Inflight meals are often a hot topic for travelers across the globe. Whether you love or hate them, they often are a critical factor when judging an airline. Embracing his love of plane food, a vlogger and airline enthusiast has created a buzz online with his recreation of meals served by some of the world’s most famous carriers.
Familiar territory
Flying has been part of Nik’s life since he was a child. He shares that he was just five months old when he first sat on a plane. The avgeek grew up between Austria and Thailand because his dad worked for a multinational company. So, every holiday and long weekend, the family would hop on a plane to go to Bangkok. Therefore, Nik spent much of his childhood in the air. For hims, the aircraft is somewhere where he’s extremely comfortable.
However, the pandemic forced Nik to stay grounded at his home in Glasgow. He was initially frustrated about not being to fly and tried to ignore the aviation world amid the challenging times. However, he soon turned the anxious energy into something creative. Thus, he started to recreate airline food and share his innovations on Instagram.
The food chain
Nik has always been fascinated with plane food. He is no stranger to covering this aspect in his vlogs over the years. Nonetheless, at the turn of the year, he was inspired to take this interest to the next level.
“Food always plays a big part in my videos. Not just in terms of taste, because obviously plane food is plane food. It can only be so good. You can't compare plane food with food in a restaurant because you're sitting in a metal tube up in the air, and it's like comparing apples and oranges. But, what fascinates me is how food is presented on a plane, whether it's economy class or business class,” Nik told Simple Flying.
Stay informed: Sign up for our daily and weekly aviation news digests.
“All the work that goes into plane food interests me as well. The fact that someone somewhere would have specifically designed that meal. It has also been taste-tested, and a panel has had to approve it. Then that particular recipe is then distributed to all these kitchens wherever the airline flies to, and then they all make that meal according to that briefing.
“It's made in a way where it gets chilled, packed away, put on the trolley, transported to the plane, and then that gets stored in the galley. Then a flight attendant has to reheat it, and it gets plated according to instructions before it gets to your tray table. There's so much work that goes into it, and it's mind-blowing. The meal you get on the plane is no coincidence.”
Flying the flag
Nik also highlights that plane food has a wider role in representing the country that an airline is based in. He shares that this trait goes back to the responsibility of a flag carrier, which is why he’s extra passionate about Austrian Airlines and the operator's food.
Altogether, these food experiments are just part of Nik’s wider love for aviation. His SOPLANE brand also designs vibrant flying-related merchandise, including sweatshirts and t-shirts.
Conditions are slowly improving for Nik to return to the skies after a long time away. However, until then, he will be busy cooking up delights in his kitchen.
What are your thoughts about these recreations? How have you been keeping busy during the lockdowns over the last year and a half? Share your thoughts with us in the comment section.