Originally published at: Aviation geek recreates airline meals at home | Boing Boing
…
2 Likes
This is awesome. I used to work for a company that sold meal planning software to airlines and it’s amazing what all goes into making those meals happen. Some airlines do/did have some pretty amazing meals though. It’s just the penny pinching since “deregulation” in the US and the advent of the Ryan Airs of the world that have turned it all into a race to the bottom (never a good look for an airline). 
6 Likes
I was under the impression that the low humidity and low air pressure makes pretty much anything taste bad, because it screws up your sense of taste itself.
2 Likes
And, you fart more after inhaling this food
Back in the before times when I flew for work all the time, I once ended up seated next to an interesting guy who was a chef (or whatever the right title is) for airplane meals development. He told me that at altitude (probably for the reasons you mention) food tastes different. It typically needs a lot more salt to taste “good” up there. There were a few other flavor profile things he mentioned, but I forget.
He told me how his job included providing sample meals for the big wigs to get sign-off.
I said, “Cool, so you get to take a flight and they try the meals as they’ll be experienced? That’s so neat.”
Him: “No, we do it in a conference room.”
5 Likes
I don’t know, the food looks kinda plane to me.
But yeah, you love what you love, right? Very interesting.
I can totally see the interest in the meals themselves as there’s a lot going in there. And serving them using the authentic elbow mill trolley is a fun bit of cosplay I guess.
But sitting in airplane seating in your home takes it to a different, darker place. While there are many stylish and miraculous aspects of air travel, the systematic violation of bodily autonomy is not among them. If he’s into that I don’t think it belongs in his PG youtube channel.
I remember twenty-odd years ago getting a meal in coach on a transatlantic flight. It tasted like microwaved plastic and horror. Is that still a thing?
OTOH, a few years back I ended up getting several upgrades to first class and enjoyed some pretty delicious meals. Sesame noodles with salmon, short ribs with polenta and root vegetables. It was revelatory, not just the food, but to be treated like a person.
2 Likes
I think that’s the point.
This topic was automatically closed after 5 days. New replies are no longer allowed.
