Airlines

Taking Fine Dining To New Heights

While some might equate airline food with hospital food, Air Transat is taking it up a notch and bringing fine dining back to 35,000 feet with the latest edition of its Chef’s Menu, crafted by celebrated Quebec chef Daniel Vézina (pictured above).

The chef’s flight of fancy includes six new exclusive dishes, as well as two breakfast choices. Available as of Dec. 1, these meals are served complimentary to all Club Class passengers and are available (for a cost) in Economy Class. Tip: Agents with clients flying in Transat economy class are advised to pre-order these meals in advance, which can be done online. The cost is $25 and includes a small bottle of wine ($15 for the breakfast entree).

“The feedback from our customers has been extremely positive since we launched this new offering last spring,” said Jean-François Lemay, president/general manager of Air Transat. “Passengers who dined on selections from the Chef’s Menu by Daniel Vézina were impressed with their refinement. As a leader of vacation travel in Canada, Air Transat constantly strives to offer our passengers a pleasant flight experience… and the opportunity to enjoy such an affordable, high-quality meal is part of the journey.”

“This grand adventure with Air Transat takes my kitchen 10,000 metres in the air and challenges me to explore how taste is affected by altitude,” said Vézina. “We spent the past few months creating a menu even more attuned to the tastes of travellers and that’s always the height of quality.”

The Chef’s Menu by Daniel Vézina offers two vegetarian options and is served complimentary to all Club Class passengers.

  • Breakfast: Spinach and basil omelette, or square crepes with goat cheese and smoked salmon. Each is served with a plain croissant, yogourt, orange juice and coffee.
  • Dinner: Pulled beef shepherd’s pie; Cheese and tomato orzo risotto; White bean and quinoa bowl; Salmon fillet with Asian noodles; Turkey with cranberry sauce perfumed with truffles; Braised beef bourguignon. Each served with a cheese plate, dessert and a glass of wine.

The new meals by Daniel Vézina can be pre-ordered by calling Transat’s Booking Centre at 1-877-TRANSAT or by visiting the Air Transat website starting Oct. 1.

Editor’s note: At a Toronto luncheon yesterday (Sept. 26), industry personnel were among the first to sample the new menu and the overall reaction was extremely positive. Pictured in the second photo are Transat’s Geneviève LeBrun (l) and Denise Heffron.

(http://www.airtransat.com)