Airline’s are known for their ghastly cuisine and any air traveler will tell you, it is a well deserved reputation. Passengers have been asking for better meals for decades and one company has finally heard their cries of distress. Lufthansa is changing how we dine in the skies, as they partner with LSG Sky Chefs to introduce Regionally-Inspired Menus for Outbound U.S. Flights.
Lufthansa unveiled a new culinary concept created especially for the airline’s U.S. market. Four distinct dining experiences celebrate the gastronomic styles of the 17 Lufthansa gateways located throughout the continental U.S., including the West (Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle), Central (Dallas, Denver, Houston), Southeast/Mid-Atlantic (Atlanta, Charlotte, Miami, Orlando, Washington, D.C.) and Northeast/Midwest (Boston, Chicago, Detroit, New York, Newark, Philadelphia) regions.
“The U.S. is both a cultural and culinary melting pot, thanks to the traditions and tastes brought by immigrants from their homeland,” said Ernst Derenthal, Lufthansa’s Catering Area Manager, The Americas. “Unique flavors and cooking styles continue to influence regional cuisine, creating a gastronomic personality that reflects each city and region. Our hope is that Lufthansa’s guests will enjoy a ‘wow’ factor when tasting these new menus.”
The concept was unveiled at the Lufthansa Culinary Academy, one in a series of events offering media an insider’s view to the workings of the airline industry. Nearly 50 journalists attended the event at the Bouley Test Kitchen in New York City. Experts from Lufthansa and the airline group’s subsidiary, LSG Sky Chefs, the world’s largest provider of airline catering and in-flight services, offered menu tastings and explained the science behind adapting food for inflight consumption.
“Altitude, humidity levels and other factors impact passengers’ taste buds,” explained Grant Mickels, Executive Chef of Culinary Development, LSG Sky Chefs. “Lufthansa’s passengers want good food. Our job is to put restaurant quality food on the aircraft.” This is achieved through close collaboration between the food specialists at Lufthansa and LSG Sky Chefs. For the “Taste of America” program, the team, led by the LSG Sky Chefs USA experts, considered more than 1,000 menu ideas, adapting the final menu selections accordingly to make the product the star.
The new menus, which will be served in First and Business Class, go into effect in May. Since the selections are specific to the corresponding region, Lufthansa is able to use locally sourced ingredients for a truly authentic, homegrown experience. Among the offerings:
- From the West, Cioppino, a seafood ragout with tomato and saffron known to every connoisseur on the Pacific Coast;
- Passengers flying from Midsouth gateways to Germany can look forward to a smoked, grilled fillet of beef with spicy chili sauce;
- Italian influences are reflected in menu items served from Northeast and Midwest gateways, such as fresh pastas stuffed with artichokes;
- Traditional seafood “cartoccio” will be served on flights departing from the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic
Take a few minutes and watch video and photos of the new menu items, please click here.
For more information or reservations for Lufthansa, visit www.lh.com
LSG Sky Chefs ~ please visit our website at www.lsgskychefs.com