Summary
- EL AL Israel Airlines has collaborated with Michelin-starred chef Assaf Granit to create a new in-flight menu featuring diverse Israeli cuisine.
- Economy class passengers can enjoy fresh sandwiches with options like chicken breast and harissa, while business class passengers receive a rich and versatile service with alcoholic beverages.
- Premium and business passengers can choose from a fusion of classic Israeli dishes with a modern twist, including starters like creamed mushrooms and main courses like Musakhan roasted chicken. Dessert options include Basbousa semolina cake and chocolate mousse.
Passengers flying on EL AL Israel Airlines now have access to a brand new in-flight menu created in collaboration with Michelin-starred chef Assaf Granit. The new food items have been sneaking onto passenger’s plates over the last few weeks and have now been officially revealed across the airline’s network. In economy class, there is a range of sandwiches from fresh ingredients, while travelers in business receive a “rich, versatile service” that includes alcoholic beverages.
The new menu is now available across all cabin classes and highlights the diversity of Israeli cuisine by featuring a variety of local ingredients from across the country. The fresh sandwiches featured in economy class come in the following range of options.
- Chicken Breast with Harissa, chimichurri, zaataroregano, and pickled lemon
- Brisket, accompanied by Fried onions, chipotle aioli, and garlic aioli
- Gouda cheese, alongside Sweet potatoes, garlic aioli, and mayonnaise
- Vegan sandwich with Labneh “Mashumashu,” Beetroot, and “not so spicy” Schug
The menu is offered on short-haul flights departing between 10:15 AM and 2:10 AM and is subject to seasonal changes. Passengers traveling long-haul and on flights to Paris and London Heathrow onboard the Dreamliner are provided with a full meal service. Dina Ben Tal Ganancia, CEO of EL AL, highlighted the thinking behind the introduction of the airline’s new signature menu:
“As part of our commitment to providing our passengers with an unforgettable experience, we think about everything – including the food our passengers eat onboard. In that spirit, I’m excited to announce the launch of our new inflight menu, created by Michelin star chef Assaf Granit.
“Our new menu will showcase the diversity of Israeli cuisine, and I’m sure it will delight both locals and guests on their journey with us.”
Photo: EL AL Israel Airlines
Premium and Business Passengers may enjoy several new dishes featuring a fusion of classic Israeli cuisine with a modern twist. Served as a three-course meal, the new options include several tasty and healthy choices. Starters include creamed mushrooms or a kale dish featuring radishes, cucumbers, seasonal fruit, fried shallots, and a ginger vinaigrette.
The main courses include Musakhan roasted chicken or a Persian Khoresh-e Ghormeh Sabzi stew, beef chuck, and Sha’ariya rice.
Photo: El Al Isreal Airlines.
Desserts come in the form of Basbousa semolina cake with apricot jam or a chocolate mousse with za’atar crumble.
Who is Assaf Granit?
The chef was born in the Ein Karem neighborhood of Jerusalem and was inspired by the mingling of cultures and dishes like his grandmother Leah’s Eastern European horseradish and Moroccan neighbor Jacqueline’s perfect couscous. He opened his first restaurant, Machneyuda, near the Mahane Yehuda Market in 2009. He now owns the Parisian restaurant Shabour, which received its first Michelin star in 2021. He expressed the meaning behind this new collaboration with the airline and his passion for blending different cuisines to create a magical product:
“Israeli cuisine is all about connecting different cultures and has long been my culinary inspiration. There is a spark of magic when we connect different countries and cultures, and even between our roots to our destination.”
Photo: EL AL Israel Airlines
The new menus will surely be a delight on the carrier’s new flights to Fort Lauderdale. Starting last month, the links are operated by one of the carrier’s Boeing 787-8s and complement its existing flights to nearby Miami. Future route expansion plans are tipped to include Seattle, Manila, and Melbourne.