Airlines are working with famous chefs to improve the experience in business and first class without replacing seats. New seating products can take years to design, receive official approval, and install. Menus, however, can change within months. This makes food a more flexible way to update the service offered to passengers in these higher-priced cabins.
As airlines compete for travelers who spend more, they are using meals to make their premium service different from that of competitors. Partnerships with award-winning chefs bring well-known names and cooking reputations to the onboard experience. Such arrangements are not new, but they are becoming a more common feature of high-end airlines. The approach allows an airline to refresh part of the journey without waiting for new seating.
Singapore Airlines offers a long-running example. Its Book the Cook program began in 1998 and lets passengers in premium cabins order meals before their flights. The choices are selected by the airline’s International Culinary Panel.
