The sheer pleasure of a great dining experience can be savoured long after the table has been cleared.
Restaurants all over the world trade on providing such experiences.
The health pandemic sweeping the world currently means that we can only dine out on our memories, temporarily.
So, wanting to avoid publishing yet another news story on the current health pandemic I cast my mind back…
Prior to working in hospitality I worked in technology, and one of those jobs entailed a lot of international travel.
Ignore some people who try and tell you that it’s no fun and all rather mundane, like most things in life, it’s what you make of it.
In the run up to Christmas I think it was 2006 or 7 the company I worked with was having a meeting at our New York head offices.
About a dozen or so were travelling from the London office and we had to choose to fly with either Virgin or British Airways. I chose British Airways and it proved to be a wise one.
The company was in the FTSE 100 and paid for Business Class travel, which was always a pleasure. A week or so before we travelled, I received an email to say I had been upgraded to first class.
I should point out at this stage that prior to working with the company I had always flown economy or standard, normal air travel.
If my introduction to travelling business class was pleasant, my introduction to trans-Atlantic first class was a revelation.
Depending on where you are flying, and with who, the differences between economy and business can be minimal. On UK short haul flights to Europe the difference was hardly noticeable.
Flying business class to the US the difference was always very noticeable.
Flying first class to New York with British Airways at that time, compared to business class was a totally different world.
First Class dining experiences – a world of difference
The difference started in the British Airways Departure Lounge at Heathrow, or to give it it’s proper name, The Concorde Lounge.
The sheer luxury was almost decadent, no, it was decadent. And the service was to match, nothing was too much trouble, and anything and everything was available to eat and drink, or so it seemed.
Most of the group had opted to travel with Virgin, and not received an upgrade. My one companion for the flight and I enjoyed a few pre flight drinks but saved eating for the Boeing 747 that awaited us on the tarmac.
When we arrived at the door of the 747 we turned left into the nose section of the plane. It was spacious, very spacious, as there were only 14 seats, or seating areas to be more accurate.
I was seated at the very back and as such had a perfect view of the entire cabin area, as well as numerous windows to peer out of.
You are greeted warmly, seen to your ‘area’ and handed the menu for the flight, and a glass of champagne, immediately.
There were at least four stewardesses to look after the guests, and looked after we certainly were. Not in a servile way, the stewardesses were far too experienced for that, in a courteous and comfortable way.
Once settled into my seat and sipping the champagne I started to contemplate the menu. Which even in this esoteric environment had a range of choices that were remarkable.
I opted for the tasting menu, and each course came with a recommended wine. The food was exquisite, and the wine pairings were aligned perfectly. The wines options were researched for taste at 30,000 feet.
First Class dining experiences – always best with a good helping of gratitude
I remember kicking back after the meal and looking out one of the windows thinking how fortunate I was to have been able to enjoy such an experience. I have found that gratitude, quiet reflective gratitude, always adds to these types of experiences. The privacy of the cabin allowed me to indulge in such reflections.
I settled down for a nap and was then served coffee about 30 minutes out from JFK.
On arrival I departed not from a flight, but one of my most memorable and enjoyable dining experiences. Thank you, British Airways.
The memory I still savour fondly, I never did it again, it was unique. But not for the food, for the wider dining experience.
First Class dining experiences are not always about the food.
We recently interviewed Richard Vines, Chief Food Critic at Bloomberg about his dining and other memorable experiences – A trip down memory lane to meet Nelson Mandela and dine at El Bulli with Richard Vines. A remarkable read.
A trip down memory lane to meet Nelson Mandela and dine at El Bulli with Richard VinesMuch of our social media coverage is about fine dining, you are more than welcome to get social with us on Facebook and twitter.