Air France

Air France is the national carrier of the State of France. This national airline of the State of France is one of aviations oldest carrier. Currently undergoing rapid revamping, Air France is one of the preferred airlines serving about 36 destinations in France and operates worldwide scheduled passenger and cargo services to 168 destinations and reaches 93 destinations.

Formally called Société Air France, S.A., stylized as AIRFRANCE, is the French flag carrier headquartered in Tremblay-en-France, (north of Paris). It is a subsidiary of the Air France-KLM Group and a founding member of the SkyTeam global airline alliance. The airline’s global hub is at Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport, North of Paris.

Air France Fine Dining Experience at 30,000 ft
Eating experience onboard an airplane doesn’t have a great reputation; infact so tarnished it is that many people prefer not to eat the meals that are served on flights by the cabin crew.

Recent findings have tried to offer answers as to why plane food is viewed so negatively and propose that perhaps it’s not the airline’s fault. Cornell University indicated the noisy atmosphere in the cabin can actually change the taste of food while scientists at Oxford University believe our taste buds and sense of smell change at 30,000ft, suggesting the food is unappetising and bland.

But the same cannot be said about the Premiere or First Class and Business Class of the erstwhile Air France. Air France, as you might suspect, is among the top airlines in terms of food quality. And that is not by accident. The airline has employed some of the finest chefs in France for special occasions and/or regular duties. Among them: Alain Ducasse, Guy Martin and Antoine Westermann. In fact, Joel Robuchon presides over Servair’s Culinary Studio, a collection of star chefs who help develop recipes and ideas for Air France’s premium-cabin passengers. The process of moving from celebrity-chef recipe to actual airline dish can be cumbersome, says Michel Quissac, corporate chef for Air France’s catering division, given the many limitations of onboard cuisine.

“Once the recipes are chosen, we work to adapt the dish to our specific constraints to find the best balance between the recipe devised by the chef and the reality of our processes,” notes Quissac. “We then carry out in-flight tests and make the necessary corrections until the recipe is consistent with the chef’s original idea. A few years ago, we tested recipes up to 18 times. Today, we finalize the recipe with an average of four trial runs.”
That, in short, is a recipe for creating memorable food, whether on the ground or 35,000 feet in the air.
Servair works in collaboration with worldwide known Chefs lead by Joël Robuchonunder the name « Les Toqués du Ciel » to bring creativity, pleasure and innovation in catering !

In the La Première cabin, you compose your meal from the gourmet menu developed by Michelin-starred French chefs, including culinary designers like Joël Robuchon, Régis Marcon, Guy Martin, Anne-Sophie Pic and Michel Roth.

From the moment you enter the airport, you don’t feel like a mortal. Such is the ways of Team Air France. The beautifully red Premiere Lounge at Charles De Gaulle, is a destination and experience in its own.

In the Biologique Recherche center, enjoy personalized spa treatments, including special facials and body treatments designed to meet the needs of frequent travelers. Relax and recharge for 2 hours with the deluxe La Première treatment: a unique combination of well-being and escape.

Everything is possible in the independent and personal spaces of the La Première lounge: flip through an art book, read newspapers and magazines, stretch out and relax, watch the news in HD, work.
A fully equipped personal space designed to preserve your privacy is available. The lounge includes a library, which is stocked with your favorite newspapers and a wide selection of books and magazines.
But the highlights in my opinion would be 1) the personalized bespoke service and 2) The food or rather the successful play with the senses crafted by Alain Ducasse. Treat yourself to a tasty snack or enjoy a full meal or cocktail: anything is possible in the La Première lounge.

Choose from their list of wines and menu items selected by chef Alain Ducasse and enjoy a fine dining experience with our elegant table service. Beginning in December, Air France makes your trip even more exclusive with items designed by the masters in the art of dining à la française (French style). Enjoy an excellent meal served at your convenience and presented on a white tablecloth and table set designed by Jean-Marie Massaud, including a Bernardaud porcelain plate and beveled Christofle glasses and flatware.

Each of these stylish elements also displays the winged seahorse, the symbol of Air France.
With handcrafted Champagne by the man himself, and a superior WineList which is, updated every 2 months. And other spirits to make your transit memorable.

Special thankyou to Hicham.L.Bennani and Ashita Kapoor.

~The people without whom the experience at Air France, Premiere and Business Lounges would not be as exceptional as it was~

– Chef Michel Quissac

– Sarfaraz Khan and Entire Team Alain Ducasse

– Charles de Gaulle hub: JP Claret and Bettina Vittureau

– Business lounge : Leopold Fort and Claudine Auffret

– Multicultural team: Valérie Vauzou and her team Vishaw Jeet Sethi and Suganthi Bala

– First Class lounge: Tatiana Pruvost

– First class marketing manager : Veronique Jeanclerc