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Gate Gourmet in Amsterdam is working with Aeromexico, helping to counter negative online reviews with professional collaborations with restaurateurs. Nik Loukas discovers more

FACE FACTS

Aeromexico is building its services across South America and now operates daily services between Amsterdam and Mexico City. Whilst online reviews have not always been favourable, the airline is now collaborating with wellestablished brands and renowned chefs through Gate Gourmet, to enhance its inflight experiences. Feedback on this is good.

CLARIFY THE OFFER

Aeromexico is a full-service airline and offers complimentary drinks (including alcohol after 11am) plus meals/snacks depending on the flight time. On shorter flights, peanuts or cookies are served in Economy (under three hours), whilst flights of up to six hours include a hot meal. Tequila shots are served on flights after 11am!

MAKE CONNECTIONS

Edmund Wong Man Ho, owner of the Red Duck restaurant in Mexico City, has created the menus for flights to Shanghai, whilst Edo Kobayashi, owner of Torobi Murasaki (also in Mexico City), has created dishes for Tokyo routes. Overseeing Business menus is Enrique Olvera of the famed Pujol restaurant in Mexico City, ranked 25th in the world's top 50 restaurants for 2016.

FOCUS ON FRESH

Olvera has been overseeing the menus since 2014 and is a firm believer in using only fresh, quality ingredients that are free from preservatives or processing of any kind. Dishes in Business have included: shrimp in garlic with red quinoa; filet of beef with carrot pico de gallo, couscous and snap-peas; breast of chicken with oregano chimichurri, wild rice and string beans; and lettuce, string bean and potato salad. The aim is to showcase dishes that have European influence and provide choice. Beyond the meal service, sandwiches, savoury snacks and fruit trays are on offer.

ADD BRAND POWER

There are a number of Mexicanbranded snacks and drinks offered, but also local Heineken beer and, in Business, stroopwaffels, the very popular Dutch sweet biscuit. The Punta del Cielo Café is featured heavily in the airline's lounge in Mexico City, the brand is dedicated to the production, sale and distribution of gourmet coffee from the states of Chiapas, Oaxaca, Guerrero and Veracruz.