Air France has given certain passengers a new reason to say “Oooh la la” when it comes to in-flight dining.
The French carrier continues to elevate its top-tier dining program with the addition of its newest signature chef: Dominique Crenn, who became the first woman in the United States to earn three Michelin stars, for Atelier Crenn, one of her three San Francisco restaurants.
Now she’s bringing her culinary talent to (literal) new heights with 12 signature dishes that are available in Air France’s first-class cabins, called La Première, and business cabins on certain flights departing from the U.S.
Every month, two signature dishes will be offered in each cabin, including a vegetarian option and a seafood-based dish, alongside the rest of the menu, which is complemented by a selection of French wine and champagne, bien sûr. The new selections showcase the “inventive and poetic French cuisine” that Crenn has become renowned for, Air France said in a statement.
In the first-class cabin, passengers can expect to choose from dishes like lobster with pico de gallo and tea sauce, or root vegetable mille-feuille with truffle sauce. In business cabins, selections include Californian black cod with quinoa and marinière sauce, or ravioli with zucchini, tomato, hazelnut, and parmesan sauce.
Selections will rotate throughout the year, with six dishes each in business and first class alternating months “to keep the element of surprise,” an Air France spokesperson confirmed to AFAR via email.
The new signature dishes rolled out on February 1, 2024, on Paris-bound flights departing from Chicago, Los Angeles, Miami, New York-Newark, San Francisco, and Seattle. They will gradually be available during the spring and summer on flights departing from all 17 of Air France’s U.S. destinations, with New York’s JFK starting in April. Business- and first-class passengers will have the option to preorder their meals before departure to ensure their selection is available and to help reduce food waste on board.
Air France is investing more in the passenger experience
Air France’s partnership with Crenn is yet another enhancement the carrier has recently made to the passenger experience in the front of the plane. In 2023, Air France unveiled some notable upgrades to its business-class cabins on long-haul routes, including a retractable door for each spacious pod as well as Bluetooth connectivity for the personal entertainment system.
Crenn adds more star power to a culinary program already regarded as one of the best in commercial aviation. Air France has now partnered with 18 chefs whose restaurants have earned at least one Michelin star, and for years, it has tapped prominent chefs for collaborations that reflect their heritage, including Julien Royer, whose Singapore-based Odette has earned three Michelin stars; Montreal-based Olivier Perret, executive chef of Renoir; Jofrane Dailly, known for inventive dishes that reflect his Réunion Island roots; and Andrée Rosier, the first woman to be awarded the prestigious Meilleur Ouvrier de France, a competition across multiple professions that is held once every four years.
Crenn, meanwhile, is a celebrity in her own right. Born in Versailles, she moved in 1988 to the United States, where, even without formal culinary training, she kicked off a spectacular culinary career that now spans three continents. Her San Francisco restaurants, Atelier Crenn, Petit Crenn, and Bar Crenn, have earned a constellation of Michelin stars, while Crenn herself has brought in multiple individual awards and accolades. In 2023, Crenn opened her first concept in Paris, Golden Poppy, inspired by California cuisine and named after its state flower—which makes it a fitting dining choice for passengers who might have had a taste of her culinary prowess at 30,000 feet on the way to the City of Lights.
