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

Business Insider
29 Apr 201904:33

Summary

TLDREmirates 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

  • ๐ŸŒ Emirates Flight Catering in Dubai is the world's largest catering facility, producing 110 million in-flight meals annually.
  • ๐Ÿฝ๏ธ 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.
  • ๐Ÿ•’ The facility operates 24/7 to cater to the airline's 55 million passengers and nearly 200,000 flights per year.
  • ๐Ÿด Dishes and trays are meticulously cleaned and handled, with an average of 3 million pieces of tableware processed daily.
  • ๐Ÿš„ A mile-and-a-half-long monorail system efficiently moves inventory throughout the facility.
  • ๐Ÿฅช The cold kitchen is where sandwiches and appetizers are prepared, with separate sections for first/business class and economy.
  • ๐Ÿ‘จโ€๐Ÿณ Emirates employs 1,800 chefs who develop 1,300 different menus monthly, inspired by the regions Emirates flies to.
  • ๐ŸŒ Each meal is region-specific, reflecting the culinary culture of the passenger's destination, with over 150 destinations in 85 countries served.
  • ๐Ÿฎ The dessert room specializes in Arabic sweets and uses a hydro processor to cut precise slices of cake.
  • ๐Ÿ” Every meal is marked with a day code in UV ink for tracking purposes, ensuring food safety and quality.
  • ๐Ÿ“ฆ 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.

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Related Tags
Emirates CateringIn-flight MealsAirline FoodCulinary JourneyGlobal CuisineFood SafetyAviation IndustryDubai HubChef InnovationTravel Dining