Finnair To Offer Upscale Menu On Long-Distance Flights

Finnair has announced a cooperation with chefs from some of the country's leading restaurants to create Signature Menus that will be available in business class on long-haul flights from Helsinki beginning at the end of January 2015 through the spring of 2016.

Ari Ruoho from Nokka; Matti Jämsén from G.W. Sundmans; and Kari Aihinen from Savoy are the three chefs who will each be creating a menu as part of Finnair's Signature Menus. Additionally, as part of the collaboration, Finnair will also offer special menus next year to celebrate the arrival of the new Airbus A350 aircraft as well as at Christmas.

The cornerstones of the Signature Menus are the best seasonal ingredients, the chefs' inspiration, and experimentation with flavor combinations. The menus will rotate at approximately three-month intervals.

The first of the Signature Menus is designed by Matti Jämsén, executive head chef at G.W. Sundmans.  The wintry meal consists of delicacies such as whitefish, glazed pork cheek, and cod. Jämsén is Finland's representative in Bocuse d'Or, the most highly respected cooking competition in the world, with the final to be held in Lyon on 27–28 January 2015.

The Signature Menu by Kari Aihinen, executive chef de cuisine of Savoy, is inspired by summer, the Savoy roof garden, and bees. The menu, which will be served in spring 2015, includes ingredients such as asparagus, salad made from new potatoes, honey as a condiment, and grilled corn-fed chicken breast.

The menu for autumn 2015 is designed by Ari Ruoho, Head Chef at Nokka. The menu draws its inspiration from the harvest season and includes Jerusalem artichoke, northern pike eggs and pumpkin soup.

In winter 2016, it will be the turn of Fishmarket's Signature Menu, which, as one might expect, has a firm focus on fish.

The cooperation between Finnair and Royal Restaurants will also be visible on other Finnair flights. In Economy class on long-haul routes, Finnair will offer Finnish home meals designed by the chefs, such as minced meat and macaroni casserole, as well as lamb meatballs. The starters and main courses of Business class meals on European routes have also been influenced by the Signature Menus.

The Signature Menus will be complemented by a selection of wines specifically paired with them. The meals will be prepared by Finnair's catering partner LSG Sky Chefs.