Master Chef Dominique Crenn Creates Sublime Meals For Air France

In her Michelin three star restaurant Atelier Crenn in San Francisco, Dominique Crenn creates dishes that have been described as gastronomic poetry in their complex, ethereal visuals and flavor. As the culinary consultant for the film “The Menu,” her dishes served at a fictional temple of gastronomy, were unlike anything a diner had ever seen. In February, dishes created by the chef began rolling out in Air France’s premium cabins that, while not as wild as the film’s creations, are also creative, delicious and uniquely hers.

The chef’s desire to work with the airline apparently goes back to her childhood travels. “I was born and raised in France, my parents traveled everywhere, and Air France was the airline of choice,” she explains. “I remember as a little girl going with them to Martinique and we would dress up. Getting on the plane, my brother and I were running around and the stewards were so sweet, we were like a family. It’s a part of my culture so when they asked me, it made sense to partner with Air France. And I was grateful to bring something from California back to France.”

As any chef knows who has worked with an airline to adapt their culinary creations to service in the air, though, the transition isn’t automatic. “We worked for nine months,” she says. “Studying how the chemistry and the consistency of the food would change. And your body changes, your taste buds. So we worked on dishes that will bring you to a good experience; sometimes with sauces that could bring a dish to the next level. And I put myself in the seat and thought about what I would want to eat. And these are all dishes that I love to eat.”

There are 12 dishes, one vegetarian, one fish or seafood, that rotate month to month in Air France’s La Première and Business Class. In La Première Stuffed Cabbage with Mole Negro and Smoked Cream and Lobster with Pico de Gallo and Tea Sauce were available in February, March and April and will reappear in July, August and January 2025. Root Vegetable Mille-Feuille with Pickled Mushrooms, Seeded Crumble, and Truffle Sauce and Sea Bass with Chestnut, Pickled Blueberries and a Chestnut Miso Sauce will be available in September and October. Pea & Carrot Ravioli with Roasted Turnip and Nori Sauce and King Crab with Roasted Cabbage and Pepper Sauce rolls out this month and is then available in June, November and December.

In Business Class, the dishes are similarly elevated and flavorful: Beetroot, Leche de Tigre, Artichoke and Smoked Cream and Black Cod with Quinoa, Sun-Dried Tomatoes and Marinière Sauce were available in February, March and April and come back onboard in July, August and January 2025. Open Ravioli, Courgette and Tomato, Hazelnut and Parmesan Sauce and Trout with Swiss Chard, Seeded Crumble and Lemon Beurre Blanc are available in September and October. Celeriac Mille-Feuille with Apple, Spinach and Pepper Sauce and Stone Bass with Pumpkin and Mushroom with Matelote Sauce are on board this month, June, November and December.

Since April 1, these dishes have been available on flights from New York JFK, Newark, Miami, San Francisco, Chicago, Seattle, Detroit, Dulles and Los Angeles; on June 1, they will be added to flights from Boston, Atlanta, Dallas, Houston and Raleigh-Durham. To guarantee passengers get their desired selection, pre-ordering can be done up to 24 hours in advance. And while this arrangement with chef Crenn is only signed for a year at this point, there are hints that it could continue. “Hopefully this is the beginning of a beautiful relationship,” she says.

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