Is gastronomy still a priority for Air France in all classes?
Carole Peytavin - France has a rich and world-renowned gastronomic heritage. Air France customers therefore have very high expectations of the quality of our catering offer. It is a major component of the product that the airline wishes to offer its customers, whatever class they travel in. The airline cultivates this "French art of entertaining" by paying attention to every detail of the quality of its products and tableware.
Does the company help to preserve certain tastes?
C. P. - Air France wants to be one of the ambassadors of French culinary tradition throughout the world. We have entered into a partnership with the Servair Culinary Studio and its three exceptional chefs, Joël Robuchon, Guy Martin and Jacques Le Divellec. In La Première class, this translates into a menu that resembles a gourmet restaurant. The ambition is to offer an exceptional table combining the tradition of the great French classics with more modern cuisine. On board, the personalised service makes customers feel like guests at a large table: they choose the dishes when they wish, with the main course prepared by the crew in the same way as maitres d'hôtel in top restaurants. Reception and service are provided by more than 1,500 hostesses and stewards trained in the codes of the luxury hotel industry.
And in business class?
C. P. - Air France also wants to offer a genuine "French-style" lunch or dinner combining flavour, freshness and discovery. The menus are renewed every ten days and focus on diversity, original recipes and top-of-the-range services. The refined and original cuisine is prepared by Servair's chefs, and some dishes will soon be created by leading names in French catering. The offer also adapts to the pace of our customers, in particular with an "on the go" menu.
Is the gastronomic offer in lounges just as important?
C. P. - In the La Première lounge at Paris-CDG, customers can discover a food and wine menu created by chef Alain Ducasse. Whether they are departing or connecting, they can choose between a wide and varied buffet at any time of the day or breakfast, lunch or dinner served at the table as in a restaurant. In our Business lounges, catering is a key element in customer satisfaction, and we have invested to expand our offer. At Paris-CDG, Air France offers the "essentials" of French gastronomy: bread, cheese and pastries as well as a wide range of drinks, champagne and wines from the Air France cellar.
