After Air France and Swissair in 2007, I have now tried the economy class kosher meals on Cathay Pacific.
The first meal was lunch: Greek Style Mushrooms, minced lamb with pasta, brownies, apple compote and a bread roll. The mushrooms were quite tasty. The meat had been cooked like a bolognese sauce, with carrots and tomatoes, but with lamb instead of beef, which was a pleasant variation. The dessert was not great but acceptable.
There was a certificate on the sealed tray which indicated that the meat was glatt kosher and the roll mezonot,
I used to think that this was to make things easier for the traveller as far as the brachot are concerned but having read the OU’s guide to blessings, I am not so certain. What do you think?
The next meal was nine hours later and, since we were to land in the morning, was breakfast. It corresponded more to my idea of an Israeli breakfast than a European one: a thin slice of turkey breast, scrambled eggs and ratatouille, another brownie and apple compote again.
My overall impression was quite good. The caterer, Servair, is much better than the English supplier of Swissair and I would recommend it to anyome travelling with Cathay Pacific. I wish however that the portions had been a bit larger and would advise big eaters to stock some food (parve as both meals contained meat) in their travel bags.
Hannah's Nook 
And the kosher food out of Newark to Israel is … hold your breath until you arrive at your host’s home or at a decent hotel.
“the roll mezonot” – if you are Sephardi, it is probably hamotzi.
“turkey breast” – for breakfast?
Glad you enjoyed the food enough to write about it.
I am still not sure how one is supposed to do “netilat yadayim” on a plane; that’s why I thought they gave us rolls that were mezonot.
Leora beat me to it. Turkey breast for breakfast???
Sounds better than most airline food. Maybe I’ve been travelling in the wrong direction?
I am beginning to wonder if I got the word right. I meant the sort that is already cooked and can be sliced for you in a deli or sold in a package.
Just curious — who was the supervising agency or rabbi for the meal?
There are two. Rav D. Messas, Paris’s chief rabbi and Rav C. Charbit, Dayan Kehilat Creteil and coordinator for ECK.f (European Central Kashrus, France).
Meat for breakfast? Gevalt! Travel with nuts, fruit and salad.
I don’t believe in mezont rolls. The psak I heard which makes sense is that if it looks like bread, eaten like bread and tastes like bread, it’s hamotzei.
Batya I am not sure that all airplane companies allow fresh food on board. Besides when the flight is a long one I find warm food quite pleasant.
I think you got it right for the turkey breast description.
I’m still trying to get my head round all the blessing variations, myself…
Thank you for this post – very informative!
I am glad you found it informative. Hope it helps other people too.
I believe that most authorities say that a “mezonot roll” is an oxymoron.
But you’re right that the idea is to prevent you from getting up to do netilat yadayim while the crew is serving the meals.
The usual solution in situations where netilat yadayim isn’t an option is to hold the bread without directly touching it – i.e. through a plastic bag or a napkin.
Thank you Mrs.S. for teaching me something so useful. It isn’t the first time I have wondered what I was supposed to be doing in such cases.
This is an informative and great post, and very interesting on the turkey breast for breakfast.
It amuses me to see people’s reactions concerning turkey breast for breakfast. In Europe I can think of a few countries where this would not seem strange, including a few which had strong Jewish communities in the past.
This is an interesting take:
” The usual solution in situations where netilat yadayim isn’t an option is to hold the bread without directly touching it – i.e. through a plastic bag or a napkin.”
What am I Missing here?
I have just returned from a trip to China, and all the airline meals were at acceptable at worst and some even good.
However on Qantas,flying from Sydney to Wellington, the meal was a “Chilul HaShem”. The meat was so burnt that I thought it was a “Khorbon”. It was a pity an animal had to die for this.
My take on proper procedure, is that meals are considered in part as emulating the sacrifices on the Temple. The washing of hands is part of that procedure. To be following the diktat of Nitilat Yadayim, without understanding the reason is senseless. Therefore, using the hot towel provided, in my non-rabbinic opinion, is at least the attempt in spirit if not form. It is hard to consult with your “Local orthodox Rabbi” when on a flight.
I have an entire list of complaints about kosher airline food and some day may write a blog about it.
Thanks for letting me vent.
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