| BlueSky Business Aviation News | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| . | |||||||||||||||||||||||
There is a rather large trend around the world to move toward sustainable plant based proteins. The data is there. For example, ten years ago, average annual beef consumption in the US was 60lbs per capita; now, according to the US Department of Agriculture, it's around 45 lbs. A decline of 25%. Globally all animal proteins (this includes dairy products, all meats and seafood) have declined in restaurant purchases by 30% over the last 10 years. Pretty big number, isn’t it? Why, what is causing the shift? I have my own opinion based on the clients we serve at Tastefully Yours. Our passengers and flight crew know there is a direct correlation in hormone free, antibiotic free, wheat free and their personal health . . . not to mention the cost. We are changing as a global society and we need to step up and take notice of the wishes of those we serve in order to produce what “they” are looking for in a meal. You have noticed smaller portions, less of the carb- filled junk food in the galley drawers, more requests for higher quality catering which, overall, brings a superior product to the skies. Forgive me when I say that if you start with junk, you'll end up with junk. But here's the catch . . . at 30,000 feet it will translate to much much more junk! Three strikes and you're out! The aircraft is the most imperfect environment for preparing the Michelin Star meal in both presentation and taste. You have three strikes against you before you even put the food in front of the passenger. (Actually four if you want to count packaging). First you have lower humidity which reduces your smell senses; second you have aircraft cabin pressure which affects the way food is cooked, reheated, tastes - and also throws in a few of those nasty little food safety temperature issues; and third you have the subtle roar of jet engines gliding your aircraft through the skies. Those engines and the resulting noise have been proven to have a direct effect on your taste and hunger. So with all of these cards stacked against you, why would you want to put on cheap, low quality food that will only increase the problem? Question: If animal- based protein meals are decreasing than what is increasing? Answer: Plant- based proteins found in vegetarian and vegan menus. It wasn’t too long ago that the mention of vegetarian to a catering source would send cringes up and down our spine and the resulting vegetarian meal was grilled or steamed vegetables over rice or beans. Well, times have changed!! Your creative and talented catering chefs are amazing passengers and crew every day with alternative protein based meals. Please know that we all must consume proteins in order to retain muscle, strength and to remain healthy, and we recognize this can be done with unconventional foods. But are our passengers and flight crews going vegetarian or vegan? My answer is yes, some are, but many are simply cutting back on meats. We now have a standard term for this segment of consumers, both in the air and on the ground - 'Flexitarians'. So what is a Flexitarian? I think it fits, don’t you? It means that sometimes you choose to eat vegetarian, or vegan as a choice for that particular meal, but are not restricted to only those choices on a daily basis. The 'flexitarian' or semi-vegetarian has given up meat for health reasons while others, for environmental concerns, will only eat free-range or organic animals and animal products. There are signs all around us that meat is falling out of favor for health reasons (eating as little as four ounces of red meat a day increases the risk of heart disease), environmental, ethical & economic reasons, and as a result, vegetables are gaining that favor. Vegetarians are not just eating “rabbit food” any longer. Personally, I have chosen to add my name to the ranks of the flexitarians because I want a lighter portion, just not so much to eat; foods that won’t weigh on my stomach for hours. I do want to do a little bit for the environment. Now I'm not jumping overboard here - I'm still a tad shellfish - but if I can choose bio- degradable or sustainable locally grown produce that saves the world the trouble of moving it around the globe to my table, then so be it. I want to avoid genetically modified food whenever possible; I want to know the person providing the food to my kitchen. New Tastes Since I love food, all food, I still want my thick, juicy, melt- in-the- mouth velvety filet of beef, my sweet luscious lobster stuffed with shrimp and crab salad swaddled in a light brandy sauce or even our homemade lemon ranch vinaigrette, and I still want to indulge in my tender and succulent lamb chops marinated in a rosemary mustard and honey glaze overnight. But most of all I want to indulge in new tastes, perhaps similar to a plate of stuffed eggplant rolls. Imagine, fresh eggplant sliced thin, lightly breaded in crispy seasoned breadcrumbs, and then gently sautéed in olive oil infused with garlic. I can imagine the smell of that sizzling garlic as I write this. Once cooked these crispy slices are rolled with a combination of freshly sautéed