Finnair has launched a special inflight menu in the latest initiative to mark its centenary.
The Finnair 100 menu is inspired by Nordic classics, combining traditional dishes with modernised recipes, and represents different time periods and decades in Finnair’s culinary history.
The menu is available in business class cabins on long-haul flights departing Helsinki until 23 January 2024.
Customers can pre-select their main course in the ‘Manage Booking’ portal, with 1960s and 1970s-inspired choices including reindeer meatballs, mashed potatoes with mustard and port wine sauce or beef chuck roll with potato gratin, chorizo ragu and blackcurrant sauce.
Appetisers inspired by the 1980s and 1990s include roasted beetroot with beetroot purée, beetroot mousse and goat’s cheese cream, or wasabi salmon roll with apricot miso and seaweed caviar.
Centenary desserts, meanwhile, include blueberry pie and sea buckthorn mousse, regarded as “timeless classics” by the carrier.
The food is served alongside new red and white wines, curated by international expert and wine consultant, Ken Chase.
These include Castilla la Mancha White 2022, named ‘Destination North’, and Castilla la Mancha Red 2022, named ‘100,000 islands’. In keeping with the carrier’s heritage, the labels for the bottles are based on Finnair’s original posters, designed by Erik Bruun in the 1950s and 1960s.
Over the coming weeks customers travelling premium economy and economy will also be served a variety of centenary dishes.
Juha Stenholm, head of Product Development at Finnair Kitchen, said:
“Finnair is proud to unveil our reinvented classics to mark our centennial milestone. Our reimagined dishes combine traditional favourites and iconic recipes with a modern twist as our chefs deliver contemporary cuisine for our customers.
“They can indulge in familiar flavours elevated to new heights, and celebrate our rich heritage by joining us on this culinary journey – where the past meets the present, creating a remarkable dining experience that honours Finnair’s 100 years of excellence.”
Lauri Ahonen, Finnair Concept & Category manager, added:
“Finding the perfect wine for a Finnair flight for our customers to enjoy at 30,000 ft is always a challenge, but even more so during our centenary.
“That’s why we have made the perfect pairing with Ken Chase, who has carefully selected some top flight wines to tantalise the taste buds and we are excited to serve them onboard to ensure a unique experience for Finnair customers.”
Ken Chase, International Wine Consultant, also commented on his selection:
“When selecting the wines for this crucial undertaking, we sought after three key elements in the wines prior to the final blend.
“The first element was seduction, which required the wine to have an enticing aroma that immediately captivates our customers, with a fresh and varietally typical scent being essential. The second element was structure, necessitating a wine with a rich mid-palate that enables flavours to linger throughout the palate, leaving a gratifying aftertaste.
“The third element was overall balance, which we refer to as the yummy factor. It’s an all-encompassing sensation that leaves one feeling satisfied after indulging in a glass of wine. Each wine must possess all three of these elements before being considered for the final blend.”
finnair.com
