Inflight appetite
Business Traveller Asia-Pacific|July - August 2023
From menu planning to logistics, we look at the behind-the-scenes process of catering onboard meals
HANNAH BRANDLER
Inflight appetite

 It’s rush hour when I arrive at Gate Gourmet’s airline catering centre near Heathrow airport. A number of transatlantic flights have just landed and it’s time to offload the equipment. Cars are replaced by bumper-to-bumper aluminium carts, while beeping horns are substituted by the cacophonous clattering of crockery. Trollies are wheeled towards industrial-sized dishwashers, where containers of all shapes, sizes and materials are deposited onto conveyor belts, not dissimilar to those at airport security. Within five minutes, they roll out spick and span (if only I could have one of these appliances at home). This might sound like the end of a story, but it’s just the beginning. Washed and ready, these containers are about to embark on their next journey, carried in carts labelled with airport codes TLV (Tel Aviv), JFK (New York) and PVG (Shanghai).

Gate Gourmet, a subsidiary of Swiss company gategroup, looks after clients such as Virgin Atlantic and joint-venture partner Delta and caters to several visiting long-haul carriers. Outbound and inbound meals are often produced by different companies, as most airlines prefer to stock fresh produce rather than load an additional set of meals (and excess weight) for the return leg. Unbeknownst to me, I had already experienced Gate Gourmet’s meals on board a Korean Air flight to Seoul, (ironically, on a visit to the Korean Air Catering facility – which in turn caters for 22 visiting airlines). In addition to food and alcohol, airline catering companies also take care of everything from toilet paper and amenity kits to pillows and blankets, with their facilities resembling a hybrid of Costco and Ikea.

Kitchen consistency

This story is from the July - August 2023 edition of Business Traveller Asia-Pacific.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

This story is from the July - August 2023 edition of Business Traveller Asia-Pacific.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

MORE STORIES FROM BUSINESS TRAVELLER ASIA-PACIFICView All
Vietnam Airlines to add HanoiPhnom Penh service
Business Traveller Asia-Pacific

Vietnam Airlines to add HanoiPhnom Penh service

VIETNAM AIRLINES has announced the launch of a nonstop service between Hanoi and Phnom Penh. Additionally, the airline has signed cooperation agreements with key partners in Cambodia to foster aviation and tourism development between the two countries.

time-read
1 min  |
September/October 2024
Malaysia Airlines and China Southern strengthen codeshare pact
Business Traveller Asia-Pacific

Malaysia Airlines and China Southern strengthen codeshare pact

ONEWORLD MEMBER Malaysia Airlines and China Southern Airlines have announced an expansion of their codeshare flights to include the Guangzhou-Penang (CAN-PEN), Kuala LumpurBeijing Daxing (KUL-PKX) and Kuala Lumpur-Shanghai Pudong (KUL-PVG) routes from July 10, 2024.

time-read
1 min  |
September/October 2024
BANGKOK
Business Traveller Asia-Pacific

BANGKOK

How to make the most of half a day in Thailand's bustling capital

time-read
3 mins  |
September/October 2024
MACHINE REVOLUTION
Business Traveller Asia-Pacific

MACHINE REVOLUTION

Artificial intelligence is transforming the travel industry, with huge strides in data analysis and generative Al set to create seamless, personalised travel for passengers

time-read
7 mins  |
September/October 2024
HONG KONG DEBRIEFED
Business Traveller Asia-Pacific

HONG KONG DEBRIEFED

The frenetic, constantly changing city on the South China coast still has more than a few tricks up its sleeve

time-read
5 mins  |
September/October 2024
Discovering Istanbul Airport
Business Traveller Asia-Pacific

Discovering Istanbul Airport

Set to be the world's largest airport, IGA will be capable of hosting up to 200 million passengers annually by 2028

time-read
7 mins  |
September/October 2024
Your attention, please
Business Traveller Asia-Pacific

Your attention, please

After a string of recent incidents involving extreme turbulence, we chart the history of the inflight safety video to see if the latest crop is up to the task...

time-read
7 mins  |
September/October 2024
SPOTLIGHT ON SURABAYA
Business Traveller Asia-Pacific

SPOTLIGHT ON SURABAYA

The city in East Java is set to expand as it capitalises on its historic roots and status as an important trading centre

time-read
3 mins  |
September/October 2024
HOTEL HOP, BALI STYLE
Business Traveller Asia-Pacific

HOTEL HOP, BALI STYLE

Indonesia's tourist hotspot has a wealth of attractions to suit everyone, but it’s all about picking the right place to stay

time-read
5 mins  |
September/October 2024
JAKARTA IN POLE POSITION
Business Traveller Asia-Pacific

JAKARTA IN POLE POSITION

Indonesia's commercial hub will thrive long after the nation's new capital is open for business

time-read
5 mins  |
September/October 2024