Italy-UK PARTNERSHIP

PARTNERSHIP | Spring 2019 16 Catering in the sky Flavourful and healthy meals at 30,000 feet C ommercial aviation completely changed the way people travel. At the beginning of the aviation era, flying was exclusively reserved to the few lucky people who were able to purchase extremely expensive tickets. The average cost of a one-way ticket from London to New York in 1946, for instance, amounted approximately to today’s £4,500. To justify the cost, airlines had to provide luxury services to their travellers, including food and beverages. Crystal and porcelain tableware were a must for every airline to serve caviar, lobster and champagne. In 1952, IATA (International Air Transport Association) authorised the first economy class flight, which gave a larger group of people the possibility to fly, inaugurating the advent of mass transportation in the aviation industry. High quality service remained a business class prerogative, while the progress of technology collided over unexpected inconveniences for the travellers' palate.  Today's airplanes fly at more than 30,000 feet (about 9km) and they are pressurised to minimise the effect of altitude. As pressure flattens the taste of food, meals are far from being a gourmet experience. Another issue is the lack of humidity: air is recycled every few minutes and this, together with the air conditioning, is the reason why food cools down and dries fast. In order to serve tasty meals, most airlines used to increase the taste of food adding lots of salt and sugar, making them unhealthy and not appreciated. Recent research showed that the umami flavour (the so called “fifth taste”) is not altered by pressure. Airlines thus implemented the use of ingredients rich in umami in their menus to increase quality and customers’ satisfaction. QUALITY AT HIGH ALTITUDE The story is completely different in business class. New polices and collaborations with famous chefs made the menu proposals of business and first class refined and healthy.  Alitalia is a great example of this transformation. Awarded eight times in a row for its “Best Airline Cuisine”, the company recently introduced a new collaboration with Gambero Rosso for their Business and Magnifica classes. Dishes are inspired by Italian tradition and designed with the most innovative techniques in order to preserve flavours and quality. The menu offers two options, Traditional and Healthy, and includes Italian classics such as “sedanini alla Norcina” and “vitello tonnato”. A drink selection by Campari and a special brewed Lavazza coffee complement the offer.  However, attention to details for first class passengers is not only about quality of food, but quality of tableware as well. As part of a multi-billion dollar investment in customer experience, Delta Airlines started a collaboration with Alessi, the leading Italian design brand, in order to provide their business and first class with a special collection of service products. Alessi’s most popular pieces were redesigned and made lighter for air travel, bringing a new touch of elegance to the flying experience. ·