Luke Mangan to open test kitchen to let people try airline meals

[markis10]

Wanted - testers for LMs new menu

IF you've ever loved the meal you were served on a plane and longed to try it with your feet on solid ground, well now's your chance. Top Australian chef Luke Mangan is offering customers the chance to try Virgin Australia's latest airline meals at his new headquarters in Sydney.
But it'll be a lucky dip.
Mangan will operate a Test Kitchen out of his new Dank Street, Sydney headquarters, which houses the wine bar Mojo that is due to open at the end of next week. It’s here that guests will randomly be given the chance to eat airline meals and vote on them, the first time such a concept has been offered in Australia

Read more: No need to fly high for a Virgin Australia airline meal | News.com.au
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[sogg]

Re: Virgin Australia Business Class Catering - Service, Meal times, Menus

No need to fly high for a Virgin Australia airline meal | News.com.au

A chance to try the meals without paying for business....

 

[smit0847]

Re: Virgin Australia Business Class Catering - Service, Meal times, Menus

No need to fly high for a Virgin Australia airline meal | News.com.au

A chance to try the meals without paying for business....

It's a good idea but wouldn't it be far more useful to have high-status VA pax testing the food (if interested) rather than some pleb who reads news.com.au? They're the ones who are deciding whether to purchase the product, rather than some random who's feedback might be 'the food was very nice but I could never afford those business class prices'

They could have a monthly tasting night for select WP similar to QF's P1 events?

 

[Deleted member 29185]

Re: Wanted - testers for LMs new menu

Possibly a good idea, but I don't go to restaurant (or a test kitchen) to eat airline food.

Personally, I find the VA J food edible but entirely ordinary. The VA zoo food I give a miss to (except the cheese and crackers with a glass of wine). Hopefully a test kitchen may see an improvement, but I somehow doubt it's LMs food that's the problem. I'd guess a budget restrained catering Co possibly take some liberties before arriving at the final served up product, but good luck with a new idea.

 

[Justinf]

Re: Wanted - testers for LMs new menu

Plus the fact that food tastes entirely different at 35,000 feet in a pressured cabin than what it does at a restaurant served fresh on the ground.

 

[ozmille]

Re: Wanted - testers for LMs new menu

so what do you actually have to do to be able to go and try, Danks Street is around the corner from where I live so wouldn't mind getting over there

 

[MarkD]

Re: Wanted - testers for LMs new menu

Just a thought, but what would be wrong with setting something up in lounges?, Taste tests etc. Got the right target market right in your face. If the product is right, may encourage some people to buy Business, rather than flexi.

 

[simongr]

Yes I know it is news.com.au but it is almost a sensible article:

No need to fly high for a Virgin Australia airline meal | News.com.au

 

[UP4014]

I can't wait....not.

 

[Ewing]

More of the cheese platter? Pass

:mrgreen:

 

[drewbles]

Re: Wanted - testers for LMs new menu

Plus the fact that food tastes entirely different at 35,000 feet in a pressured cabin than what it does at a restaurant served fresh on the ground.

This has actually been disputed of late. Heston, contrary to public belief, does not know all

 

[markis10]

Re: Wanted - testers for LMs new menu

This has actually been disputed of late. Heston, contrary to public belief, does not know all

I was going to make the same comment, as its been mentioned that the pressure effect on palate is minimal to non existent.

 

[ckck]

Re: Wanted - testers for LMs new menu

I was going to make the same comment, as its been mentioned that the pressure effect on palate is minimal to non existent.

Really? Wow, do you have an article or resource with the new research? I am curious to read more.
I just googled "flying effect on taste" and nothing new came up. I would appreciate if someone could point me in the right direction for the new info.

 

[docjames]

Re: Wanted - testers for LMs new menu

ISTR at one stage Qantas wine panel did their tastings for new wine selection in an environment simulating an aircraft cabin (complete with decreased oxygen saturation).

 

[casanovawa]

Re: Wanted - testers for LMs new menu

I imagine there might be some slight change, but have to pretty much agree...

I'm sure when i have eaten snacks that i have taken onto planes that i would usually eat on the ground etc that they tasted pretty much the same...

 

[markis10]

Re: Wanted - testers for LMs new menu

Really? Wow, do you have an article or resource with the new research? I am curious to read more.
I just googled "flying effect on taste" and nothing new came up. I would appreciate if someone could point me in the right direction for the new info.

I am pressed to find anything substantiated for the case either way, many articles refer back to an LA Times piece in 2011 that claimed 30% of the palate effectiveness is lost, making ordinarily seasoned product bland, but that article does not have research links, while we have Heston claiming it as bumpkin, amongst others.

 

[ReLoad]

Re: Wanted - testers for LMs new menu

Great that means I get a chance to shove one of those breakfast wraps up his nose.

Where do I sign..........

 

[simongr]

Re: Wanted - testers for LMs new menu

I am pressed to find anything substantiated for the case either way, many articles refer back to an LA Times piece in 2011 that claimed 30% of the palate effectiveness is lost, making ordinarily seasoned product bland, but that article does not have research links, while we have Hester claiming it as bumpkin, amongst others.

But Heston actually put someone in a pressurised vessel and tested their palate. I can't find anything that refutes that at the moment.

 

[markis10]

I suppose the real issue is how do you test it?? I am not arguing the toss either way, but would put a chef in front of a journalist for credence when it came to matters of taste re food.

 

[Warks]

I saw the Heston show which investigated it reasonably scientifically (not enough replication for my liking) and it made sense. I can't think of the reason now but they did come up with a 'cure' which wasn't too practical.




I'd go along if it were actually Heston Blumenthal with some of his weird and wacky things to try though!