Your mission if you choose to accept it, Heston….
…is to make food taste good at 35,000 feet. Now that’s a daunting task, as even British Airways acknowledged when the wacky chef Heston Blumenthal asked if he could take up the challenge.
It’s "A Mission Impossible for British Airways and Heston Blumenthal" screamed its press release, which went on to explain that the innovative chef was attempting ‘to develop a meal that tastes as good in the air as it does on the ground’.
Hmm…why does airline food taste so bad? Is it the altitude, the cabin pressure, the shrink wrapped plastic trays? We’ve no idea but the slightly stale sandwiched box of watered down squash lobbed into your lap by some airlines would be inedible even at sea level.
However, Heston of Fat Duck fame took on the task of improving inflight cuisine as part of his new Channel 4 programme ‘Heston’s Mission Impossible’.
In the behind-the-scenes documentary, Heston worked with British Airways cabin crew members Jackie Simister and Simon Curley, as well as Steve Walpole, the airline’s development chef at their longhaul catering supplier, Gate Gourmet to develop a tasty airline meal.
Quite a challenge, we reckon, even for the man who has made meals out of ingredients even less savoury than those lurking beneath the lid of an airline dinner tray.
“Heston’s Mission Impossible” starts on Channel 4 on February 22 at 2100hrs.
By Linsey McNeill
Linsey McNeill
Editor Linsey McNeill has been writing about travel for more than three decades. Bylines include The Times, Telegraph, Observer, Guardian and Which? plus the South China Morning Post. She also shares insider tips on thetraveljournalist.co.uk
Vegas’s Billion-Dollar Secrets – What They Don’t Want Tourists to Know
Visit Florida’s New CEO Bryan Griffin Shares His Vision for State Tourism with Graham
Chicago’s Tourism Renaissance: Graham Interviews Kristin Reynolds of Choose Chicago
Graham Talks with Cassandra McCauley of MMGY NextFactor About the Latest Industry Research
Destination International’s Andreas Weissenborn: Research, Advocacy, and Destination Impact
Graham and Don Welsh Discuss the Success of Destinations International’s Annual Conference
Graham and CEO Andre Kiwitz on Ventura Travel’s UK Move and Recruitment for the Role
Brett Laiken and Graham Discuss Florida’s Tourism Momentum and Global Appeal
Graham and Elliot Ferguson on Positioning DC as a Cultural and Inclusive Global Destination
Graham Talks to Fraser Last About His England-to-Ireland Trek for Mental Health Awareness
Kathy Nelson Tells Graham About the Honour of Hosting the World Cup and Kansas City’s Future
Graham McKenzie on Sir Richie Richardson’s Dual Passion for Golf and His Homeland, Antigua
ADS PRO 
Qatar Airways offers flexible payment options for European travellers
Airlines suspend Madagascar services following unrest and army revolt
Digital Travel Reporter of the Mirror totally seduced by HotelPlanner AI Travel Agent
Phocuswright reveals the world's largest travel markets in volume in 2025
Strike action set to cause travel chaos at Brussels airports