Qantas Business Class meals & menus

[MEL_Traveller]

But they aren't mutually exclusive. Presentation doesn't (or shouldn't) affect the quality of the food - a tough steak through overcooking will still be tough and horrible even if presented wonderfully. To me a delicious meal, presented nicely, is a great experience as soon as it hits the table. Look, smell & taste. All part of a good dining experience.

I think in the case of steak - and perhaps some other proteins - more focus on the substance over the style would be better? Heating the steak in a ramekin with its sauce would be better than heating the individual components and plating them. Which can lead to more tough steaks than not.

But for some reason passengers seem to prefer the individual plating, and airpines are responding. I’d happily go back to domestic service of main in international. Meat isnt dry or tough there.

 

[SYD]

I don’t think the initial quality of the cut of beef is in question… it’s the reheating and overcooking.

Having the steak heating by its self, without any sauce, perhaps leads to a less juicy and tender piece of meat.

Done properly it works but not following the instructions is not unique to QF.

I often go for fish dishes and they’re usually perfect on QF. I’ve had shockers on QR - mushy tasteless white sludge.

Heating it in a ramekin together with the sauce we never had a problem!

Yep, curries and stews are usually a safe bet on any airline - especially down the back.

We’ll have to disagree on the ‘swoosh’. It doesn’t make it a better meal taste or quality wise. I’d go for substance over style any day!

We eat with our eyes!

Oh, for sure - I was (perhaps badly) illustrating that 'presentation' can make a meal more enjoyable.

I was joking! (Re turbulence).

The swoosh looks good and elevates the experience - just so long as it tastes good also.

 

[CaptJCool]

Last nights 1645 flight…. Syd - ADL No meal light refreshments
Glad I stocked up beforehand & after

 

[MEL_Traveller]

We eat with our eyes!

Yeah… I had to google that! Apparently it is a ‘thing’ with some people!

To me it doesn’t really matter what it looks like, as long as it tastes good!

 

[zig]

Yeah… I had to google that! Apparently it is a ‘thing’ with some people!

To me it doesn’t really matter what it looks like, as long as it tastes good!

I have always said “you eat with your eyes”. QF lack of care in the presentation of their food is a constant irritant for me.

 

[SYD]

I have always said “you eat with your eyes”. QF lack of care in the presentation of their food is a constant irritant for me.

To be fair, it’s not all bad on QF. I’ve had some very well plated dishes on QF J (that were also quite decent eating).

Yes, I’ve had some that didn’t look great but tasted ok. Plus some that failed on both counts. Again, not a unique thing. Anyone routinely flying transpac will know the other options are pretty average. Although, US carriers do seem to get a beef medallion on a plate medium rare more often than not!

 

[mad_atta]

I have always said “you eat with your eyes”. QF lack of care in the presentation of their food is a constant irritant for me.

I agree - fairly consistently the worst plating I've seen on any longhaul premium product (excluding those where the meal is clearly served in what it's cooked in, casserole dish style, in which case cabin crew plating is a non-issue).
In my experience, the crews who do seem to care more with the plating also seem to do a better job with the cooking and service overall - so while the plating is not the most important thing per se, it can be a good indicator for the care level of the crew.

 

[Quickstatus]

In my experience, the crews who do seem to care more with the plating also seem to do a better job with the cooking and service overall

When did cabin crew ever do any cooking?

 

[mad_atta]

When did cabin crew ever do any cooking?

Is it not a member of the cabin crew who runs the ovens and does plating in the galley?

I may be using the terminology incorrectly but I'd consider all the non-flight deck staff to be cabin crew. And even if they're dedicated to the galley, ie not directly serving passengers, my observation still stands - well plated dishes seem, in my experience, to be indicative of an entire crew that has a higher care factor. YMMV

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Is it not a member of the cabin crew who runs the ovens and does plating in the galley?

I may be using the terminology incorrectly but I'd consider all the non-flight deck staff to be cabin crew. And even if they're dedicated to the galley, ie not directly serving passengers, my observation still stands - well plated dishes seem, in my experience, to be indicative of an entire crew that has a higher care factor. YMMV

I think quickstatus was making a distinction between ‘cooking’ and ‘reheating’.

Crew ‘cooking’ is usually limited to things like scrambled eggs. The rest is just reheated.

 

[mad_atta]

lol, fair - you could argue it is just "reheating". But as others have pointed out, paying close attention to how much you reheat those steaks (or anything else) can make all the difference between a hockey puck adn something acceptable.

 

[Quickstatus]

Is it not a member of the cabin crew who runs the ovens and does plating in the galley?

The ovens on board are for reheating not cooking. All cooking is done in commercial kitchens on the ground.

In the air,
The cabin crew would plate the individual components of a dish for premium cabins.

I may be using the terminology incorrectly but I'd consider all the non-flight deck staff to be cabin crew

Sure, but there is no cooking in an airplane. The galley is not a commercial kitchen..

paying close attention to how much you reheat those steaks

No, the cabin crew don't do that. There are instructions as to the temperature and time for reheating, plating of individual components.

 

[Quickstatus]

paying close attention to how much you reheat those steaks

No, the cabin crew don't do that. There are instructions as to the temperature and time for reheating, plating of individual components.

Steaks and meat are always problematic because they are generally partially cooked on ground, then blast chilled then reheated in the convection ovens on board. Basically the cabin crew take it out of the chillers put it in the oven and press a button /timer and that's it. No cutting or slicing either.

 

[RooFlyer]

This is a video about how several airlines run their on-ground food preparation and cooking kitchens and also shows some subsequent on board meal prep ( heating and plating). It sounds like a QR publicity thing at first ( actually Business Insider), but it does go onto Air New Zealand, American and discusses the issue of on board food more generally.

Plating at 7:30 and 9:35