kosher meals what to expect with Singapore Airlines

[SQADL333]

First Time Back since 2003 in Economy Class for me and have ordered kosher meals for my trip to Vietnam with Singapore Airlines.

What do I expect the meals to consist of and the standards of them or does that depend on the outbound station suppliers catering service.

Any help would be most welcome

[Guy Betsy]

FYI Kosher meals are not made prepared in Singapore. SQ buys them frozen from somewhere else. Europe probably where a larger Jewish community would ensure the quality of the meals.

Having said that, your meal will be in a sealed plastic wrapped package which the FA will bring to you to break the seal yourself. Then the package will be brought back to the galley for reheating.

Everything will be disposable. ie cutlery will be plastic, meal container probably will be foil.

Can't vouch for the quality of the meal as I've never had one before.

[Guy Betsy]

Here's an explanation of what to expect on KSMLs ex-SIN from my friend who works as SQ cabin crew:

There are only a few companies that prepare frozen KSML for airline use and the one with the best quality is in the UK, which is the company that SATS purchases from.

Passengers who have ordered a Kosher Meal (KSML) are only served fish for the main course. This may occur especially when The Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority (AVA) has however, banned the import of cooked chicken (due to avian flu) and beef (due to mad cow disease) from the UK. The only meat type that is available is fish.

Singapore Airlines have been actively sourcing for other caterers that may be able to provide KSML. The local synagogues have been contacted but the quality standard was not found to be acceptable.

Hope this helps!

[Yoong]

This is how a KSML look like onboard air plane....photo not from SQ but u can have a clearer pic how KSLM look like onboard.

[Kyo]

Thanks for that... just for fun, last week I decided to book a Kosher F meal for an upcoming flight end of this month... will report back what that's like for sure!

[Guy Betsy]

Originally Posted by Kyo

Thanks for that... just for fun, last week I decided to book a Kosher F meal for an upcoming flight end of this month... will report back what that's like for sure!

You're mad!

[Kyo]

Why, isn't it going to be tasty? I don't do pork anyway... plus, it's an F request... shouldn't that have a reasonable chance of something good?

[Guy Betsy]

Originally Posted by Kyo

Why, isn't it going to be tasty? I don't do pork anyway... plus, it's an F request... shouldn't that have a reasonable chance of something good?

Actually no.

Kosher meals are set up that way. The portions might be slightly larger .. but everything will still be in plastic, wrapped in foil and disposable. Larger portions only on what is 'standard' . It will not be based on what SQ will spend on a special meal. Or maybe not even. Sometimes you just get what is given, as a TV dinner. Maybe you might get two economy class servings instead of one as a F class passenger.

You will not be allowed to use the normal cutlery, and the food cannot be placed on the lovely SQ china. You just have to sit there and eat what's given to you. Oh ya, you break the seal first. Otherwise that won't be kosher then, will it now?

KSML is based on religious standards. KSML does not mix dairy and meat together. No shellfish. Everything according to strict kosher standards. It will be easier if you just specify that you don't want pork. But as a F class passenger, you may just pick and choose what you want or don't want to eat.

[Kyo]

Thanks for that - yes, I did do quite a bit of research on what constitutes a KSML before making the request with SQ. I would be shocked if they only gave two economy class servings instead of one 'premium' kosher F meal when travelling as F pax.

As long as it is delicious, I'm willing to give it a try. I'm not concerned about how much SQ 'spends' on this meal. If anything, I'd have thought they'd spend more flying it from their source in the UK?! If you had instead said 'the food is likely to be bland', I'd be on the phone with SQ to change it right away.

Wrapped in plastic/foil - OK with me. No shellfish is fine with me. Their lobsters are pathetic anyway. No mixing of dairy and meat is also fine with me. I can live with that. Breaking the seal - well, that's to ensure certain hygiene/religious standards. Also fine with me.

And I would be surprised if they didn't break the seal and lay it out on SQ china... if they are not supposed to, I'd ask for them to do so after breaking the seal. I would think they would comply, no?

If all else fails, I will have what is on the standard menu. This F KSML order, as I alluded to above, is more for fun/scientific purposes. In a way, it's just for you.

[Lobster]

Well Kyo thank you for your scientific sacrific. I do have to agree with Guy Betsey on this one, do not set your expectations too high on this as I think you will be disappointed. Personally I think you would be better off going for a Halal meal as the meat will basically have been prepared to the same standards but there are much less rules regarding the other ingredients which can be mixed together.

Also do make sure that you tell the crew that you are not jewish as otherwise you might find that you miss out on being offered Krug as it is non kosher.

[Kyo]

Originally Posted by Lobster

Also do make sure that you tell the crew that you are not jewish as otherwise you might find that you miss out on being offered Krug as it is non kosher.

Don't you worry about that

I'm sure the crew's reaction will mirror that of the SQ Ion attendant when I requested for the KSML...

[Guy Betsy]

Originally Posted by Kyo

Don't you worry about that

I'm sure the crew's reaction will mirror that of the SQ Ion attendant when I requested for the KSML...

Yes there are asian Jewish in Singapore.

But if you do decide to do Kosher, do remember to try to behave like you're one, otherwise you're mocking the faith and that isn't very kosher!

[Pinkfloyd]

Originally Posted by Guy Betsy

Yes there are asian Jewish in Singapore.

But if you do decide to do Kosher, do remember to try to behave like you're one, otherwise you're mocking the faith and that isn't very kosher!

Well, I sometimes do order a halal meal BUT still get my regular doses of alcohol on flights... Granted I was once asked by an SQ girl but explained that the halal meals are sometimes better than the standard Y catering... She laughed it off and actually agreed with me...

[Danny Bhoy]

Originally Posted by Kyo

Why, isn't it going to be tasty? I don't do pork anyway... plus, it's an F request... shouldn't that have a reasonable chance of something good?

If I did not eat pork, I'd choose halal SEA cuisine over kosher any cuisine. I generally find Jewish and Arab cuisine not tasty, with the possible exception of Moroccan (both Arab and Jewish).

[Kyo]

Well, it'll be my first kosher meal, so if it all goes South, I'll just have to get the crew to give me something off the regular menu.

The motto for that flight will be: "To boldly go where no F KSML-eating SQTalker has ever gone before!!! "

10 more days to go...