Sky High Cuisine

Airline food does not have too many patrons,but this season international carriers are especially catering to the taste buds of the globe-trotting desi. While most international airlines offer meals packaged as Hindu Indian Meals or Indian Vegetarian Meals,now Lufthansa,Singapore and Malaysian airlines have rolled out new menus that combine the finest of Indian gourmet food with a slight international twist.

Hermann Freidanck,manager,F&B,Singapore Airlines,recently got celebrity chef Sanjeev Kapoor to try out some recipes for the airline’s Shahi Thali,a favourite with most patrons. “Singapore Airlines changes its economy-class menu every three months and the business-class menu every month. In order to serve a high-quality meal in an airplane,one has to overcome huge obstacles like in-flight temperature and pressure,” says Freidanck. The efforts have resulted in dishes such as vermicelli upma and neer dosa with stew.

Upping the ante a little more with South Indian cuisine is Malaysian Airlines: with Gongura Lamb and Chettinad Chicken as well as the aviyal that placated George and even a Kodaikanal Mutton.

Lufthansa is celebrating its 50th anniversary in India,and the good Germans have paid special attention to revamping their menu. The airline has introduced fine-dining in the skies and has begun their Star Chef Programme in India this year. The programme was conceived a decade ago with master chefs such as Paul Bocuse of Lyon and David Bouley from New York preparing a menu that goes beyond lip-smacking in both business and first class. “This year our master chefs are Farman Ali and Surender Mohan of The Leela and they have designed fine-dining menus for Lufthansa’s India routes,” says Axel Hilgers,director,South Asia ,Lufthansa. The result: regional cuisine is flying Luft: there is Prawn Curry Masala,Tomato Pappu,Khade Masale ka Paneer,Paneer Scallion Masala,Lal Maans,Bharwan Zameen and even Alleppey Fish Curry to go with some jeera rice.

According to the International Air Transport Association,the Indian aviation industry is forecast to report losses of $1.5 billion in 2009,but the fun has not completely flown out of the window. Jet Airways is collaborating with experts such as chef Satish Arora and Yves Mattagne,a two Michelin star chef from Belgium. “We will serve French wines in flights to Europe; Californian wines to the US and Canada; and some of the finest Australian wines on flights going into Asia and the Gulf,” says a spokesperson of the Jet Airways.

If you are booking a business class on Lufthansa,you could do more,like enjoy Vinothek Discoveries,an in-flight journey into different wines with a little help from Markus Del Monego,the Sommelier World Champion of 1998. “Even an outstanding wine does not taste the same at cruising altitude. People experience air pressure equal to being on top of a mountain. The body reacts to this pressure,making the tongue inclined toward sweetness. Since the humidity level is extremely low inside a plane,the nose becomes dry,becoming insensitive to aroma,” says Del Monego,who,therefore,chooses wines with a higher level of sugar and fragrance,sourced mostly from South Africa and California and top wines from Germany. Now just pair it with Alleppey Fish Curry.