United Airlines Is Hoping Its New Airline-Food Cookbook Will Take Off

Airline food may have a bad reputation, but United Airlines is hoping to help it soar. The company has published a new cookbook featuring more than 40 recipes from its executive chefs as well as chefs from the acclaimed Trotter Project.

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No, the cookbook isn't simply a list of foods such as the shelled peanuts or bagged pretzels we coach passengers consider ourselves lucky to get. "Polaris" is the airline's business-class service, and the United Polaris Cookbook is a collection of recipes inspired by that class of service and its onboard dining experience. One displayed recipe is for coconut soup with sambal oelek chicken, which we've certainly never been served back in economy class.

A portion of the proceeds from cookbook sales will be donated to The Trotter Project, which works to help inspire and develop the next great generation of culinary professionals. Chefs from the project helped prepare the book. The project was founded in memory of legendary Chicago chef Charlie Trotter, who died of a stroke in 2013 when he was just 54.

United is the official airline of The Trotter Project, and project-affiliated chefs work in an ongoing collaboration with the airline's own chefs.

The United Polaris Cookbook is for sale for $29.99 in the online United Airlines shop. And if you're a frequent flyer, stay away from the unhealthiest airplane snacks.