Why airline food tastes like ass

[Avatard]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-11525897

Turns out, it's the noise.

[Particle Man]

or the fact that it's pre-packaged crap that tastes like cardboard.

[Avatard]

Actually, it's hand prepared by chefs (albeit on a large scale).

[OneSickPsycho]

I never had airline food that was bad...

[OTB]

Originally Posted by Avatard

Actually, it's hand prepared by chefs (albeit on a large scale).

Some yes, most, not so much.

Most of the domestic carriers that actually still serve unpackaged foods (like, hot type items served on flights to Hawaii, ect.) use what are called "pop outs"....either the entree or a goodly portion of the meal is "popped out" of the freezer and into holding cabinets or ovens. The tray "set-ups" are done on a tray line and put into cold holding cabinets. They could be convenience items or nicely made small portions of dessert, salad, ect.

A lot of international carriers (BA, AFrance, Lufthansa, Royal Caladonian and some of the Asian carriers) are still specifying really decent from-scratch meals for all class passengers on long-haul fights.

Most short haul flights are just beverage or snack flights; even most coast to coast flights today don't carry hot items, or even sandwich type "box lunches".

I spent 13 years in the "in-flight" food business...and it's all changed and gotten minimal except for long-haul international for the most part and some premium charter carriers.

I was fortunate enough to have been in the business in the late 70's through the late 80's when First Class food really was...well, first class. A British Airways over-ocean flight would have a "departure meal", usually 5 courses in FC with Champagne, 2 wines and a Cognac, all as good as anything you could get at any 3 star place, a "High Tea" meal and a pre-arrival snack.

The plebs back in Business and Coach had a decent tray meal made from scratch and a snack, also made from scratch...the Business folks got free booze and wider seats...........

I interviewed recently for a QA job in DC for one of the inflight suppliers....everything was dry board bulk stores or pre-packaged and popped out...they didn't even have cooks anymore, just some "food techs" that monitored ovens and cold cabinets.

Bleh.....
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Mostly today you get cashews or mini-pretzels.
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[defector]

One of my local customers is Sky Chefs, so somebody must be getting decent food somewhere. They catered on of our company parties and the grub was pretty damn good.

[OTB]

If they are doing international or charters, they likely have a decent kitchen...if they are doing a crapload of domestic short-haul.....meh.

I'm just saying that the majority of the the inflight busines has changed...for the worse...

[Avatard]

I tend to only fly long haul, and they still serve real food, for the most part.

I still avoid it, though. I hate farting on the plane...

[defector]

I actually had a decent wrap on my flight to Atl.
Usually I put something in my carry on if I haven't eaten before the flight.

[Dave]

Originally Posted by Avatard

I tend to only fly long haul, and they still serve real food, for the most part.

I still avoid it, though. I hate farting on the plane...

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