Food served to hard-working business executives on board business and corporate aircraft needs to have some special qualities to win outright consumer satisfaction. 

First and foremost is ensuring the right choice and taste for the individual customer; next comes freshness of raw materials and preparation and finally the cooking finesse timed to coincide as close as possible to aircraft departure. 

All these aspects rest in the hands of the Air Culinaire team whose specialised kitchen is based within the operational complex at London’s Biggin Hill Airport.

Air Culinaire’s newly appointed Executive Chef Herve Bourdon is responsible for the performance of the Biggin Hill kitchen unit. 

His job is to supervise the supply of the highest quality ingredients, perfection in the cooking process and with one eye on the clock, to coordinate a plane-side delivery on time for transfer to temperature-controlled storage in the aircraft galley.

Herve Bourdon (46) trained at the Ecole Superieure de Cuisine Francaise in Paris, receiving his Diploma in 1989.  He won 1st place in his term.  

In the same year, he was a finalist in the ‘Best Young Cook of France’ annual competition.  During his early career, his training continued at well-known Parisienne restaurants with Michelin star ratings. 

In the mid-1990s he was Chef de Partie at the London Hilton in Park Lane, later holding a similar appointment at the nearby London InterContinental. His international career has included senior chef appointments in Algiers and The Ukraine.

With Biggin Hill Airport situated on the edge of Kent’s famous Garden of England, an immediate supply of the finest fresh fruit and vegetables, dairy products and favourite foods of all kinds is readily available.

The company sources all its beef and lamb from Donald Russell, a Royal Warrant supplier to HM The Queen.