spinach, shallots, more garlic, and what will become a gooey cheese mixture of ricotta and mozzarella when heated. Are you following me? Can you smell it, see it? When the plate arrives in front of me, I can see the eggplant-stuffed rolls sitting on top of a beautiful creamy vodka sauce. This dish will definitely pass beyond the 3 strikes I just mentioned. The smell is divine, the visual and physical taste unbelievable and the roar of the engines can’t even slow me down to devouring this vegetarian meal. I am in heaven . . . For those of you who are flexitarians al ready, let me share this idea for dinner or lunch with you. It will leave a lasting effect in your mouth as well as be one of the most satisfying experiences you could try. A roasted butternut squash - overflowing with a multitude of good things. Eating healthy, this has it all! It is a combination of tart cranberries, fresh crisp pears, crunchy pecans, quinoa ( one of our ancient grains), fresh pungent ginger and the zest of tangy citrus. Imagine how many directions your taste buds will be stimulated and at how many levels. It has everything for the vegan, the vegetarian and the flexitarian. Eat this and you will finish feeling satisfied, energized with the memory of a meal to remember. If you want to make this with an animal protein, feel free to add beef, chicken, seafood, shellfish, pork or even lamb. Delicious. Another thought for you to arouse your taste buds - stuffed peppers. For centuries, we have enjoyed stuffed Pablano peppers, and colorful Bell peppers. This is comfort food for me as I remember my mother and father growing Bell peppers and then my mother stuffing them with a meat ragu, rice , sautéed onions, garlic (oops there goes one of my favorites again), fresh herbs from the window herb garden, and a splash of wine with ground beef (ground chicken and turkey had not been discovered yet, according to my grandchildren!) then overfill the hollowed- out pepper with this tantalizing concoction. Drizzle with a tad of olive oil; grate some parmesan for that punch of flavor and the flexitarian is delighted with this simple meal. If you want to remove the meat and add quinoa, tofu or other vegetables this instantly switches to fit the vegetarian or vegan profile. And on another thought, this meal may be made ahead, frozen and can be packed for front- loaded or long haul self-contained catering. Imagine filling a pablano pepper with risotto, rice or other grains, chopped hot peppers, sliced mushrooms sautéed in - you guessed it- garlic and olive oil and covered with cheese. Ooey and gooey of course. Served as a stand-alone menu item or with a side garden salad is more than anyone could resist. Be prepared to accommodate your flexitarian passengers and flight crew when placing your catering orders. This shift in our eating habits is currently taking place globally; it may even include you. None of us need to shiver and quiver when the phone rings tomorrow and says I need food for flexitarians. Speak with the chef, review the menu offered since many of these new menu items can be pulled from the existing menu simply by adjusting a few ingredients to suit this new generation.
Let me introduce myself . . . My name is Paula Kraft and I am founder and President of Tastefully Yours Catering, an aviation specific caterer, located in Atlanta, Georgia for over 35 years.
Currently I am an active member of the NBAA Flight Attendant Committee Advisory Board and the NBAA International Flight Attendant Committee, Women in Corporate Aviation, Women in Aviation International, National Association of Catering Executives, International Flight Catering Association, the International Food Service Association and the International Caterer’s Association. I have coordinated training programs and clinics for NBAA, EBAA and BA-Meetup conference attendees for over 10 years, created mentoring programs for caterers and flight attendants to broaden their aviation culinary skills, and to assist them in adapting to the unique challenges and constraints found in catering for general aviation. I recognize the need for training and have worked closely with flight departments, flight crews, schedulers and customer service reps at the FBOs to ensure that catering specific training provides information and skills necessary to reduce risk while assisting them in their job duties that include safe food handling, catering security, accurate transmission of food orders, and safe food production, packaging and delivery. I fell into aviation catering quite by accident. I was the in-house caterer and bakery supplier for Macy’s department stores in Atlanta when catering was ordered for a Macy’s customer which was soon to change my life. After the client enjoyed the catering provided, I was summoned to the client’s corporate office to provide several of the items delivered through Macy’s to the executive dining room. Within a week, I was providing food for the flight department and my first order was for the President of a foreign country (as I was too be told soon after). So, here I am, some 35 years later, still loving every minute of every day in aviation catering.
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||
