Concorde’s incredible menu revealed
Concorde’s amazing cuisine
The 2.5 million passengers who flew on Concorde’s commercial flights between 1976 and 2003 dined at twice the speed of sound, travelling faster than a bullet. And while airline meals date as far back as 1919, none have matched Concorde’s for sheer lavishness or achieved quite the same wow factor – Concorde offered the only opportunity to eat at the edge of space, which made the food literally out of this world.
What passengers could expect
Concorde cabins were small. Initially modestly decorated, as the New York route became popular (flying from Europe to New York took half the time on Concorde as it did on a regular jet) the clientele became richer, the cabins more luxurious and the food more indulgent. Menus included canapés, at least three courses of sumptuous food, high-end cocktails and an impressive wine list. Vintage champagne for brunch and heaps of caviar was the norm.
Concorde’s cuisine
What made Concorde stand out from other planes apart from its incredible speed (it reached up to Mach 2.04, which is very fast) was the level of luxury and attentiveness. Paying passengers were treated to fine foods such as Angus beef, Scottish smoked salmon, caviar, lobster, guinea fowl, truffles, foie gras and champagne. The cuisine was largely French or English and the meals 3–6 courses long, which meant passengers spent most of their time onboard eating.
Concorde’s first commercial flight menu
Concorde began flying in 1969 but the first passenger flights took place on 21 January 1976. Two planes took off simultaneously: a British Airways flight flew from London to Bahrain, and an Air France from Paris to Rio de Janeiro via Senegal. The menu on the British Airways Concorde included Dom Pérignon champagne, lobster and caviar canapés, fillet steak, palm heart salad with roquefort dressing and fresh strawberries with cream.
Celebrity chefs were involved
The highly-regarded French chef, Paul Bocuse, who was responsible for pioneering nouvelle cuisine, created the menu that featured on Concorde’s maiden flight in 1969.
Michelin-starred meals
Towards the end of Concorde’s reign in the sky, renowned Michelin-starred chefs Michel Roux, Richard Corrigan, Shaun Hill and Vineet Bhatia all contributed to British Airways Concorde’s in-flight menus.
Favourite dishes
According to a 2003 article in The Caterer, during these chefs' tenures some of the most-loved dishes on Concorde’s were Michel Roux’s lobster on tabbouleh, Shaun Hill’s coulibiac of ocean trout with shellfish, dill and mustard mayo, and Vineet Bhatia’s cardamom mousse with caramelised nuts. In line with trends of the time, the food was light and diverse.
The Concorde Cellar
In a 2003 menu the Concorde Cellar was described as ‘a unique collection of wines, specially chosen for Concorde, from some of the finest vineyards’. Much of the wine was purchased years previously and stored in Concorde’s cellar until ripe for consumption. A red, white, champagne and port were selected for each flight and passengers could also sup on vintage champagne, claret, whisky, cocktails and liqueurs. The cost? It was all included in the price.
Very special tableware
Royal Doulton, Conran and Nachtmann were some of the esteemed companies that designed quality fine bone china, silver plated cutlery and crystalline glassware for British Airways Concorde flights. Air France treated its guests to tableware of a similarly high standard, including collectable Raymond Loewy cutlery that – legend has it – Andy Warhol used to pilfer from the planes.
Extras
Smoking started being phased out on flights in the late 1980s and was finally banned from Concorde in 1997, but in the early days of Concorde guests could not only smoke cigarettes but were offered Havana cigars.
Gifts
All passengers were given Concorde-related gifts to mark the unique occasion of flying on a supersonic plane. Souvenirs included Wedgwood paperweights and circular trays, Smythson of Bond Street notebooks, silver photo frames, letter openers, leather drinks coasters, hip flasks, leather bags, Concorde prints and flight certificates.
About the menus
Although Air France and British Airways ran different operations, and the dishes on each airline’s menus differed to some degree, the food was largely French cuisine, with some English classics such as game pie and a full English breakfast. Menus from both airlines were usually written in French and English.
The menu designs
While British Airways menu designs were mainly chic but simple, Air France menus were often intricately illustrated with images of hot air balloons, French characters and stylised planes – as this 2003 Paris–NYC menu shows – while in 1998 the famous French fashion designer Christian Lacroix created five different designs for a limited edition menu for Air France Concorde.
