Travelore News: Heathrow Launches World’s first ‘On-Board Picnic’ Service

A sample on-board hamper from Gordon Ramsay's Plane Food restaurant at Heathrow

Passengers can take hampers prepared by Heathrow restaurants on flights, including pizzas and meals by Heston Blumenthal and Gordon Ramsay

Heathrow Airport is offering passengers an “on-board picnic” dining option where they can bring a “bespoke hamper” with them on their flight. The service is available from today at all of Heathrow's 118 restaurants across its five terminals. The 49 brands involved range from chain cafés, such as Pret a Manger and EAT, to restaurants including Heston Blumenthal’s The Perfectionist Café and Gordon Ramsay’s Plane Food, as well as Caviar House and The Gorgeous Kitchen.

^{A sample on-board picnic offering from Caviar House}

The hampers vary in price and size according to venue, but typically cost between £5 and £50 and are around 40 x 20 x 10cm. All are collapsible and designed to be easily stowed away under the seat or in the overhead locker. Some hampers are insulated bags designed to “ensure the food retains maximum taste and freshness at 35,000 feet”, keeping hot food warm and cold food cool, such as the ones from Caviar House which features an ice compartment. Passengers who return their insulated bags to Caviar House are offered a 15 per cent discount on their next on-board picnic purchase.

Hampers can be tailormade to meet any dietary requirements upon request at each of the restaurants and can be ready-to-go or prepared in about 15 minutes, depending on the type of meal selected. The Perfectionists’ Café is said to offer pizzas to go in about a minute.

Travelers can sample the offerings of the on-board picnics available in Terminal 2 at a pop-up “park” which launches at the terminal today to mark the new service

The park space, set up in collaboration with the Royal Parks Foundation, features the “scents of freshly cut grass and plants, the sounds of birds chirping” and sunlight-type lighting as well as a park bench, a lamp post and even street signs to help create a urban park-like feel.

Passenger can access the "park" and the food samples from today between 7am-8am, 12pm-1pm and 7pm-8pm every day until September 24.

^{The "park pod" at Heathrow Terminal 2}

British Airways (BA) said it welcomes the new picnic service, and doesn't envisage it affecting cabin space usage or creating too much extra rubbish to be cleared from passengers who bring a hamper on board.

"If customers wish to bring their own food on board, they are very welcome to," said a spokesperson for BA.

Starting at £5, the new picnics might even be a more affordable in-flight dining option for travellers when compared to budget airline food prices.

Passengers on an easyJet flight can expect to pay around £6.20 for a meal that includes a sandwich, a snack and a soft drink, or £6.90 when ordered with either a hot drink or soup instead.

Ryanair's in-flight food prices range from around £3.57 (€4.50) for a sandwich and between £1.19-£4.76 (€1.50-€6) for snacks, to £1.59-£2.78 (€2-€3.50) for a soft or hot drink.

Last year, airlines were found to charge up to 2,600 per cent more than supermarkets for in-flight food and drink, according to research byTravelsupermarket.com.

Budget carriers such as easyJet and Ryanair were singled out for applying the biggest mark-ups while the biggest price increases were found on hot drinks

Contributed by Soo Kim,www.telegraph.co.uk/

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Travelore Tips: The Best Airport Restaurants Around The World

Modern Catalan cuisine such as slow-braised beef cheeks and poached eggs over potatoes -- not a bad way to ensure you don't need an inflight meal.

Porta Gaig (Barcelona-El Prat Airport)

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

• Top chefs are starting to use airports for new ventures
• Breweries, like Airbräu in Munich, have been successful offering a 'sense of place' in the airport
• In Germany's Stuttgart Airport, Michelin-starred Top Air offers seven-course menu for €132 ($183) From boxed sandwiches and salads in plastic tubs to fine dining.

The world's gastronomic masters are now using airports for their new restaurant openings.

Heston Blumenthal is the latest big name chef to open an air hub establishment.

The Perfectionist's Café will open at London Heathrow Airport's Terminal 2 on June 4.

While Blumenthal is best known for molecular gastronomy, his new diner with a wood-fired oven makes it the first British airport kitchen with an open flame.

Fire safety and security are just two major hurdles for the potential airport restaurateur.

Gas can't be used in the kitchens in most airports, food suppliers have to go through security clearance and perhaps most daunting of all, customers sometimes have as little 15 minutes to spend on the meal.

Blumenthal isn't the first culinary superstar to take on the challenge.

