When Concorde Launched In The '70s, Passengers Ate Better Than The President - Tasting Table

Concorde cut New York–Paris or New York–London travel time to just under three hours by flying at twice the speed of sound. The British Airways and Air France partnership positioned the jet as both fast and luxurious, with round-trip fares around $12,000 in its era. Dining matched the premium experience, recruiting Michelin-starred chefs including Paul Bocuse, Gaston Lenôtre, and later Michel Roux. Meals began with Scottish smoked salmon, crème fraîche, and caviar canapés, followed by options such as veal medallions, fillet steak, lamb, lobster tail, or guinea fowl. Desserts included strawberries and cream, gâteau Concorde, and French cheeses, with drinks featuring Dom Pérignon Champagne and curated wines from the Concorde cellar.

"The Concorde wasn't just fast, it was luxurious too, and came with the price tag to match: a round trip was $12,000 - about $70,000 today. On par with its luxurious atmosphere were its culinary offerings that put today's snacks to shame. The Anglo-French collab wanted to give passengers a dining experience on par with its sky-high flight level (twice the altitude of normal commercial flights). They recruited Michelin-starred chefs like Paul Bocuse, the father of nouvelle French cuisine, pastry chef Gaston Lenôtre, and in later years, Michel Roux (known for revolutionizing the culinary landscape in the UK with his brother Albert)."

"On the Concorde, mealtime would start with Scottish smoked salmon, crème fraîche, and caviar canapés followed by main courses like veal medallions, fillet steak, lamb, lobster tail, or guinea fowl. The dessert course was equally impressive: Strawberries and cream, a created just for in-flight diners called gâteau Concorde, or French cheeses. Drinks included Dom Perignon Champagne, red and white wines curated from the Concorde cellar (seriously), liqueurs, and after-dinner port. When it comes to airlines with the absolute best quality foods, Concorde was the stuff of legend."

"Concorde passengers really did eat better than the president. When Concorde started its commercial flights in 1976, Gerald Ford had just taken over after the ousting of Richard Nixon. The Michigan native favored Midwestern classics like apple Dutch babies, pot roast and red cabbage, and casseroles."

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