Air France brings new gourmet menus from Michelin chefs on board

For departures from the hub in Paris, Air France is offering its passengers a variety of new culinary highlights.

Airlines don’t just have to be measured by the on-board product; the food on offer also plays a big role in the flight experience. Air France had already presented new fine dining menus in April. A press release from the airline states that there is a new culinary offering on board the aircraft and in the lounges. Swiss also recently introduced new menus for their Business Class and First Class.

Fresh, local and sustainable ingredients

In collaboration with its in-flight catering subsidiary Servais and award-winning chefs, Air France is introducing new gourmet dishes for passengers departing from Paris this fall. When preparing the dishes, fresh, seasonal products, meat, poultry, dairy products and eggs from France and fish from sustainable fisheries are used. Vegetarian options complement the offering.

On the long-haul business class, three-star chef Jérôme Banctel creates the dishes for the next eight months. To do this, he takes inspiration from his home region, Brittany, and gives the dishes his own touch. This creates dishes such as buttermilk sauce, buckwheat risotto and parsley oil as well as haddock and lightly spiced carrot sauce. The chef uses neither butter nor cream in the preparation.

Desserts such as the mango-coconut slices with a hint of lime are prepared by the chosen World Pastry Chef 2023, Nina Métayer. In the La Première cabin, Air France’s first class, chef Glenn Viel, who has also been awarded three Michelin stars, will create twelve dishes until the end of November. Two of the six choices for dessert are the Black Forest cake prepared by world champion pastry chef Philippe Rigollot and an apricot tart with rosemary whipped cream.

Gourmet experience in the lounge and on short and medium-haul routes

In all Air France lounges at Paris airports, dishes are created by experienced chefs. In the La Première Lounge at Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport, exquisite menus such as coquillettes with ham and black truffle and rum or Armagnac baba are conjured up by Alain Ducasse, the most internationally awarded chef, and his team. Guests also have the opportunity to try Ducasse’s “Burgal” – a plant-based, healthy twist on the traditional burger made with local French grains and fresh vegetables.

On short and medium-haul flights from Paris, two chefs are responsible for the selected culinary experience. The chef Michel Roth, who was awarded a Michelin star, creates, together with Josselin Marie, new sandwiches such as farmer’s bread with minced beef and mustard, celery, apple and mild curry to complement the menu. Business class serves cold dishes that change every four weeks.

Two new hot dishes that vary depending on the season and expand the menu in the lounge of Terminal 2F in Paris-Charles de Gaulle are the chicken in red wine sauce with bacon, served with butter-fried gnocchi, mushrooms and pearl onions from Michel Roth and the Creamed celery with truffonade and celery gherkins from Josselin Maries.