Flying long-haul is about more than getting from one destination to another. For travellers, the experience can shape the entire journey, from the comfort of the cabin to the food served thousands of feet above the ground.
Air France is raising the bar on in-flight dining by bringing together some of France’s leading culinary talents to refresh its long-haul menus, including those served on flights departing from Paris to South Africa.
The initiative features Michelin-starred chefs, award-winning culinary professionals and one of the world’s most celebrated pastry talents. The result is a dining experience designed to bring the creativity, regional flavours and traditions of French gastronomy into the cabin.
Michelin-Starred Talent Takes Dining Above the Clouds
At the heart of the new Business cabin offering is Mathieu Viannay, the two-Michelin-starred chef behind La Mère Brazier in Lyon.
Viannay has developed more than 20 dishes for Air France, with new options being introduced over the coming months. His approach combines ingredients associated with France’s regional culinary heritage with flavours designed to make the on-board experience feel indulgent.
Among the dishes are creamy fregola with Mimolette cheese and arugula, accompanied by roasted butternut squash and preserved lemon. Another option pairs glazed salmon with a lemony soy-butter sauce and green Puy lentils.
Rather than simply reproducing restaurant dishes in the air, the collaboration brings the chef’s culinary perspective into a different environment, where flavour, presentation and the realities of serving food on a long-haul flight all matter.
Breakfast Gets a French Culinary Makeover
The experience extends beyond lunch and dinner.
François Adamski, Servair’s Corporate Chef, a Meilleur Ouvrier de France and Bocuse d’Or winner, is responsible for creating new breakfast and brunch dishes for eligible morning departures from Paris.
His menu draws on traditional French cooking while introducing contemporary touches. Options include Chimay-style stuffed eggs with truffle béchamel and mushroom polenta, alongside a buckwheat galette filled with mushrooms and spinach, served with Mornay sauce and toasted hazelnuts.
The concept challenges the idea that breakfast on a flight needs to be ordinary. Familiar ingredients become the starting point for something more considered, bringing restaurant-inspired creativity into the morning service.
Desserts Designed to Make the Journey Memorable
For many travellers, dessert is the final detail that turns a meal into an experience.
Nina Métayer, named the World’s Best Pastry Chef, continues her collaboration with Air France with new creations for the long-haul Business cabin.
Her latest desserts include Instant poire-chocolat, pairing pear with chocolate, and Parenthèse mandarine-amande, combining mandarin and almond.
The creations are designed specifically for the travel environment, balancing indulgence with lightness. Métayer describes them as travel companions, offering passengers a sensory escape while reflecting the excitement of discovering somewhere new.
Premium Cabin Dining Gets Its Own Signature
Air France is also refreshing its Premium cabin menus through a partnership with Frédéric Simonin, the Michelin-starred chef behind his eponymous Paris restaurant.
Passengers departing from Paris can choose between two regularly updated hot dishes, including a vegetarian option.
The current selection includes conchiglie pasta with chanterelle mushrooms and herb cream, as well as shrimp with tomato served alongside squid-ink rice.
The focus remains on seasonal ingredients, careful preparation and dishes that deliver a distinctive culinary experience beyond the traditional expectations of airline catering.
A More Considered Approach to Food in the Sky
Behind the menus is a wider focus on ingredient sourcing and responsible consumption.
Air France works with its catering partner, Servair, to prioritise fresh ingredients selected according to the seasons. The airline states that it exclusively serves French-sourced meat, poultry, dairy products and eggs, while fish comes from French fisheries or sustainable sources. A vegetarian option is also systematically available.
Business cabin passengers can additionally pre-select their hot meal up to 24 hours before departure. This helps travellers secure their preferred dish while supporting efforts to reduce food waste.
For South African travellers connecting through Paris, the refreshed menus offer another reason to look beyond the destination when considering the journey itself.
By combining culinary expertise, regional ingredients and thoughtful menu design, Air France is turning in-flight dining into a more deliberate part of the travel experience. At 35,000 feet, the journey is becoming an opportunity to experience a little of France’s culinary culture before even reaching the final destination.
Availability of specific dishes and services depends on the cabin, flight and departure schedule.
