Gourmet hamburgers are all the rage, and British Airways has now elevated the concept to an exclusive burger for its first class passengers.
BA's high-flying hamburger will appear on the first class bistro menu of British Airways' long-range international flights from June.
The airline says the recipe has been honed by its chefs "over the past ten months", and uses three different cuts of British beef (chuck, cheek and onglet) to ensure full flavour even at 35,000 feet, where your ability to taste reduces by 30 per cent.
“Burgers are experiencing a renaissance right now, with pop up burger bars and food trucks opening in all the major cities" observes British Airways chef Mark Tazzioli, who adds they're just the type of 'comfort food' which many passengers enjoy.
“It has taken months of trials to ensure we get the perfect texture and succulence, not just for the British palate, but for the hundreds of other nationalities that fly with us."
"As taste buds are affected at altitude, we have created an original patty, which has proven extremely popular in taste-tests.”
Ingredients in BA's ‘Flying Burger’ include
- 100% British Beef – three cuts of British beef to create a succulent juicy burger that keeps moisture even at altitude
- Monterey Jack Cheese – a semi-hard cheese, particularly favoured by American travellers
- Gherkins – also known as ‘pickles’, these are most popular with customers from Poland and Germany
- Tomato Relish – using tomatoes, raisins and paprika, the smoky relish is popular with British, American and Canadian palates
- Brioche Bun – a sweetened pastry especially popular with French and Italian flyers
It's all served with a side of triple cooked chips and choice of relishes.
BA will also offer a ‘Grounded Burger’ in its First and Concorde lounges, featuring a different recipe for pre-flight dining.
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David Flynn is the Editor-in-Chief of Executive Traveller and a bit of a travel tragic with a weakness for good coffee, shopping and lychee martinis.
Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards
07 Jan 2014
Total posts 31
Well if a burger in the air is good enough for the US President (see link)- who wouldn't want 35,000ft high?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U50-vo2keps
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
30 May 2013
Total posts 381
Hmm, not sure about this. Is a burger really the right sort of offering for a first calss product? I have similar feelings about Virgin Australia dishing out hot dogs in their lounges.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
17 Aug 2012
Total posts 2199
Mm, you have a point. Perhaps the steak sandwich would cut the mustard.
25 Sep 2013
Total posts 1242
Love QF's steak sandwich.
24 Oct 2010
Total posts 2561
'Well done' for that pun, Watson.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
13 Sep 2011
Total posts 180
Qantas first class lounge in Sydney has one of the best burgers I have ever tasted. Why can't people enjoy the simplicity of such a feed whilst enjoying the finer things in life?
25 Sep 2013
Total posts 1242
Agreed, woganfan. The two aren't mutually exclusive.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
17 Aug 2012
Total posts 2199
I decry the lack of bacon.
24 Oct 2010
Total posts 2561
I suggest they need to localise this for flights out of Sydney with a slice of beetroot.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
20 Mar 2012
Total posts 116
no no no no no no beetroot on a burger! it's just wrong.
reminds me of an italian pizzeria in sydney that doesn't allow customers to have pineapple on their pizza! l
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
17 Aug 2012
Total posts 2199
I like the idea of the localisation of the burger. Perhaps domestic UK flights out to try a fish-and-chip burger, just for laughs, taking a cue from Marks and Sparks.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
07 Mar 2014
Total posts 73
With mushy peas?
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
17 Aug 2012
Total posts 2199
And white sauce.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
13 Sep 2011
Total posts 180
Fish and Chips &Mushy peas burger or even better, chip shop style curry sauce in place of the mushy peas, lol, I can taste it now, even after all these years down under.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
07 Mar 2014
Total posts 73
Jus Burger!
24 Oct 2010
Total posts 2561
180mis: no beetroot on a hamburger? You are one post away from being banned! :P
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
13 Sep 2011
Total posts 180
I'm with 180mis David, beetroot is the food of the devil.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
13 Sep 2011
Total posts 180
Agreed, beetroot is an abomination on any sanger.
12 Mar 2014
Total posts 128
I suggest they de-localise the 100% British (Creutzfeldt–Jakob's) patty!
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
07 Mar 2014
Total posts 73
Ah David you beet (sic) me to it!
If anyone can get their hands on an old episode of The Great Outdoors, Tom is in NYC eating a $99 hamburger and after his first bite smiles and laughs saying,
"Needs beetroot"
Enough said! :P
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
17 Aug 2012
Total posts 2199
We must identify the root of the problem.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
25 May 2012
Total posts 580
Well, if Japan Airlines can serve KFC aboard (yes, they really did this as a promotion) why can't BA serve Maccas aboard?
Yes... I am of course being sarcastic.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
17 Aug 2012
Total posts 2199
I would rather they serve Grill'd.
25 Sep 2013
Total posts 1242
I'd be happy with Hungry Jack's. :D
04 Nov 2012
Total posts 212
These days they make the hambuger meat real thick so its so dam hard to eat, trying to make it look bigger than it is, wish they would stop doing this, flatten it out.
10 Mar 2011
Total posts 526
Must say that if I was flying First Class I would not be impressed with a hamburger for my meal.
25 Sep 2013
Total posts 1242
You can always go with the main menu; the burger is for the bistro menu.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
20 Sep 2013
Total posts 462
BA,a hamburger really.W here are we going.
10 Mar 2011
Total posts 526
Thank goodness for that then!
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
13 Sep 2011
Total posts 180
I'm sure it will be better than the burger I bought on a ryan air flight from Warsaw to Stanstead last year, (normally I am not keen on such airlines or the swill they offer but had to do it for a giggle), anyway the burger was delivered thoroughly nuked, glowing with plastic cheese and on a flight in June 2013 the the use by date on the packaging was Aug 2014. What in the name of all that is unholy was in that lips and hooves burger together? Never thought I'd be pleased to see a Maccas after arrival.
Singapore Airlines - KrisFlyer
14 Jan 2014
Total posts 340
100% British "Beef"????
They say that like its a good thing... If recent news is anything to go by, I'm sure there is going to be some horse in that patty ;-p
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
17 Aug 2012
Total posts 2199
I should like to think their meat industry has quit horsing around.
I should stop...
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
06 May 2012
Total posts 178
Flying Sydney to London in F with BA in July and I must admit im not too pushed to try this as I can get a serious burger in Grilld any day I want. That said Mrs LoveToFly is all about trying this. Its great to have options sure on a long flight, not everyone might want steak and champagne and the like in F
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
08 Sep 2012
Total posts 236
I've always used flying premium cabins, especially First, as a way of trying things I don't normally try such as Vintage French Champagne, Lobster, Caviar etc. Pure Luxury items.
If I want a burger, I'll go to the many many excellent burger places around the world and have a delicious meal for around $25.
If I fly First, I want a meal that will cost me at least $100 at a restaurant.
But each to their own....
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
10 Jan 2013
Total posts 698
If you've paid to sit in First, I reckon you've earnt the right to eat what you want - even if it isn't "fancy food".
As much as I love the excellent caviar when on SQ in a First Suite, I equally love the humble chicken schnitzel on Qantas in J (I rate it as one of the better QF J offerings).
What is important is taste and quality, not "poshness", and Brits have a long love affair with simple pleasures done well when it comes to food.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
20 Sep 2013
Total posts 462
I agree with SQ,the Brits no.
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