Singapore Airlines renewed its “Kyo Kaiseki” in-flight menu for first class on January 6. The menu, created by Yoshihiro Murata of Kyoto’s long-established ryotei restaurant Kikunoi, has already been introduced on the Tokyo-Singapore and Tokyo-Los Angeles routes, and can be enjoyed in the sky.
Murata says, “Our goal is to make the best use of flavor in our in-flight meals so that people want to eat more of it.
Mr. Murata, who has been producing in-flight meals for Singapore Airlines for over 20 years, says of the new menu, “It is a very traditional course.
Mr. Murata, who was selected as the first chef to be awarded the Cultural Merit for his efforts to promote Japanese cuisine to the world and to help pave the way for its registration as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage, said, “As Japanese food becomes a global cuisine, more and more people want to eat authentic Japanese food. We have taken traditional kaiseki cuisine, which is firmly rooted in Japanese culture, and served it for the first time in 10 years with newly decorated tableware to provide a total experience of taste and beauty,” he said.
He added, “Singapore Airlines was the first to start pursuing delicious in-flight meals. Airlines around the world followed suit, and here we are today. We were able to be involved in this evolutionary process from the very beginning, and we have been able to do a very significant job in society,” he recalled.
Regarding the development of in-flight meals, he said, “In the air, both the sense of taste and smell are very dull. If the taste of the food is not clear and the passengers do not know what they are eating, they may not eat the food. …… We are conscious of the appetizing appearance of our food, and we also try to make use of umami instead of salt so that people can fully taste the food and want more! We aim to create dishes that make people want to eat more!
Mr. Katsunori Hoshi, Japanese cuisine chef and head of the Culinary Department of Cosmo Corporation, who has worked with Mr. Murata for more than 20 years to create in-flight meals, also took the stage. Mr. Hoshi said, “The taste of in-flight meals has improved dramatically thanks to the dashi soup stock. Mr. Murata taught me how to make dashi soup stock scientifically, including temperature and time, and the basics of cooking. I have incorporated various ideas for dashi, including vegetable dashi and vegetarian cuisine,” he said.
The presentation also introduces the innovations that flight attendants use in serving the food. They pay attention to the display so that they can serve the food correctly, and the package is designed with a display that leads to speedy and beautiful completion of the dish.
Betty Wong, Singapore Airlines’ Divisional Vice President of In-flight Service & Design, who oversees all aspects of the airline, including in-flight service and lounges, said, “The Japanese market is very important. We have taken into account the voices of our actual customers in the development of our products. We hope you will enjoy the best first class experience with our new concept of first class Kyo Kaiseki.
© Source travel watch