How Emirates Makes 225,000 In-Flight Meals A Day

Summary

Emirates Flight Catering in Dubai, the world's largest catering facility, prepares 110 million in-flight meals annually for 55 million passengers. With 1,800 chefs crafting 1,300 monthly menus, they offer region-inspired meals for over 150 destinations. The facility operates 24/7, handling 3 million tableware pieces daily and utilizing a monorail system for efficient inventory movement. Specialized kitchens create cold and hot dishes, including desserts, ensuring quality and food safety with a UV-coded day system.

Takeaways

• 🌍 Emirates Flight Catering in Dubai is the world's largest catering facility, producing 110 million in-flight meals annually.
• 🍽️ In 2018 alone, Emirates passengers consumed 72 million bread rolls, 134,000 pounds of strawberries, 414 pounds of salmon, and over three million pounds of potatoes.
• 🕒 The facility operates 24/7 to cater to the airline's 55 million passengers and nearly 200,000 flights per year.
• 🍴 Dishes and trays are meticulously cleaned and handled, with an average of 3 million pieces of tableware processed daily.
• 🚄 A mile-and-a-half-long monorail system efficiently moves inventory throughout the facility.
• 🥪 The cold kitchen is where sandwiches and appetizers are prepared, with separate sections for first/business class and economy.
• 👨‍🍳 Emirates employs 1,800 chefs who develop 1,300 different menus monthly, inspired by the regions Emirates flies to.
• 🌐 Each meal is region-specific, reflecting the culinary culture of the passenger's destination, with over 150 destinations in 85 countries served.
• 🍮 The dessert room specializes in Arabic sweets and uses a hydro processor to cut precise slices of cake.
• 🔍 Every meal is marked with a day code in UV ink for tracking purposes, ensuring food safety and quality.
• 📦 Trays are assembled and loaded onto trolleys, which are then transported to aircrafts two hours before departure.

Q & A

How many in-flight meals does Emirates Flight Catering produce annually?

Emirates Flight Catering produces 110 million in-flight meals a year.

What is the purpose of the ground floor in the catering facility?

The ground floor is used for unloading and cleaning items such as plates, trays, and trolleys from incoming flights.

How many pieces of tableware does the facility handle on average per day?

The facility handles about 3 million pieces of tableware a day.

What is the role of the monorail system in the facility?

The monorail system is used to move massive amounts of inventory safely through the building, with pick up and drop off points at multiple locations on every floor.

In which part of the facility are sandwiches and appetizers prepared?

Sandwiches and appetizers are prepared in the cold kitchen, with separate areas for first/business class and economy class.

How many different menus do Emirates' chefs develop each month?

Emirates' 1,800 chefs develop 1,300 different menus each month.

What is unique about the meals served on Emirates flights?

The meals are region-specific and inspired by the destination of the flight, offering passengers a taste of their arrival region.

What is the specialty dish that welcomes passengers to Dubai on Emirates flights?

The specialty dish is the Emirate Arabic mezze selection with sticky pudding.

How does the facility ensure that each plate tastes and looks the same?

Chefs meticulously prepare and garnish each dish to ensure uniformity in taste and appearance.

What is the purpose of the blast chiller in the hot kitchen?

The blast chiller is used to cool down hot dishes to a perfect food-safe temperature.

How does Emirates track the life of each dish served on flights?

Each meal gets a day code printed on it in UV ink, which helps Emirates track the dish's life and ensure no spoiled food is served.