While the Indian media contingent dug into the pan-seared seabass and roast lamb leg, Wolfgang Will slowly ate his khandvi and beetroot tikki. As a vegetarian, Will is happy to be in India, because people here get vegetarianism: “With it divergent spices and ingredients, India offers such a vast culinary variety, that I find myself in heaven here!” We’re at the launch of Swiss International Air Lines’ new in-flight menu that caters to their Mumbai-Zurich, Delhi-Zurich sectors, and he’s leading the programme, as Senior Director, South Asia Lufthansa Group.
Wolfgang Will | Photo Credit: Special arrangement
Taste matters
Since Indians now form about half their customers, the airline felt the need to relook at the menu to make it better palatable to local tastes. Some market research later, the company realised a few things: that Indians preferred a local breakfast – most picked dosa; that they loved locally-sourced ingredients when it came to desi dishes; and that fusion wasn’t seen as fancy. What surprised them (and us): that many Westerners living in India also preferred local food.
So they went ahead and made sure they sourced the best ingredients locally, added Indian favourites and introduced a few tweaks to cater to health-seekers, while offering Western staples. First-class passengers get a range, from Roast Lamb Leg Forestier, Pan Seared Seabass and Matar Badam Ki Tikiki with Olive Kofta (with the accompaniments) for mains. Business-class travellers can enjoy khandvi on a bed of fruit salsa on a banana leaf as a starter (you’ll get Parma ham too), and beetroot halwa for dessert (along with several others). Economy gets Mysore Masala Dosa and Carrot Green Peas Upma. There’s alsoquinoa kheer, quinoa upma, and beetroot tikki (only for business of course), all catered by the Oberoi Flight Services.
Will’s favourites? They’re not on the menu: the south Indian thali and lassi.