A Class Act: Mile-High-Dining In LATAM Airlines Business Class

LATAM airlines presents, along with new flight services, luxurious full flat-beds, and in-flight entertainment services, business class passenger service with upgraded meal amenities.

LATAM Airlines recently announced that it has inaugurated a new route with nonstop service between Miami and Salvador de Bahia, Brazil. They also announced that starting July 2, they will be flying non-stop flights from Boston to São Paulo. Included in the flights as with all of their business class excursions is exclusive wining and dining to add to the comfort of the flight. That flight will operate on a Boeing 767 aircraft with a capacity for 191 economy passengers and 30 premium business passengers.

On one of the inaugural flights from Miami to Salvador, I had the pleasure of flying business class and experiencing the service for myself. The route is operated by Boeing 767 aircraft, with capacity for 220 passengers in economy class and 18 in premium business class. The eight-hour flight has a dinner service and a late-night snack offering just before arrival in Salvador.

Flight meals may vary by flight, for example, a flight recently featured three main entrees which included grilled lamb loin in a demi-glace sauce, with roasted sweet potatoes and grilled zucchini, poached black cod in extra virgin olive oil and sautéed baby vegetables, and porcini mushroom ravioli with wild mushroom sauce, arugula and tomatoes confit.

As a popular fish in Brazil, cod is perfect selection among these options. It is difficult to replicate poaching in a prepared airline meal, but the cod is great choice for this as a mild lean white-fleshed fish. The snack entrees were either a hot roast beef sandwich with ranch sauce, tomato and mozzarella or hearts of palm quiche with sautéed shiitake mushrooms and roasted herbed tomatoes. The roast beef presented was warming and filling with just a bit of tang from spicy aromatic sauce.

On a flight back to North America, starting with dinner, there was a pan-seared conger eel with creamed corn and roasted vegetables. Conger eel sometimes known as sea eel, is typically different from the eel served in sushi. Conger eel is generally not eaten raw because of its texture and manner in which it is prepared. In this case, pan seared, which brings out the slight sweetness in the savory, full umami flavor.

Also on offer was a slow-cooked Wagyú rib cap beef with Andean grain risotto and grilled zucchini and a poultry option–chicken stuffed with sundried tomato and mascarpone cheese served with grilled asparagus and roasted squash.

Featured were various South American wines especially paired with each entrée. For the eel, there was a 2016 Bodega Familia Schroeder/Saurus Select Chardonnay from the arid climate of Patagonian Neuquén Argentina. Straw yellow with a very fresh and fruity palate and vanilla notes, the wine lands on the tongue lightly counterpointing the fishiness of the eel.

A highlight of the meal was the dessert, lucuma crisp cake with orange compote. LATAM fully illustrates its South American heritage, here, using lucuma powder. Made from a sub-tropical fruit native to Peru, Chile and Ecuador, lacuma was also known as the "Gold of the Incas." Looking somewhat like an avocado, lacuma has the healthy properties of beta carotene, iron, zinc, vitamin B3, calcium, and protein. Its maple-like taste makes it a sweet addition to various South American sweets including smoothies, dulce de leche, and a Peruvian-styled tiramisu.

The meals served take into account little things like the size of the vegetables coupled with the ability to eat meals without a lot of extra cutting, which was most revealing in the asparagus and squash. Dining on an airplane can be tricky while navigating noise-cancelling head phones and an electronic recliner which may not be in your usual dining position. Plus, what may look exquisite on the tray table, may not be easily duplicated by a busy flight crew trying to replicate the dish in the airplane's galley.

LATAM's flight is the only nonstop connecting North America and Salvador de Bahia. Salvador, "Brazil's Birthplace," is a popular international tourist attraction known for its beaches, carnaval, laid-back attitude and Afro-Brazilian culture.

"Connecting the U.S. and Brazil is one of our top priorities at LATAM Airlines (www.latam.com), as travel between these countries continues to grow," said Pablo Chiozza, senior vice president, LATAM Airlines, North America and Asia. "We are proud to further fulfill this vital role in the South American region." Chiozza said.

"The meals that are the subject of this review were provided at no cost to the contributor."