Normality is a thing that’s been hard for the past year and a bit. Turkish Airlines are seeking to make their business class offering a bit more normal with the onboard chef back aboard.
The return of the Turkish Airlines onboard chef (and in the real world, they’ll have face coverings on too) – Image, Turkish Airlines
The onboard chefs made their way back aboard the airlines long-haul routes from 1st May.
The onboard chef features on flights of 8 hours or more, allowing Turkish Airlines passengers to enjoy dishes prepared by the airline’s dedicated Flying Chefs, providing the feeling of dining at a restaurant, high above the clouds.
According to the airline, The Flying Chefs, selected by the airline based on a diverse set of culinary and customer-service driven skills, are responsible for cooking and overseeing food preparation using only the highest quality and freshest ingredients.
Catering had to be adjusted during 2020, however, in April 2021, Turkish Airlines resumed full premium menus prepared with fresh ingredients, by its award-winning world-renowned catering brand, Turkish DO & CO.
What’s cooking?
Turkish Airlines sent over a sample menu (electronically… not niceties in my post sadly). They include
Breakfast specialities:
- Honeycomb from Erzincan, “kaymak” clotted cream from Afyon, Anatolian style spicy pepper and tomato spread
- “Gözleme” Grilled Flat Pastry, stuffed with cheese and spinach
- Cheese and Tomato Omelette with sautéed mushrooms
- A selection of regional cheeses: aged cheese (Kars), “Ezine” (Çanakkale), with marinated Turkish olives, dried figs and apricots
Dinner specialities:
- Grilled Turkish Style Meatball, with sautéed zucchini and roasted red pepper bulgur pilaf
- Grilled Swordfish Brochette, with celeriac potato purée, Tuscan-style vegetables
- Traditional “Dolma” Varieties, minced beef stuffed vine leaves and zucchini and “Karniyarik,” eggplant with minced beef, tomato sauce and yogurt
- “Manti” Homemade Turkish Ravioli with minced beef, tomato sauce, yogurt
- Grilled Lamb Chopswith polenta crespelle and ratatouille
- Sea Bass en Papilotte and julienne vegetables
- “Karniyarik,” traditional stuffed eggplant with minced beef, buttered rice
- Grilled Chicken Brochette with grilled tomato and pepper bulgur pilaf
- Rigatoni with homemade Parmesan Tomato Sauce
Onboard dining and hot meal service on all Business and Economy Class flights longer than two hours 15 minutes flight time.
In Quotes
Turkish Airlines Chairman of the Board and the Executive Committee, M. Ilker Ayci commented,
“Throughout the past year, we’ve had to make many adjustments to our product and service offerings to protect the health and safety of our passengers and employees. Our award-winning dining service and Flying Chefs program is a distinguishing aspect of the airline and we are happy to reintroduce this our worldwide guests to make the flight experience as comfortable and enjoyable as possible.”
Reintroducing the differences in passenger experience
Every airline has its way of conducting service delivery and ways to highlight its methods of doing it. The onboard chef idea is a novel one for the premium passengers who in theory can have a dish whipped up for them from an onboard menu.
With airlines quick to make cuts during the pandemic, it is good to see some airlines take the initiative to improve the onboard experience and reintroduce premium facilities to their passengers.
Meal Image – Turkish Airlines
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