Private Jet meals: What's on the menu when you fly VIP?

Benboudy is no stranger to plating up gourmet food at 30000ft. Photo / Instagram.com, bijouxcatering

What does the inflight meal look like for the traveller who has everything?

The answer is: whatever they want it to look like. Such is the appeal of commanding not only a personal aircraft but everything that gets served on it.

From luxury Michelin meals in the skies to McDonalds Happy Meals, you might be surprised at what gets plated up in the skies onboard a private jet.

Zurich Airport might be one of the busiest runways in the world for private aircraft. Last year 52000 guests arrived on their own wings, compared to the 31000000 who flew on commercial airlines.

The Bijoux Catering was established on the boundary of the Swiss airport to exclusively cater to the demands of ultra-wealthy travellers.

The business belongs to Rachid Benboudy a Michelin-style chef to the stars who wanted to take his cooking to another level. He has plenty of experience catering aboard aircraft.

Previously working as a private chef for a Swiss client, Benboudy came up with the idea while plating up gourmet food at 30000ft.

Now his own boss, Benboudy is free to spill the beans on the dining habits of the super-rich.

Talking to the South China Morning Post what surprised him most was not the extravagance of the orders but catering to palates that were more 'down to earth.'

"We had a customer request McDonald's for their in-flight lunch menu," he said. Although Benboudy revealed the client also requested a kilo of the best caviar he could find as a side to his burgers. (You want fries with that?)

There is nothing quite as fascinating, or maddening as catering to the wealthiest of the wealthy.

Flight attendant Mary Kalymnou described what it takes to serve up food on a private jet. She said the perfect PJ hostie requires "premium catering skills, creative thinking, great manners as well as an elegant and hospitable attitude."

One anecdote which illustrates this was the time Kalymnou was asked by a client to procure shark fin soup for an inflight meal out of London.

Somehow she managed to procure the soup – which is illegal in much of Europe – and have it ready to fly "just a few minutes before the passengers arrived."

Yet the soup remained uneaten, as her client arrived with a meal of takeaway burgers. The role is more about what you have on your menu, rather than what gets eaten.

There are few budget constrains when it comes to preparing a meal on a private jet.

Francis Louckx, a senior cabin crew member for a fleet of jets and yachts based out of the UAE, says he regularly spends US$550 per head on food.

Louckx, who trained in Paris told the SCMP that his background was a vital ingredient to his success:

"The know-how of a Paris luxury caterer is essential if you want to impress your guests aboard on the one hand, and ensure the success of your flight on the other hand."