Charlie Trotter Elevates United

By JULIETTE ROSSANT United Airlines has announced a new partnership with Charlie Trotter to "elevate customers' dining experience." Now, of course, they are referring to a limited group of customers, not just first-class and business-class, but among those only on European and U.S. coast-to-coast "p.s." flights. An interesting warning to other chefs follows: To ensure premium quality, Chef Charlie Trotter will collaborate with United's Corporate Executive Chef Gerry Gulli on the menu options. What is Charlie doing with United? Better to ask, why is he back? I am delighted to once again be in partnership with United, as I believe United is the top service provider in the airline industry. I look forward to creating unique, high-quality cuisine for United's customers in this new role and I am positive that the customers who fly this airline will appreciate the level of service that United has decided to once again give its culinary component. Translation? For Charlie Trotter, this deal means that he gets a second shot at getting paid for letting targeted passengers sample his wares and so perhaps feed further at this restaurants. For United, this deal means elevating its more expensive seats -- and touches on a number of debates: whether air food can meet or beat ground food -- whether there should be any free dining at all for economy class passengers a la Southwest Airlines -- whether it's healthy to eat while flying -- or whether economy passengers should pass on meals themselves a la "B.Y.O.F.." Such an airline-chef alliance is nothing new, to Charlie -- or to United. Check this quote from a 2000 article: Executive chefs Gerry Gulli and Eric Kopelow of United Airlines at times work in partnership with celebrity chefs, including Sheila Lukins, Martin Yan, Sam Choy, Mary Sue Milliken, Susan Feniger, Norman Van Aken, Charlie Trotter and Jacques Pepin. Each of these celebrity chefs brings innovative cuisine from various regions to the airline's passengers.... As usual, however, Wolfgang Puck has managed to gain a more targeted, firmer foothold ahead of the pack -- see previous articles "Fly Avion (Wolfgang Puck Included)" and "Fly With Wolfgang Puck Express." This is not to say that Charlie is slacking, compared to Wolfgang. As Crain's Chicago Business reports, 2007 includes a food stand at the Venetian Resort Hotel Casino in Las Vegas as well as a new restaurant at the Elysian Hotel in Chicago for 2008. Press releases: United Airlines - Charlie Trotter United Airlines - Trader Vic's Trader Vic's [PDF format] Related news: United Press International (UPI), Chicago Tribune, Crain's Chicago Business, CNN-Money, Nation's Restaurant News, StreetInsider.com Previous articles: Fly Avion (Wolfgang Puck Included) Fly With Wolfgang Puck Express [Chefs & Branding - complete] Technorati Tags: superchefblog, Juliette Rossant, super chef, celebrities, chefs, food, restaurants, cooking, branding, cuisine, blogging, food blogging, Charlie Trotter --> back to Super Chef