The Secrets Of Airplane Food

While some airlines are splurging for top chefs and decadent in-flight meals to attract customers, the reality is that most airline food tastes as good as the wing of the Boeing 747 would. While airline chefs readily admit the challenges and defeats of preparing in-flight meals, some recently shared their recommendations of what tastes best mid-air. Read on to learn what to order when the flight attendant stops at your row on your next flght. 

What Tastes Good:

• Stew: Fritz Gross, director of culinary excellence at LSG Sky Chefs Asia Pacific, says it's an easy meal to reheat and will consistently taste the same.

• Veggies, Fried Rice, and Fish: The challenge with most airline food isn't the preparation, but the serving — reheating can often be difficult during a flight, which means some meals are left out to dry. Surprisingly, these simply meals can retain their moisture when done right.

What Doesn't Taste Good:

• Pasta: The number of things that could go wrong with a pasta dish is endless. Gross says the pasta should be done al dente for it to taste OK, plus the amount of sauce (too much, too little) can ruin it.

• Deep-Fried Dishes and Chicken: They're difficult to reheat in a galley, and won't keep their moisture, says Gross. (Unless you're on an LSG flight in Asia — order the vaccuum-marinated sweet and sour pork, he says.)