US Airways - March 2013 - (Page 65)

Sitting at your tray table, about to eat? Take a minute to consider how your meal got there. ➺ Order Up! ➺ By Tara Titcombe | Photos by christopher Barr T he first step in creating your inflight meal is procuring the freshest ingredients possible. And getting the food selected, prepared, and tasty involves a round-the-clock process. In the Kitchen We toured the LSG Sky Chefs kitchen in Phoenix to see the process in action. The 30,000-squarefoot facility is kept at a chilly 40 degrees to keep food fresh for as long as possible. A crew of workers bundled in snow pants, hats, and down jackets carry crates of grapes, boxes of lettuce, and baskets of rolls. But as with most any meal, the kitchen must first know how many will be eating. “The kitchens work with us to create a forecast for how many meals they will need,” explains Tim Donnally, manager of product planning and galley design. These forecasts must be accurate to avoid wasting food. “It’s easy to forecast on domestic First Class flights, because they’re mostly boarded to capacity. But on transatlantic flights, we must look at past records to forecast our need,” he adds. Those estimates have the Phoenix facility producing an average of 4,000 meals a day for US Airways. Meal preparation begins around 1 a.m. when the “prep group” of employees comes in to handle all the initial raw preparation — like slicing cucumbers and cutting small grape bundles. The second shift begins around 3 a.m. to work on plating the food. Every dish is arranged carefully for consistency of appearance. A sheet usairwaysmag.com march 2013 65 http://www.usairwaysmag.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of US Airways - March 2013

US Airways - March 2013
Table of Contents
CEO Letter
From the Editor
Did You Know?
Making It Happen
Hot Spots: Best Musical Pilgrimages
Hub Crawl: Denver Airport
Wine & Dine: Chef's Tables
Wine & Dine: Artisan Cheeses
Great Escapes: Cypress Inn
Adventure: Washington, DC by Bike
Great Escapes: The Gathering in Ireland
Adventure: Puerto Rico Golf
Charlotte EDC
Great Escapes: Barcelo Hotels and Resorts
Gear Up: The Smart Kitchen
Travel Feature: The Rome Less Traveled
US Airways Feature: Order Up!
Great Tastes: Phoenix Dining
From Philly, With Love
Route of Discovery: San Luis Obispo, California
Atlantic 10 Conference
Great Dates
Puzzles
Readers Resource Index
Your US Airways Guide
Video Entertainment
Audio Entertainment
U.S. and Caribbean Service Map
International Service Map
Airport Terminal Maps
US Airways Fleet/Customs & Immigration
Passenger Info/Contact US Airways
US Airways MarketPlace®
Window or Aisle?

US Airways - March 2013