Aerowisata makes flight more enjoyable with food

Aerowisata makes flight more enjoyable with food

By Christiani S.A. Tumelap

JAKARTA (JP): Flying high in the sky is not only about getting
to destinations quickly and safely, but also enjoying the meals
served by the airlines.

PT Aerowisata Catering Service, the sole supplier of meals to
domestic and international airlines flying within, to and from
Indonesia, has a story to tell about how they prepare the meals.

First of all, variation in food makes travel more enjoyable,
according to company general manager Bambang Soerachim.

"We keep changing the meals. The menu for Garauda's flight
from Jakarta to Surabaya changes every 10 days. Some
international airlines change it every season," he said.

The company also accepts special requests, like vegetarian
meals for Hindu people and vegetarians, salt-free meals for
diabetic patients, as well as children's meals.

"We also prepare special meals for free, except for birthdays
or other celebration purposes, provided that they were ordered by
the time the passengers do the bookings," he said.

During the Islamic fasting month of Ramadhan, he said, meals
for domestic airlines are packed in boxes so that passengers who
are fasting can take the boxes with them after landing.

ACS, a subsidiary of the state-owned flag carrier Garuda
Indonesia Airways, started operation in 1981.

It now serves about 35 domestic and international airlines,
including Aeroflot, Cathay Pacific, China Airlines, Continental,
EVA Air, Garuda Indonesia, Gatari, Japan Airlines, KLM, Merpati,
Qantas, Saudia Airlines, Sempati Air and Singapore Airlines, as
well as charter flights, Presidential and VVIP flights.

ACS makes about 6,000 meals for breakfast, 4,000 meals for
snacks and between 9,000 and 11,000 meals for lunch and dinner a
day for domestic economy class flights, Bambang said.

It currently operates three huge kitchens at the Jakarta,
Surabaya and Denpasar airports.

The company recruits international chefs to maintain quality.

Executive chef Peter Cole of the United States took The
Jakarta Post around the company's huge kitchen at Soekarno-Hatta
airport and explained the process of preparing the in-flight
foods.

Cleanliness and taste are very important in the in-flight
catering business, he said.

"We have representatives from each of our foreign airline
customers coming to check the procedures in the preparation of
the foods here almost every week."

Passengers, he said, got angry if they found a worm in their
salad or a tiny stone or strand of hair in their rice, he said.

"Cases like that have sometimes occurred, even though we have
washed everything thoroughly," he said.

The foodstuff was supplied by local and overseas companies, he
said. According to Bambang, there were about 20 local suppliers,
including cooperatives.

Foreign airlines usually requested food made of imported raw
material.

All imported materials are of duty-free products. Meats are
imported from the United States and Australia, while dairy
products are bought from Australia and New Zealand, he said.

"But vegetables, chocolates and fruits are mostly supplied by
local producers," Cole added.

To keep all the materials fresh, the kitchen's temperature is
kept between five Celsius and 20 Celsius degrees, he said. At the
aircraft, the food is stored at a temperature of less than 10
Celsius degrees.

"We make around 24,000 meals every day. In the fasting month,
the meals are down to between 22,000 and 23,000 a day," he said.
"And we cook halal foods only," he added.

ACS needs between 4,000 kilograms and 5,500 kilograms of
meats, 1,500 kilograms of chickens, 600 kilograms of vegetables,
600 to 800 kilograms of fruits, as well as 24,000 kilograms of
eggs a day.

Many kinds of snacks are prepared every day. Among them are
between 8,000 and 12,000 sandwiches, 3,500 lumpias (Chinese
dumplings with bamboo-shoot, carrots and meats) and about 20,000
pastries, including rolls, Danish pastries and puffs.