April 5 2024  |  Catering

Air France serves up gourmet menu options

By PAX International Magazine Staff


One of Lallement's culinary delights on the Business Class menu from Paris 

Starting this month, Air France will be unveiling new inflight menus, curated by distinguished culinary artists. As an ambassador for French fine dining, the company continues to showcase French haute cuisine around the world.

On departure from Paris, the triple Michelin-starred French chefs Glenn Viel and Arnaud Lallement will be creating dishes in the La Première and Business cabins, alongside renowned pastry chefs Philippe Rigollot and Nina Métayer. The single Michelin-starred chef Frédéric Simonin will continue to deliver his recipes in the Premium Economy cabin.

To create these menus, the chefs work with Servair, using fresh, local produce that changes with the seasons. As part of the airline’s commitment to more responsible catering, the meat, poultry, milk products and eggs on each menu are of French origin and the fish is sourced from sustainable fisheries on departure from Paris, the press release said. Vegetarian menus are also available in the different cabins on the airline’s flights.

Glenn Viel and Philippe Rigollot in the La Première cabin


Glenn Viel, triple Michelin-starred French chef 

For the first time, the triple Michelin-starred French chef Glenn Viel is signing the entire menu in the La Première class. Combining his Breton roots with Provençal cuisine, he has created a total of twelve dishes to be enjoyed over the coming months, including Mediterranean bread with preserved peppers and rosemary, cream cheese, rocket and pickled lemon, sea bream fillet, fondant potatoes, mussels and lemon sauce, and guinea fowl topped with a crunchy zucchini mosaic and caramelized onion compote.

“I am proud to be working with Air France, which has established itself as the flagship of French aviation and highlights our country and French gastronomy throughout the world. For the company’s La Première customers, I wanted to highlight the French art de vivre, high standards, elegance and refinement,” said Viel.

For desserts, the Meilleur Ouvrier de France and world pastry champion Philippe Rigollot will take over the French dessert menu, featuring a selection of lightly textured, sweet pastries. Strawberry gateau, Black Forest gateau and an apricot tartlet with rosemary whipped cream are among the six desserts set to appear on the menu.

“For Air France, I worked on light treats made of cream and sugar. I wanted to introduce different flavours and textures to the travellers of our wonderful airline. It’s a pleasure to serve you!” said Rigollot.

Arnaud Lallement and Nina Métayer in the Business cabin


Triple Michelin-starred French chef, Arnaud Lallement

In the airline’s long-haul Business cabin, the triple Michelin-starred French chef Arnaud Lallement is creating new culinary delights. A contemporary and gourmet cuisine infused with emotion, with a selection of nine gourmet creations, is what passengers can expect from Lallement. Dishes including polenta on stir-fried vegetables, creamy eggplant and red pepper coulis, crab and shrimp ravioli, Brittany curry sauce and stir-fried spinach will feature on the menu.

“For Air France, I wanted to remember the seasons, to let my unconscious speak, as if in hypnosis. Sharing with travellers a gourmet pleasure marked by emotion and indulgence,” said Lallement.


Chef Nina Métayer

Since 2023, Air France has also been entrusting its dessert menu to a signature pastry chef in the Business cabin. Crowned World Pastry Chef 2023, chef Nina Métayer will be signing three new sweet treats for the company’s customers. The chef’s caramel, hazelnut and velvety dark chocolate slice, coconut lime mango slice and the “Individuel” gourmet chocolate delight are set to feature on the menu.

“I created these desserts as real travel companions. My gourmet yet light pastries are designed to offer travellers a feast for the senses while evoking the charm of faraway destinations,” said Métayer.


Chef Frédéric Simonin

In the Premium Economy cabin, the one-starred chef Frédéric Simonin will deliver culinary delights to Air France passengers as part of an ongoing partnership from November 2023. Air France called him a “perfectionist at heart”, noting he has created a new series of dishes prepared with the greatest respect for the products chosen. The menus include mini scallops, citrus sauce with tapioca pearls and asparagus pasta, or peas with savory, spinach and glazed pearl onions.

“For Air France customers, I have carefully chosen each product from our French regions that I can transform with delicacy and precision, for a special culinary experience,” said Frédéric Simonin.

Signature dishes on departure from destinations worldwide

On flights departing from its stations in the United States, Air France is offering menus signed by triple Michelin-starred French chef Dominique Crenn in the La Première and Business cabins. Since February 2024, the chef’s dishes have been available on departure from Chicago (ORD), Los Angeles (LAX), Miami (MIA), New York-Newark (EWR), San Francisco (SFO) and Seattle (SEA). Starting in April 2024, they will also be available on departure from Detroit (DTW), Washington (IAD) and New York-JFK (JFK).

On departure from all the company’s Canadian destinations Montreal (YUL), Toronto (YYZ), Quebec (YQB) and Vancouver (YVR), French chef Olivier Perret has been signing French dishes featuring local and seasonal produce for the Business cabin menu.

Air France is also offering dishes signed by Martinique chef Jean-Charles Brédas in the Business cabin on flights departing from the French West Indies (Pointe-à-Pitre, Fort-de-France, Saint-Martin) and French Guiana (Cayenne) to Paris, as well as on flights in the Caribbean Regional Network linking Cayenne to Fort-de-France, Pointe-à-Pitre to Miami and Pointe-à-Pitre to Montreal.

On departure from Réunion Island, Air France’s Business cabin menu is curated by chef Jofrane Dailly, who highlights the island’s culinary heritage combined with his Indian origins.

On departure from Singapore, the triple Michelin-starred chef Julien Royer signs a selection of original dishes on the menu that is regularly renewed for Air France’s La Première and Business customers travelling to Paris.

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