Cajun-spiced cheese with zucchini steak, mutter pulao with mutton bhuna masala, Awadhi paneer, chicken-pan seared in a Japanese marinade are the names of the delicacies which one expects to be part of an exquisite fine dining restaurant. No it is not. This is what Vistara, the joint venture between Tata Sons and Singapore Airlines, promises to its patrons, ensuring a new-age culinary experience of flying.
TajSats, the catering company co-owned by the Taj Hotels, which supplies food items to Vistara recently organised a food tasting event which included an in-flight simulation for a select group of invitees at the company’s premises in IGI Airport Complex.
Highlighting the difference in flying on Vistara, Giam Ming Toh, the Chief Commercial Officer said, “Flying part is almost the same with every airline but then the whole experience boils down to what you are served on board and how personalised is your experience. With Vistara our guests are not just seat numbers they are people whom we happily serve and meet their individual requirements.”
Presiding over the seven-course meal, Toh said, “Our food philosophy is all about creativity. It has to be contemporary yet Indian, nourishing and healthy and the most important it has to be personalised. If customers have dietary requirements due to religious or other reasons we serve them special meal as per their request.”
Explaining the care taken while preparing the menu, Toh said a person flying to Mumbai for business in the morning gets a light meal while at night he is served a lavish dinner. Also, frequent flyers will not get a chance to complain as the menu is constantly refreshed.
Chef Arun Batra, Executive Chef, TajSats, who was hosting the chef’s table was asked about the varied taste palette of the flyers.
“Since right now Vistara is only flying to domestic locations, we have made the food little spicy which very much suits the Indian taste buds. Besides, we also have a laboratory in Singapore where in-flight simulation is created and professional food tasters painstakingly decide the quality of food.”
The array of in-flight food is not limited to those travelling business class. “We serve all our customers with the same attention to detail. Our aim is to serve the Indian customers with ‘affordable luxury’,” explained Toh. “No other airline serves sea food and Japanese food option to the economy class, we do!”
The banquet ended with thandai kulfi which is also served on board. Cool!