Gordon Ramsay opened Plane Food at Heathrow's Terminal 5 in 2008, Spain's Carles Gaig has a modern Catalan joint at Barcelona-El Prat and in North America, Los Angeles International and Toronto Pearson International are just two restaurants that have attracted restaurants from local celebrity cooks.

Heston Blumenthal's airport restaurant is due to open soon at London's Heathrow.

More people, more stomachs

Air travel has roughly doubled since 2003, with the International Civil Aviation Authority reporting that airlines served 3.1 billion passengers in 2013 compared with 1.6 billion a decade ago.

Airports are an integral part of that experience now, moving away from being mere gateways.

"It's what the airport environment does to you," says Heathrow Airport's head of food and beverage Ben Crowley.

"Eighty percent of our flights are long haul, which means the bulk of the passengers are on a big trip and therefore in the mood for an indulgence."

Advances in kitchen technology mean the no-gas policy is not the obstacle it once was.

"Electric heat is far better than what it used to be 10 years ago," says Sophie Michell, executive chef of London's Pont St restaurant and one of the four British celebrity chefs who have collaborated to open The Gorgeous Kitchen, an upmarket restaurant at Heathrow's Terminal 2.

"You just have to think about different ways to add flavor and cook quickly. For example, you can get good caramelization with a heavy-bottomed saucepan on induction hobs, which now have quick reactions and reach high temperatures."

A greater range of food suppliers are now authorized by airports, too.

"We're able to use ingredients from artisanal suppliers -- previously only the big suppliers were able to get through," Michell says.

Still, there are additional expenses -- airport restaurants pay higher staff wages to persuade employees away from central locales.

Not a bad way to spend a delay.

They also tend to serve smaller parties than city restaurants and diners typically spend less.

"Though individual table checks are lower than on the high street, an airport restaurant gets much more exposure, with millions of people passing by every year," says Sebastian Rotteveel, creator of The Gorgeous Kitchen concept and senior director of marketing at hospitality company HMSHost International.

Thousands of servings

Take Gordon Ramsay's Plane Food.

Around 20,000 diners are served every month.

The restaurant receives hundreds of visitors a day, serving dishes such as braised pork belly and cod ceviche.

"Travelers have become a lot more demanding," Heathrow's Crowley says. "They eat out more and expect more when they come through the airport."

These days, the greatest limitation of the airport restaurant is security, says Anthony Russell, restaurant manager at Ramsay's Plane Food.

Kitchen knives need to be kept under strict eye, and suppliers and staff must pass through security clearance.

"Produce delivery becomes a challenge," Russell says.

"You have to be organized and resourceful, but there is [still] no calling a supplier for an emergency delivery if you run out after lunch."

Of course, quality airport dining isn't the exclusive domain of celebrity chefs.

At Munich Airport, voted the world's best airport for dining in the 2013 Skytrax Awards, travelers can find Europe's only airport brewery, Airbräu.

Airbräu is a success because, like Hung's Delicacies in Hong Kong International Airport (voted second in the Skytrax awards), it's an authentic piece of its home culture, giving travelers a unique sense of place in the airport land-between-lands.

"A Bavarian restaurant serving local beer from its own brewery differentiates Munich Airport from other European airports," says Gerhard Halamoda, head of Munich Airport's hospitality operator Allresto.

More customers to come by June 2014.

"Twenty years ago, customers would use an airport once or twice a year, and restaurateurs could get away with an expensive, mediocre experience.

"Now, people fly frequently and if they have a good time at our airport, next time they're more likely to transfer through Munich rather than, say, Amsterdam or Frankfurt."

14 top airport restaurants

Airbräu Brauhaus (Munich Airport)

The hook: Europe's only airport restaurant to boast its own on-site brewery.

The cuisine: The beer garden is attached to a Bavarian restaurant that serves roast duck, pig knuckle and cold cured meats.

The beer is brewed in accordance with the Purity Decree of 1513, using local hops from the Hallertau region.

The bar organizes brewery tours.

Airbrau in Munich.

Airbräu Brauhaus, Level 3, Terminal 1, Munich Airport; +49 89 9759 3111

Altitude (Geneva International Airport)

The hook: Created by chefs Gilles Dupont and Thomas Byrne, whose joint restaurants include the Michelin-starred Dupont & Byrne.

The cuisine: Classic French food in an elegant space with a glass wall onto the runway. The business lunch menu changes bi-weekly while the a la carte menu is updated every season.

On the menu: green apple and ginger crème brulée, foie gras and morel mushrooms stuffed raviolis, Brittany sole meunière style and beef carpaccio.

