Enjoy the seasonal delicacies of Shimane on board. Behind the scenes of how domestic first class in-flight meals are made

"The restaurants we ask to supervise (hereinafter referred to as supervising restaurants) are selected after collecting information from the internet and other sources, recommendations from external advisors, and the opinions of employees familiar with the target area. The in-flight service planning and development department then narrows down the candidates. The first contact with potential supervising restaurants is made over the phone. In-flight meals are subject to many constraints based on food safety and hygiene, mass cooking, operations, etc., and they also need to stay within budget, so it is almost impossible for the supervising restaurant to serve the same menu as it is in their restaurant on board. The supervising restaurant needs to come up with a menu from scratch to suit the constraints of in-flight meals, which is a big burden for them, so they rarely agree at the first contact point. For this reason, we then set up a meeting to explain the details to them in person or remotely, and if they are convinced, they will accept the offer. It is rare that they decline at this point," says Yoshida Kaori of the Product and Service Development Department.

"After going through this process, the supervising store is usually decided 4 to 5 months before the month in which the meal will be served on board. This continues every month, and we can't leave any gaps in the planning, so it's a constant state of tension," says Yoshida.

It has been decided that the menu for JAL's domestic first class in-flight meals in September will be supervised by Minamikan, a long-established Japanese restaurant and inn with a history of approximately 130 years. Founded in 1888 in Matsue City, Shimane Prefecture, Minamikan was beloved by many literati who visited Matsue during the Meiji, Taisho and Showa periods.

Matsue City in Shimane Prefecture is a castle town that is home to the national treasure Matsue Castle, and is a place where the food culture that has continued unbroken since the Edo period remains strong. On June 8, 2021, a menu proposal meeting was held at Minamikan, located in a corner of the charming streets. From JAL, representatives from the in-flight service planning and development department, the in-flight meal quality/operation management department, the cabin attendant department, the regional business department, and the San'in branch office participated, as well as chefs from TFK, an in-flight meal company based at Haneda Airport, who will be responsible for recreating the menus proposed by the supervising restaurants as in-flight meals.

In-flight meal proposal session vividly incorporating Shimane's food culture and history

"We were approached about a month before the proposal meeting. We had experience and knowledge, but we also looked for new ingredients and sought new ways of expressing ourselves. We placed particular importance on incorporating the thoughts of the producers and the local flavor into the menu. Shimane is blessed with nature. We feel like we have been given an opportunity to reassess the value of safe and secure local ingredients."

These are the words of Haruhide Sato, head chef at Minamikan. Three sets of in-flight meals will be served. Three trays will be lined up, using the same tableware used on actual aircraft.

Each dish features a well-balanced combination of meat and fish, and incorporates elements of Shimane Prefecture's food culture and history throughout.

In order to prevent the spread of COVID-19, seats in the large ballroom are spaced apart and partitions are installed. As a rule, tastings are conducted in silence, but large nods and smiles can be seen as each dish is sampled.

The menu, which uses an abundance of local ingredients and is visually beautiful and delicious, is the result of Chef Sato's knowledge and skill based on his experience. After the tasting, a discussion was held on how to recreate the in-flight meals.

"Will it be possible for the food supplier to secure enough of these locally produced ingredients for the meals that will be served on board in September? Also, what will be the form of delivery?"

"To recreate this flavor, we need to use locally produced seasonings as well. Could you introduce us to a source of supplies?"

"There are limitations to the presentation that can be made on board, so would it be okay if we arranged it this way?"

"On short flight routes, we don't have enough time to heat the food, so this menu will be served in a refrigerated state until the last moment. But can we still make the menu delicious by using the right ingredients and cooking methods?"

"Due to the cooking process at our in-flight meal factory, we may not be able to prepare the food exactly according to your recipe, but we will try to make the final product as close as possible to the menu you have proposed."

...In this way, we considered not only the taste and recipes, but also the availability of ingredients, the cooking process at the in-flight catering company, and the procedures that flight attendants follow when serving the meals to customers, in order to provide the best in-flight meals within the various constraints.

The stage is Tokyo. Three trays recreated for in-flight meals.

The recipes and the contents of the discussions were taken home by the chefs of TFK, who then spent about a month working on recreating them as in-flight meals. This work covers a wide range of issues, including securing the necessary ingredients, recreating the flavor, ensuring the hygiene requirements for in-flight meals, developing cooking processes that can be carried out in in-flight meal factories, considering presentation that can withstand in-flight meal use, and cost management.

On July 21, 2021, Chef Sato and others were invited to TFK at Haneda Airport to hold a meeting to confirm the menu that would be recreated as in-flight meals.

The menu lined up surprised Head Chef Sato, who said, "It's even more beautiful than when I first proposed it."

"Chef Sato proposed the menu after thoroughly understanding the target customers and the restrictions on in-flight meals, so we were able to complete an in-flight meal that was almost the same as the menu he proposed. We are now able to pass the baton to the flight attendants with the same feeling that Chef Sato put into the menu," said Koyanagi, who is in charge of Japanese cuisine at TFK.

At the confirmation meeting, Chef Sato and the representative of the supervising restaurant will taste the dish and comment on its appearance and taste. Once approved, they will decide whether to offer it as a supervised menu item.

JAL's unique in-flight meal creations further enhance the perfection of the meal

"The menu is filled with exquisite dishes that incorporate the abundant ingredients from Shimane Prefecture, which is surrounded by the Sea of Japan, Lake Shinji, and the Chugoku Mountains. Some dishes, such as "Extremely Kneaded Sesame Tofu" and "Okuizumo Pork with Mascarpone Sauce," can only be eaten by visiting Minamikan. I think you will be able to enjoy your in-flight meals while feeling like you are visiting Shimane." (Yoshida)

Yoshida, who was in charge of this project, is confident in the attention to detail that goes into the JAL domestic first class service. Looking back, he says that the menu he supervised included many ideas to make the in-flight meals even more delicious.

"For example, on the Itami route, due to flight time, the main dish cannot be heated, but on other routes it is heated. For this reason, we make efforts to ensure that the dish can be enjoyed regardless of the temperature at which it is served. Also, to ensure that the appearance of the food is not marred, we arrange the food in a way that can withstand the tilt of the plane during takeoff." (Yoshida)

Their commitment extends to the ingredients they use. In addition to proactively using ingredients from Shimane Prefecture, they also use cherry tomatoes grown in compliance with world-class agricultural production processes, and specially cultivated rice that is grown with great care by farmers who pay particular attention to soil preparation. After the meal, they offer tea and sweets from a long-established confectionery shop in Matsue, a place famous for Japanese sweets.

Many customers look forward to the in-flight meals during their flight. With the desire to "enjoy delicious food on board that is just as good as on the ground," each staff member in charge passes the baton to the next step, devising various processes to complete the meal. Thus, the baton was passed from the supervising restaurant to the in-flight meal company TFK, JAL's planning department, and flight attendants to begin cooking the September menu. The three carefully selected menus will be served on a rotating basis over 10 days, in the early, middle, and late months of the month.

Enjoy in-flight meals with seasonal flavors from all over Japan. Why not reminisce about your journey?

The reason we put so much effort into creating meals that allow you to enjoy the Japanese atmosphere is, of course, to provide a service that satisfies our passengers, but there is another reason. That is, we hope that by introducing the appeal of food from all over Japan, we can help revitalize local areas, however small our contribution may be. Why not savor our in-flight meals during your flight and think about new travel destinations you have yet to see?

Behind the Scenes at JAL

We'll take you behind the scenes of JAL's work, including inside stories on the introduction of the A350 and the development of in-flight meal menus.