Succulent Steak on a Plane: LX17 from JFK-ZRH in First Class

A new weekly feature on Live and Let’s Fly starts today called “Matthew’s Meal of the Week”. Over the years I have collected thousands of airline meal pictures and I continue to gather them. Each week I will highlight a particularly great…or particularly bad meal.

This week I remember an incredible feast aboard SWISS First Class. I was flying with my uncle from New York to Zurich in 2009 and SWISS not only had brand new first class seats onboard but an incredible menu.

We encountered a delay in New York and were offered potato chips on the ground. Chips are a guilty pleasure of mine and these were great.

Once airborne, a selection of appetizers including lobster, mushroom with beets, and delicious feta cheese and sun-dried tomato wrapped in eggplant was presented.

I moved over to the guest seat in my uncle’s suite and began the real feast. First up was another appetizer course, sliced balik salmon. Although that is not my favorite thing, the quality was impeccable.

Next came a delicious tomato soup course with a dollop of sour cream and basil leave on top.

The salad cart rolled up and included a mix of leafy dark greens, heirloom tomatoes, pine nuts, and mozzarella drizzled in olive oil and balsamic vinegar. The bread basket contained a great assortment of European-style breads and was presented with fresh butter and olive oil.

Then the main course– we both ordered filet mignon cooked medium rare. It was perfect! Served with herb butter on top and mashed rosemary mashed potatoes on the side, it was one of the best steaks I had ever had on an airplane.

Moments later the FA appeared with sides, including mushrooms and cooked vegetables (carrots and asparagus).

The meal was truly fabulous, but it wasn’t over.

A cheese course served from the cart included grapes, dried apricots, walnuts, and fig spread.

I returned to my seat for the dessert course, a wonderful Tiramisu with sliced strawberries.

Twice in my life I have flown SWISS and both flights were absolutely exceptional. You can read the full JFK-ZRH first class flight review here. SWISS is in a different league than Etihad and Emirates, but offers some of the best food I have ever had onboard a plane.