Why food tastes different at 40,000 feet

At cruising altitude the cabin is a hostile place for flavour. Pressurisation and humidity below fifteen percent numb the palate, muting salt and sweetness by as much as a third while leaving sour, bitter and umami largely intact. A dish that sings on the ground can arrive flat at the pass.

Re-balancing the plate

We compensate deliberately rather than simply over-seasoning. Brighter acidity, a little more umami, considered fat and aromatic lift all carry through the dry air, and textures are built to survive a galley reheat without collapsing.

Every menu is tested the way it will be served: chilled, held, and regenerated on board. What leaves our kitchen is engineered for the cabin, not the tasting bench, so the last course tastes as deliberate as the first.