Emirates airlines is giving their passengers a behind-the-scenes look at the meticulous processes through which their onboard menus are planned and crafted through their own dedicated Food and Wine Channels. These channels will be available on all flights as part of the airline’s in-flight entertainment options.
The Food Channel provides an inside look into the construction of in-flight meals. The channel explores not only menu planning and ingredient sourcing but also delves into how the airline brings the finest products on board through long-standing partnerships worldwide, including local suppliers and artisans to create around 110 million meals each year.
The first two episodes take the viewer to Umbria, Italy, where Emirates purchases its olive oil from Monte Vibiano and to Sri Lanka to understand how the Dilmah tea is selected to be served on board. The channel will also feature some recipes from its regionally inspired onboard menus so customers can recreate Emirates’ signature Prawn Machbous, or learn how to make a classic crepe at home.
Meanwhile wine enthusiasts will love watching the dedicated Wine channel which features a documentary on Emirates’ wine buying strategy, and the direct relationships it has cultivated with the world’s finest winemakers to procure some of the most exclusive vintages. Wine newbies will appreciate the wine tutorials which follow Oliver Dixon, Head of Fine Wine at MMI (an Emirates Group Company) and part of the Emirates wine buying team, through a tutored tasting; Dixon provides insight into the history of the producer and the elements that give each wine its flavor.
Joost Heymeijer, Emirates’ Senior Vice President, Catering said, “We go to great lengths to present our customers in every class with a great dining experience. A lot of detail goes into preparing the meals and choosing the wines. The channels give viewers access to our food and beverage philosophy, the catering strategy and how we work with our partners. In addition, our tutorials and recipes give our customers something interesting to ‘take home’ with them.”
“So if you’re enjoying a fine wine like Château Haut Brion 2004 on board, there is an accompanying wine tutorial to help you appreciate and understand its nuances and what makes it unique. Similarly, if you’ve just enjoyed the Braised Coconut Beef Short Ribs served on your flight and want to recreate it at home, we have that recipe on the Food Channel,” he added.
The Food Channel can be viewed here and the Wine Channel here.
