave us, a group of journalists, a taste of the intricate labour that goes into every dinner (and lunch and breakfast) served on Emirates flights.

Each dish comes with a card on which there is a photograph as well as minute details of the ingredients, from the substantial bits to the garnish. Nutritional values, weights and arrangement are all finely specified.

It took us about 20 minutes, working in a group, for us to get even one tray item properly arranged to the chefs’ satisfaction. With hungry passengers waiting, cabin crew have to be a lot faster.

We all felt a profound new sense of respect, not only for those who manage these tasks in the air but also for the chefs on the ground who are constantly experimenting with new ingredient combinations so that frequent fliers never get bored. They take months refining the details of each menu.

There has also been a major move towards seasonal pickings and regional food (each Australian city has its own onboard signature dish), which has resulted in partnerships with farmers and food producers who can supply the quantity and exacting quality of produce demanded by Emirates. In many cases this has enabled the suppliers to expand their operations.

Here I have looked at the three pillars of fine cuisine — bread, cheese and wine — but this symbiotic relationship extends to all sorts of producers, from beef to seafood.

Joost Heymeijer, Emirates senior vice president for catering and service delivery, says: “We are always on the lookout for new, reliable, extraordinary suppliers from more regions.” FRESH: Emirates regional catering manager Antony McNeil (right) with fellow chefs