VistaJet gives private jet passengers the opportunity to eat ultra-personalised gourmet cuisine, prepped by some of the world’s best chefs. Jenny Southan reports
Leading private aviation company VistaJet is redefining in-flight gastronomy with seasonal menus and Michelin-starred chef partnerships with the likes of Nobu Matsuhisa, Angelo Aglianó and Alex Dilling.
Curious to learn more about VistaJet’s new Private Dining experiences, Globetrender travelled to Farnborough airport outside of London to have dinner on a state-of-the-art Global 7500, which was parked on the tarmac. (We didn’t fly as it would have caused unnecessary pollution.)
On this occasion, we were being cooked for by Michelin-star chef Alex Dilling, who heads up the Alex Dilling modern French gastronomic restaurant at Hotel Café Royal in London.
Diego Sabino, vice-president of private dining at VistaJet, is a chef himself but also manages a team of 29 people who are dedicated to managing the in-flight catering experience. He says: “We have been on a journey to transform the private dining experience in the air – to make it something to savour.
“Simple things, big flavours and the best ingredients prepared and cooked to perfection will always travel well. We have explored the art and science of dining, so our members can cherish time together on board, with the right taste, whatever the occasion.”
Tapping into the trend for Hyper Personalisation (a term coined by Globetrender), VistaJet asks every passenger what food they would like to eat before they fly and designs a bespoke menu for them.
This is all managed via a dedicated app. Food must be ordered at least 24 hours in advance but VistaJet suggests 48 hours to ensure they can source everything. What’s more, almost no demand is too outlandish.
These days, many customers are much more health conscious so won’t want an elaborate, rich, multi-course meal unless it is a special occasion. In many cases, they will want to consume what they eat at home, to help them maintain their routine and diet.
Sabino tells Globetrender: “Your time doesn’t stop when you’re on one of our planes. We ask people what they need to eat to be at their best. Today, people want to live forever and they know what they need to eat to live forever.”
He adds: “The key to success has been asking what our customers want. Six years ago, we had 32 planes – now we have 360.”
Stepping on board the Bombardier Global 7500 plane, I immediately see this is a slender but beautifully appointed plane. It has an incredible range allowing it to fly 17 hours nonstop – that means you could charter it to go from London to Australia or Antarctica, if you wanted to.
Up to 14 people can be accommodated for a meal (single seats swivel and tables can slide out to create a more convivial set-up). There is also a lounge with a sofa and a TV, a bedroom, and a washroom at the back.
For families travelling with kids, it’s reassuring to know that all crew have prestigious Norland nanny training in England. On this plane, there is also a crew rest area for them to sleep, which again, is often not available.
VistaJet’s partner chefs have been recruited to reformulate some of the iconic dishes that they serve in their restaurants, as well as create exclusive meals that taste great on a private jet, where the air can be dryer and the pressure can affect your senses.
Working with over 100 of the most sought-after private chefs and Michelin-starred restaurants, VistaJet’s partners range from Nuhma Tuazon in New York and Zeffirino in Genoa; to Ivan Alvarez at the Ithaafushi – the Private Island, Maldives, and the Origin Grill at the Shangri-La in Singapore.
Sourcing specific ingredients can take a full day, while up to six hours might be needed to take food from the kitchen to the aircraft. Menus are finalised at least 24 hours before departure to ensure sourcing and preparation standards.
The meals are couriered to the departure airport in refrigerated vehicles and loaded onto the jet around 90 minutes before departure. In the air, the VistaJet cabin host will finish cooking the food before it is expertly presented and served to passengers.
Our VistaJet experience began at the lounge in Farnborough airport, where we were served champagne and plates of delectable fresh canapes by specialist English caterer Bon Soirée.
On the side were two of the most moreish, crusty bread rolls I have ever tasted – one was filled with caramelised onions. There were also very pleasing soap-shaped bars of butter, monogrammed with Alex Dilling’s initials. (A very nice touch – and just soft enough to effortlessly spread.)
Of course, every effort can be made to curate a personalised wine list too but in this case, I was more than happy for VistaJet to make the selection.
VERDICT:
To deliver the world’s best gourmet cuisine in the sky – wherever you happen to be flying – is an unbelievable feat of ambition and logistics. This isn’t just really good airline food – this is the best of the best, tailored to every person in the cabin, whatever their preferences and requirements. Who said money can’t buy happiness?