Menus and memorabilia are now collectors’ items
While some passengers would claim that flying on Concorde was like attending a beautiful wedding – you remember the event but not the food – others disagree. Concorde menus can sell on eBay for hundreds and even thousands of pounds. According to eBay seller tartman69, a rare Air France Around the World Flight menu (dated from 2000) sold for around £3,000 ($4,000). Gifts and tableware are still popular, too – the set pictured was auctioned off at Christie’s.
A typical 1970s menu
Concorde passengers flying from Bahrain to London in January 1976 were treated to caviar and smoked salmon canapés, cold breast of chicken with foie gras, asparagus spears and oranges poached in Grand Marnier.
The inaugural LHR–JFK menu
On 22 November 1977, British Airways' inaugural flight from London Heathrow to New York’s JFK was such an event that menus from the flight now fetch more than £1,000 ($1,400) on online auction sites. That day lunch consisted of canapés with barquettes of caviar; a choice of dressed crab, saddle of English lamb, chicken breast, or veal medallions with vegetables; forestiere salad; strawberry vacherin; and coffee with liqueurs and Jamaican Macanudo cigars.
A typical 1980s menu: outward journey
On a 1982 British Airways London–Washington flight, which took a mere 4 hours and 5 minutes (a few minutes more than the flight to New York), the menu boasted champagne, a 1979 Chablis and a range of high-end liqueurs; canapés of galantine of chicken, caviar and smoked salmon; and poached fresh crawfish garnished with a lobster claw. And that was just for starters.
A typical 1980s menu: outward journey
The mains consisted of a choice of pan-fried veal steak, fillet of turbot with lobster sauce, or venison steaklets with three types of vegetables, followed by a salad. A selection of English and French cheese and a dessert of woodland berries and cream was next, then coffee, cakes and homemade chocolates concluded the meal.
A typical 1980s menu: return journey
The return journey from Washington to London was more of the same decadent fare. As well as copious libations there were canapés of caviar, goose liver pate and shrimp, and smoked salmon with crab legs.
A typical 1980s menu: return journey
Next was a choice of prime fillet of beef with sautéed chantarelles, an English style game pie, or trout Cleopatra and vegetables. The menu also offered a selection of French and English cheeses, strawberries Romanoff and coffee with chocolate mint crisps.
A typical 1990s menu
In the 1990s Concorde continued to be synonymous with the high life. On an Air France Concorde flight in 1992 passengers ate the best food money can buy – caviar and lobster salad with truffles then guinea fowl in champagne sauce, washed down with Cristal champagne.
A typical 2000s brunch menu
A brunch menu from Concorde’s final year included an appetiser of pineapple carpaccio with summer berries. Passengers could then choose from a full English breakfast, medallions of beef with black truffle sauce, an open lasagne or a poached salmon terrine. Dessert was a baked pear with prunes in Armagnac crème Anglaise, or cheese. Bread rolls, pastries and coffee were also available. If the menu proved too much guests could have a sandwich.
Gateau Concorde
Created by celebrated French chef Gaston Lenôtre to commemorate the launch of Concorde in 1969, gateau Concorde is a decadent dessert made from chocolate mousse and chocolate meringue. According to Edd Kimber, whose recipe you can try here, it’s easier to make than it looks.
Concorde’s final flight
The 24th October 2003 marked the end of an era when Concorde flew for the last time. Flight BA002 took passengers including actress Joan Collins and Sir David Frost from New York to London. Aviation aficionados can buy the classy silver menu from that final journey – it’s currently available to buy on Ebay for around £2,000 ($2,700).
Concorde’s last meal
The Supersonic Champagne Breakfast started with three vintage champagnes and Scottish smoked salmon with caviar. Then came options including a mixed grill of pancetta-wrapped prime fillet of beef, lamb cutlets, lobster fishcakes with bloody mary relish, a wild mushroom and truffle omelette and Greek yoghurt with fruit. A buttermilk pannacotta dessert and cheese finished the meal.
Where to see Concorde today
While the days when people could sip champagne at the edge of space are over it’s still possible to see Concorde. There are a few places that house the planes, including Aerospace Bristol, the National Museum of Flight in Scotland, the Intrepid Museum in New York and the Museum of Flight in Seattle.
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