Opinion: Marc Warde

As airlines rethink their F&B postpandemic, Marc Warde looks ahead and sees Special Meal trends providing some clues for a positive catering future

Sensibilities have been changed, there is a new, heightened awareness of self and taking care. The pandemic has shown us all life is precious and my gut feeling is this will continue to impact the world of travel catering throughout 2021.

Keep it wrapped

Those who once enjoyed the thought of crew plating their meal, now shudder at any unnecessary hands tinkering with their food, so keeping meals wrapped seems the best way forward until the COVID-19 vaccine is widespread and confidence rebuilds.

As a person who lives with coeliac disease (gluten allergy) I, like many Special Meal users, don’t want my food tampered with regardless of COVID-19. Unwrapping the meal or box myself ensures the chain from the specialist manufacturer is unbroken. It ensures it is uncontaminated and gives me confidence. Special dietary meals in general are always better left for the passenger to open as galleys are simply not designed for good allergen or cross contamination management, and this model can work for building confidence in the wider service while sealed or wrapped food is the way to go.

Keep it relevant

Menus for 2021 will need to reflect the growing changes in diets too. There will always be the filet steak crowd in First, but the number of people moving to plant-based and gluten-free diets is staggering and needs to be embraced by airlines and their caterers.

I question too whether such regular menu changes are always necessary. If you have a good menu with dishes and favourites that passengers love perhaps adding seasonal specials might be a better, more efficient way to go?

Forget crew plating. Passengers now shudder at any unnecessary hands tinkering with their food

Keep it positive

As the Queen might have put it, 2020 was an annus horribilis but there is more than a glimpse of optimism on the horizon. Wide-spread vaccination is on its way and while there is work to be done, we have unparalleled opportunities to think and plan for change. There is a good argument for frozen rather than fresh – to keep standards consistent throughout networks; and there is no better time to get pre-order for all cabins in place – that's one easy way forward for sustainability priorities and will bring a meaningful start to the changing the passenger experience.•