At Toronto Pearson International Airport, as elsewhere in the country and around the world, this is largely thanks to Gate Gourmet.
“North America is our largest market, followed by Europe. »
– A quote from Mike Arnot, spokesman for Gate Gourmet
Gate Gourmet is the world leader in inflight catering, says company spokesman Mike Arnot. What we do here in Toronto, he says, is we prepare food for passengers on all types of airlines.
Mike Arnot is the spokesman for the global company Gate Gourmet.
Photo: Radio Canada / Anne-Marie Trickey
Gate Gourmet has more than 200 kitchens around the world, nine of them in Canada. Toronto’s kitchen is the largest in the country, spanning 2,500 square feet and operating 24 hours a day.
“The idea is that food is part of the flight experience. In economy class there is not always sushi and caviar, but in business class there is good food. »
– A quote from Mike Arnot, spokesman for Gate Gourmet
Gate Gourmet’s Toronto team cooks approximately 20,000 meals a day, which are distributed over 250 flights to all four corners of the world. In total, the company serves nine global and domestic airlines that depart from Pearson International Airport.
“It’s an orchestra of receiving vegetables and meat, cleaning them, preparing them, cooking them, and then assembling them by our 700 employees here in Toronto,” adds Mr. Arnot.
At Toronto Pearson International Airport, Gate Gourmet serves nine global and domestic airlines that depart from Pearson International Airport.
Photo: Radio Canada / Anne-Marie Trickey
The prepared meals are then delivered to the designated aircraft at a constant temperature of 4 degrees Celsius.
Meals are warmed up on the plane and presented to travelers for consumption at 10,500 meters above sea level.
Food design that is out of the ordinary
The development of new meals is just as well thought out as the preparation and delivery of meals on the plane.
Chef Molly Brandt creates a variety of airline meals that are then served on planes.
Photo: Radio Canada / Anne-Marie Trickey
Airlines looking to change their menus should contact Molly Brandt, chief innovation officer for North America at Gategroup, parent company Gate Gourmet.
My job is to create and present a haute couture collection for the customer. “I hope that the company likes my creation and then I entrust it to our chefs, who transform it into ready-made products,” explains the chef.
Although she has no restrictions, Molly Brandt still has to be mindful of the environment in which the food is served: that is, on the plane, 10,500 meters in the air.
A traditional cauliflower steak prepared by Gategroup’s Molly Brandt.
Photo: Radio Canada / Anne-Marie Trickey
“Flying is extremely dry and all moisture is sucked out. I try to incorporate foods that naturally have a high water content, such as tomatoes or cucumbers. »
– A quote from Molly Brandt, Chief Innovation Officer for North America, Gategroup
We lose about 30% of our taste buds when we’re in the air, especially when it comes to sodium, she says.
A golden beet tartare prepared by Gategroup’s Molly Brandt.
Photo: Radio Canada / Anne-Marie Trickey
Molly Brandt’s goal is therefore to design meals with complete flavor profiles that encompass all tastes: salty, sour, sweet, umami and bitter.
“We don’t just think of the airlines as customers, but also of the passengers and of the destination, and in particular how the food is consumed in the air. »
– A quote from Molly Brandt, Chief Innovation Officer for North America, Gategroup
It is therefore a special creative process, which in many cases can take more than a year, according to the innovative chef.
Chef Molly Brandt prepares five meals that she has offered to various airlines.
Photo: Radio Canada / Gabriel Garon
“I want people to remember that everything was thought out beforehand,” she says. It is a long-term task that requires a lot of research.
So next time you’re grabbing a meal on a plane, Molly Brandt urges you to remember that nothing is left to chance.