In-Flight Catering Ideas for When You Charter a Business Jet

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When flying in a private charter jet, the meal service can make or break the experience. As you prepare for your trip, keep in mind that gastronomical delights are something that you must arrange in advance. Otherwise, you and your fellow passengers may only dine on a fruit and cheese platter, and a bottle of wine. While this is fine for short hops, satisfactory flights delight all the senses. Here are a few catering ideas for your next private business jet trip:

Culinary Considerations for Private Aviation

  • Food tastes different at 40,000 feet. The cabin pressure at high altitudes makes taste buds less receptive salt. Low humidity levels diminish your sense of smell and ability to taste. The best flight attendants and in-flight culinary services have a good understanding of how the palate changes during a flight and know how to enhance flavors with the right condiments, cooking methods and ingredients.
  • Don’t shy away from unusual menu items. Foods that you may not normally choose, such as a slow-cooked daube of beef, may taste phenomenal as part of an in-flight meal. Because tastes change at high elevations, unusual cuts of meat often hold up and taste better because they have more fat, flavor and moisture, according to On Air Dining CEO Daniel Hulme.
  • Plan in-flight meals and snacks based on the duration of the flight and time of day to help prevent rumbling stomachs and jet lag. If a flight takes off after lunch, for example, and lands just before dinner, consider an in-flight afternoon tea and coffee service with tea sandwiches, savory snacks, scones with preserves and clotted cream, and a variety of pastries. Before landing, serve cocktails and an appetizer.
  • Mind the aircraft’s size and refrigeration capabilities. It’s simpler to serve a five-course dinner on a Global Express than on a Hawker. Larger charter jets often have a sink, refrigerator, oven, microwave and other appliances, making it simpler for the crew to keep store and heat your food to a safe temperature . Smaller planes may only have a microwave, restricting the amount of perishable food it can safely store.

Catering Ideas for a Business Plane Charter

Prepared Meals

If a flight attendant isn’t part of your private plane rental’s flight crew, seek a catering service that provides fresh pre-plated meals that don’t require extra preparation or reheating. The options generally include meals and snacks that accommodate different dietary needs and are simple to self-serve.

Hire a Personal In-Air Chef

Have all your food made-to-order and to your exact specifications with an in-air chef. Such a service provides you with benefits such as bespoke menu designs, precise cooking and presentation, sommelier services, and the ability to accommodate a variety of cultural and dietary requests. Personal in-air chefs also allow you to enjoy traditional multi-course meals to tasting menu experiences.

Menu Ideas

Breakfast
  • Croissant egg sandwich
  • Yogurt parfait with fresh berries or fruit
  • Toasted English muffins topped with melted cheese and options such as ham, bacon, sausage, eggs, mushrooms, green onions and tomatoes
  • Bagel with lox, cream cheese, capers and chives
Sandwiches
  • Open-faced sandwich with a tuna, apple and almond salad filling over a bed of lettuce, and topped with melted cheese
  • Tempeh BLT-style sandwich with avocado
  • Caprese sandwich with buffalo mozzarella, fresh basil, arugula, Roma tomato and a balsamic dressing
Salads
  • Fruit salad with seasonal or exotic fruit
  • Quinoa salad with diced bell pepper, cilantro, tomato, lime juice, black beans and corn
  • Fresh conch salad
Dinner
  • Slow-roasted chicken with a veloute sauce over a bed of saffron rice, and served with seasonal vegetables
  • Grilled wild salmon served with mushroom risotto and roasted vegetables
  • Goat cheese ravioli served with cherry tomatoes, asparagus and spinach
Appetizers
  • Smoked salmon wrapped around small balls of crème fraîche, whipped cream cheese and chives, and dipped in caviar or black sea salt
  • Marinated caprese salad served with bruschetta
  • Pear slices topped with soft goat cheese, dried cherries and pistachios
  • Barbeque shrimp wrapped in bacon and served with a sweet mustard dipping sauce
Desserts
  • Passion fruit and papaya granita with carambola slices
  • Chocolate pot au crème with strawberries macerated in Chambord and sea salt
  • Peach cobbler with peaches poached in brandy

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