This fall, food producer and "RED U-35" judge Fumiko Kono and a prize-winning chef from "RED U-35" oversaw the project under the theme of "In-flight meals to be left for the future." Together with Kundo Koyama, who organized the collaboration with JAL, we will explore the aim of the theme and the deliciousness of the dishes.
"Japanese" and "Western" cuisine prepared by two young and spirited chefs
Chef Tatsuya Noda, who works at the cutting-edge kitchen space "nôl" at the DDD HOTEL in Bakuro-cho, Tokyo, has created "Hamburg steak with teriyaki sauce made with bamboo charcoal and 16-grain rice." Although he is a French chef, his skills were recognized when he started working on Japanese cuisine. He incorporated the essence of "challenge."
Uemura: "We chose Chef Noda because he has a lot of experience abroad and is well versed in handling ingredients. He wanted to create a Japanese dish that also incorporated the essence of Western cuisine. It's neo-Japanese, so to speak. The bamboo charcoal sauce and sweet potato mash make it a colorful dish."
Yoshida: "While incorporating SDG elements into our in-flight meals, we also want them to be exciting. Of course the food has to be delicious, but Chef Noda always values food for the soul. When I heard that he had devised this menu with mental nourishment in mind, I was very happy as a planner. Furthermore, this time we have also added the essence of our challenge to in-flight meals, and the bamboo charcoal teriyaki sauce, which incorporates the flavor of charcoal grilling, is one of the recommended points."
Yoshida Kaori, who is in charge of planning and development at JAL's Product and Service Development Department, looks back on the project.
The sauce, which contains bamboo charcoal, is an eye-catching black color. While it may seem sharp in taste, it is actually a sweet and gentle teriyaki sauce that will make people of all ages smile, regardless of nationality. Since it is difficult to grill food over charcoal in the sky, we asked the chef to come up with a way to somehow impart that nuance to the sauce.
The juicy hamburg steak is accented with crispy onions. If you eat it with a fluffy half-boiled egg, you can enjoy it like an omelet rice. The sweet potato mash and sesame seeds on top are also excellent, creating an excellent balance of richness and sweetness.
Next up is "Spicy Chicken Over Rice." Chef Ogawa Nae has a global background. After working at "NARISAWA" in Tokyo, he went to the US and honed his skills at "Bouley." He then worked at "La bourse et la vie" in Paris before returning to the US. He knocked on the door of "Paris.Hawaii" in Hawaii and is currently the head chef at "natuRe waikiki," which claims to serve sustainable island French cuisine.
Uemura: "Chicken over rice was a dish that the chef had a special attachment to when he first went to train in New York."
Chef Ogawa not only uses local vegetables and ingredients, but also goes one step further and thinks about what he can do as a chef, thinking about the places where the ingredients are produced and the natural environment. To express his love for the global environment, he creates a Western-style plate that incorporates the cultures of various countries, with the vibrant yellow color of saffron rice making you gasp.
The chicken is carefully marinated with turmeric and cumin, and then grilled until it is tender and rich. Contrary to its appearance, it is not very spicy. Enjoy the fresh texture of the accompanying cabbage while savoring this global rice bowl style dish.
Yoshida: "The key point is the aroma when you open the top seal of the main dish, but we asked them to fine-tune the garlic flavor to take into consideration the impact it might have on the surrounding customers."
The three side dishes were prepared by the chief judge himself.
The last side dish was created by Fumiko Kono, a food producer and head judge of RED U-35 2022. As a talented chef who was also selected as part of JAL's in-flight meal dream team, the taste is guaranteed. Kono said, "I put my heart into this dish, wanting to share with as many people as possible the joy of eating and how it leads to our future happiness and well-being."
Orange Carrot Rapée
Green pasta salad
Corn panna cotta style
The basic recipe for "Carrot Rapée" does not involve cooking the carrots, but the "Orange Carrot Rapée" served at this RED à Table event is cooked just right to make it easy for people of all ages to eat. It does not have the hardness of raw carrots, but we paid particular attention to the degree of cooking and texture so that you can feel the freshness. We also added citrus fruits, which make the natural fruit sweetness and soft acidity easier to eat, and we thought that adding tuna would not only add animal protein but also make it more approachable for children.
As you can tell from the name "Green Pasta Salad," we use as much of the broccoli stem as possible to minimize waste as an ingredient. We were conscious of the idea that eating is not only delicious, but also leads to supporting the future of our food.
The last dish is "Corn Panna Cotta Style." Corn is widely consumed around the world, regardless of nationality, so we thought it would be a favorite among many passengers on international flights. It is a panna cotta-style version of the corn potage soup that is popular in Japan, but it is easy to eat for people of all ages, and we thought that the softness that melts in your mouth would make people happy.
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.
The contents published are accurate at the time of publication and are subject to change.
