Onboard Chefs: Which Airlines Have Them, What Do They Actually Do?

Long time pet peeve of mine is that they are not chefs they are cooks “onboard cooks” they reheat and plate pre prepared items, they didn’t create the recipes or design the menu, but I guess onboard cook is not as fashionable as chef!

I vividly remember you waxing lyrical on the Saudia chef and saying he had elevated the experience beyond what you’d expected, now it’s just marketing gimmick? What changed?

So it's fair to say the "chefs" just puts on a show for people who don't know better. They put on a costume, pretend like they're in a real kitchen, and maybe make the food more suitable for Instagram. For me, flourishes like that are just attempts to mask shortcomings elsewhere. Just give me my reheated leftovers and leave me to my movie.

Perhaps they should be called on-board platers.

That EgyptAir meal must be short haul business

Was flying Turkish J last year and struck up a conversation with two of the FAs about the onboard chefs. Interestingly, they said the chefs were not trained flight attendants. They receive some basic safety training, but aren't trained to evacuate aircraft, etc. Most of their training centers on creating the culinary experience for pax, service standards, etc.

The Austrian Airlines chef was entertaining on our flight. The food was definitely better than airline food average.

I believe the Austrian chefs actually work for Do&Co. They're not flight attendants. They obviously don't cook, but can do some customization. And they make the Viennese coffees.

One of the reasons that I like to fly with TK long-haul is that they have onboard chefs. Yes, it is a cool experience. And the quality of service and crew's attitude significantly differs when the chef is onboard compared to when there is "just" crew.
In the last two years the service has been comparable to that of SQ, at least that was my experience. The food in TK is also very good, but here I still prefer SQ, there is more variety.

So, lemme get this right.

The food is already cooked and perhaps catered by Do & Co. Then the "chef" plates it? This strikes me as no more a skilled activity than the non flight attendant "shower attendants" on Emirates's A380. I would expect that such personnel may not be subject to the same union contracts as they are mere "flight attendant helpers" but their labor may still be justified to assist the orderly flow of meals during busy meal times.

Not a fan of Erdogan, but I do enjoy how Turkish Airlines has chef’s wearing the chef’s hats on long-haul wide-body flights. Kinda cool.

If Cathay makes your eggs to order in First Class, can the cabin crew be considered a chef?! Hah

Does anyone else at least make eggs to order?

Here for all of the Vanderbilts and Rockefellers commenting about chefs, cooks, and platers in the galley.

The TK onboard chefs are employed by DO&CO and not by TK.

The time I flew Turkish business (Denver to IST) the onboard chef took my order at the beginning and I never saw him again for the remainder of the flight.

Honesty, the appetizers and desserts served form a cart impressed me more than an onboard chef I never saw.

I wonder if AA flights out of LHR will have a rat catcher instead of a chef?

Garuda Indonesia’s onboard chefs (if they still have those) used to also do QC for the catering loaded on board. I watched a YouTube video of a Garuda First Class flight from Tokyo where the chef told the reviewer that a nasi goreng dish was supposed to come with crackers, but he wasn’t satisfied with how Tokyo catering cooked it, so he didn’t serve it

There was also a review I read about a London-Jakarta GA Business flight where the onboard chef expressed an apology to the reviewer because the dessert “wasn’t colourful enough”. Which, wow?! I think the strawberries he requested were not up to standard, as well. It’s these little things that make a difference

I see Bens picking an old wound with that Egypt Air photo 😉
not much else to loose i’d say !

To lose? Or to loose?

We’re gonna need a bigger net

Oh hush!

Ugh, more filler content.

Here is a job listing for the Austrian onboard chef position, so confirmed that they work for Do&Co and not Austrian, and also are not FAs.

https://careers.doco.com/austria/en/job/744000099361021

Turkish Do&Co is a joint venture, so misleading to say they are employed by "Do&Co". They are employed by the joint venture.

What is the difference between "cooking" and "catering" to you?

But at least the person plating your food isn't also cleaning the bathroom mid flight.

AF-KLM increased the cash amout on award tickets significantly.

I want my chef to flambé my desert at 37000 feet.

Yeah they do the toilets after the desert course and before breakfast.

I just flew Hainain SEA-PEK. They had someone dressed as a chef, but not as much fanfare as on Turkish. Also, they handed out PJ’s (missing on the prior post’s list)

LOL... Whata way to 'go' !!

Hmmmm ... nutin' like fresh rat kill garnished with rodent turds, exquisitely prepared by an inflight exterminating crew ! ... Now imma hangry ...

So are they trained/certified in TK's emergency/safety procedures as well ?

But I'll bet the chef & his/her toque couldn't compare with the Singapore Girls, resplendent in their legendary Sarong Kebayas !..... lol

Garuda does it too.

So, I can't offer you any sorbet to cleanse your palate between multiple courses, sir ?
..lol...

Maybe so, but I'd imagine he/she still would have to do 'personal business' in the loo and I wonder if he/she would have the decency to wash his/her hands afterwards, as well !
Besides, I wouldn't wanna see what goes on in the galley as I wouldn't wanna be in any restaurant kitchen to see the multiple unsanitary/unhygenic practices that occur there !

I'll wager they have some safety training, but there’s no reason to expect they’d meet the same standards as the flight attendants, because that role is completely different.

If those families were still as rich as they were 150 years ago, they wouldn’t be flying commercial.

Absolutely Hugh, however, most of the ‘rats’ are returning to their breeding holes in the U.S. Travelling ‘Rodent Class’ in an AA ‘rat trap’ is the most suitable mode of conveyance for the proletariat.

Discerning passengers know better than to travel with the low cost U.S. carriers …. Yes? …. 🙂

Hell yes. Every time I get breakfast served on LH, the FA's make them to order. Is it just me or would others also like to get onions, lox, and scrambled eggs for breakfast?

Life is not perfect, but is made better with scratch breakfast and EU 261.

Hell yes. I have eggs made to order on every breakfast served by LH. Made by the FA doing galley duty. New Yawkers would appreciate my choice. First she sautes sliced onions, followed by cutting up sliced smoked salmon (lox to those in the know), and finished off with scrambled eggs. Nothing better for breakfast. Been doing that for a couple of years.

Don't need a chef for that! Been my experience that on long haul LH with FA's, they will often "customize" most meal offerings if you are nice and treat them with respect. Last year I noticed that another person flying FC couldn't choose which of four red wines offered he wanted. The purser came to him with a tray of four glasses and spent about ten minutes with him. Now that's just plain good service.

But did he serve you goose?

Onboard “chefs” are amazing.
The food they prepare & plate are better than what FAs can do.
Plus it streamlines the process - they prep & FAs serve.
Much faster & everyone gets to eat & sleep sooner.
Particularly on Saudia.

You don't need someone dressed as a chef to throw some noodres around. There is not much to that food.

I think someone from Darfur should be asked for their opinion.