Continental Grabs Celebrity Chef and the Rest Still Suffer Scary Food

by Monika Bartyzel, Posted Mar 27th 2009 @ 3:00PM

Even back in the days when airlines weren't suffering like mad, I never thought there was much to the world of air food. I figured there were some powers-that-be types that picked some meals, most likely from an independent food distributor, and that was that. These days, I figured there was even less -- purchase crap, microwave and serve, if they even share more than a granola bar.

Then there was that infamous letter to Virgin Airlines chastising their sorry excuses for food, which led the airline to invite the reader to come to their "catering house" and give his input. Catering houses ... But that's not all -- FOXBusiness now reports that Chef Bryan Caswell, owner of REEF and Little Bigs restaurants in Houston, has been added to Continential Airlines' Congress of Chefs. Not group, not board, but Congress.

Before writing this, I looked up some Continental reviews, since I haven't flown them in a while and perhaps I was missing out on a culinary experience, but reading here, I don't think I have. Or rather, there's an enormous divide between the Business class menu, and the airline that has "won numerous awards for its international BusinessFirst service [and where] Continental's Congress of Chefs and Sommeliers carefully select menus and wines for each country the airline serves."

If you check out AirlineMeals.net, this picture shows that Continental's fancier food certainly looks better than that Virgin slop, and will probably only get better with Caswell. And it's definitely tastier-looking than the two times I was fortunate enough to get placed in Business Class on other airlines for cross-continent flights.

But the issue remains: the divide between Business/First class food and the rest is scary. And I say this as someone enjoys those terrible microwavable pizzas and school-lunchy food now and then. When you pay 1-2 grand a ticket, of course you deserve something tasty, but that shouldn't be at the expense of the many passengers who make up the bulk of each flight -- passengers who now have to, in a lot of cases, pay for the ultra-scary food, or who don't get more than a snack. Especially since many rates are radically increasing. (A recent flight to Florida cost me normal airmiles, but my friends, to take the same flight, would've had to pay $1500 for economy seats 4 months in advance.)

Airlines are hurting -- there's money and gas woes, increased fear of flying, and the wildly uneven and aggravating flight security. I know this is a wild and crazy idea, but I'd bet some of this would lessen easily with just a little food love. The two flights that never leave my memory -- one was because the air turbulence kept me in a panic, and the other -- a smooth ride with food I quite loved and wanted second and third helpings of.

If you're reading Slashfood, you understand the power of food. Now if we could only clue the airlines in, I bet airline workers wouldn't have to deal with so many pissy passengers.

Filed Under: Business
Tags: airline food, AirlineFood, Bryan Caswell, BryanCaswell, Continental Airlines, ContinentalAirlines

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Reader comments (Page 1 of 1)

3-27-2009 @4:53PM William said... Where are you getting business/first class tickets for only $1000-2000?
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3-27-2009 @4:57PM Monika said... William - Using the Continental website, I chose a random week in September, First-Class between NY and LA, and the cheapest was $1598 USD.
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