A hot sumptuous meal high in the sky matters

COLD and unappetising food is something many travellers would have experienced taking a commercial flight these days.

It’s a nightmare for some, especially when on a long-haul flight, and painful if you have to pay for it yourself.

Over the years, the food being served on board flights has changed. In boom times, even caviar has been served as part of the menu, but when times are gloomy and profits come under pressure, what is served will be among the first thing that gets downgraded or changed to save money.

Changing the menu can save an airline a lot of money in a year and can help pay for the higher cost being incurred in competitive times such as now.

However, it’s not to say that the menu will be the first to be trimmed in such times.

Airlines have called on celebrity chefs to create gastronomic delights in the past and continue to do so.

Singapore Airlines tapped celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay for its International Culinary Panel back in 2006, and Alain Ducasse, Joel Robuchon and Guy Martin are among the gastronomic luminaries who have created all kinds of meals for Air France.

British Airways has worked with British celebrity chef Heston Blumenthal, while more recently, Virgin Australia hired celebrity chef Luke Mangan as its head chef.

Airlines realise that they need to know what is best for their passengers, especially those at the front-end of the cabin.

As a chef pointed out, “Eating on a plane is not the same as eating on the ground. Humidity is very dry and there is very little water in the atmosphere, which affects our taste buds and sense of smell.”

Malaysia Airlines has its own chef on call to keep its passengers in First Class happy, and prides itself on having won many awards for its satay that high-paying passengers have grown to enjoy.

AirAsia, meanwhile, has its own Pak Nasser nasi lemak that is often “sold out” on most of its flights.

But none of these airlines had thought of courting the nasi kandar makers to give passengers a real culinary treat 36,000 feet in the sky.

This is now the trademark of Malindo Air. The airline has become the first to introduce the authentic nasi kandar on board and it comes from non other than the Original Kayu Nasi Kandar, a restaurant chain owned by Burhan Mohamed.

His father started the business, and today, he has nine outlets, eight in the Klang Valley and one in Penang.

To Burhan, it is a dream come true to serve his nasi kandar on board and he has tried very hard to sell his idea to the other airlines.

He now joins the ranks of airline food suppliers from being just a restaurateur.

While airfare is a major consideration for any traveller, food is fast becoming the differentiating factor in the airline industry. If someone is paying RM4,000 to travel, he expects to be served hot meals, not cold sandwiches in a cold cabin.

Serving nasi kandar, nasi lemak or satay on board is also a competitive edge airlines have employed.

It’s about using culinary attractions to lure people on board.

Perhaps, airlines might want to look further and think how they can package char kuey teow on board.

This is yet another favourite of many and if you can get this dish on board, then airline food may not be as bad as it seems.

All these gastronomic offerings will only help promote Malaysian cuisine to the world.

Business editor (news) B K Sidhu is hoping hot paratha will be served on board.

A hot sumptuous meal high in the sky matters