You can get two courses ($55-62) or the full three ($75) with dessert or cheese, though travelers with less time can grab smaller plates, burgers or sandwiches for around $27.

Altitude, Geneva Airport; +41 22 817 46 09

Asian Kitchen by Susur Lee (Toronto Pearson International Airport)

Opens early 2015

The hook: To be opened by fine-dining celebrity chef and restaurateur Susur Lee, whose face you may have caught on "Top Chef Canada" or "Iron Chef America."

The cuisine: Lee is known for his twist on fine dining using fusion flavors and techniques.

Toronto Airport's outpost will be a bistro-style eatery showing off Lee's French and Chinese influences.

Asian Kitchen by Susur Lee, Terminal 1 International departures, Toronto Pearson International Airport

Boccone Trattoria (Toronto Pearson International Airport)

The hook: Opened by Canadian celebrity chef and restaurateur Massimo Capra, the chef/co-owner of Mistura and Sopra in Toronto.

The cuisine: A full-service Italian trattoria-style restaurant offering pastas, pizza and a wine list.

Capra, who is often at the restaurant, guarantees every item can be served within 10 minutes, and passengers can be on their way within 30 minutes of sitting down.

Main dishes hover around $16.

Boccone Trattoria, Level 2 gates, Terminal 1, Toronto Pearson International Airport; +1 416 776 0492

Cat Cora's Kitchen (San Francisco International Airport)

The hook: Opened by TV chef and restaurateur Cat Cora, whose empire includes branches at Salt Lake City and Houston Airports.

The cuisine: Innovative Californian cuisine using organic, seasonal ingredients, with small plates such as salt roasted beets, lobster mac and cheese or a seafood slider trio of oyster, shrimp and crab cake.

A raw bar dishes up oysters, while the cocktail menu gets creative with chili-infused tequila and antioxidant-crammed juices.

Prices hover at about $14 a plate or $15 a cocktail.

Cat Cora's Kitchen, Terminal 2, San Francisco International Airport; +1 650 821 9288

Dani Garcia DeliBar (Málaga-Costa del Sol Airport, Spain)

The hook: A classic tapas bar from Spanish chef Dani Garcia.

The cuisine: Modern tapas with classic Andalusian flavors given Garcia's trademark twist -- cherry gazpacho, crab ravioli, as well as the chef's famous oxtail burger.

It's all served in as casual a setting as many downtown bars, with tapas on display.

Up to 60 can sit around the bar, while travelers can grab dishes to go.

Dani Garcia DeliBar, Terminal 3, Malaga-Costa del Sol Airport, Spain

Hung's Delicacies (Hong Kong International Airport)

The hook: An offshoot of the Michelin-starred Hung's Delicacies in North Point, a tiny shop that specializes in marinated meats.

The cuisine: Chiu Chow food with a focus on braised meat in a particular style called "lou seoi," in which a complex master stock is used to marinate goose meat, tofu and other less usual parts, such as duck's tongue and pig's intestine in aspic.

The stir-fried egg noodles are named after Hong Kong food critic and TV personality Chua Lam, who was apparently one of the restaurant's earliest fans.

Dishes run from around $6.50 for small plates to $20 for the star attraction -- slices of marinated goose.

Hung's Delicacies, Terminal 2, Hong Kong International Airport; +852 3197 9332

ink.sack (Los Angeles International Airport)

The hook: A second branch of the sandwich bar by Michael Voltaggio, "Top Chef" winner, Food & Wine's Best New Chef and the chef/owner of the fine dining ink on Melrose Avenue.

The cuisine: On "Top Chef," Voltaggio was known for inventive plating and a love of liquid nitrogen, but ink sack is a sandwich bar classic.

Tiny crusty baguettes are stuffed to the brim with fillings like cold fried chicken, Spanish cured meats or a Viet-style banh mi with pork, from about $7 -- not bad for a pre-boarding snack.

It's open 9:30 a.m.-2 a.m.

ink.sack (website is for the city branch), Great Hall, Tom Bradley International Terminal, 380 World Way, Los Angeles Airport; +1 (310) 258-9587

Perfectionists' Cafe (Heathrow Airport, London)

Opens June 2014

The hook: The king of inventive cooking, Heston Blumenthal applies his science to making British classics quick.

Cuisine: English diner food with a twist and some serious physics -- imagine a burger designed with an oral physiologist to determine the optimal bun size and texture.

Fans of Blumenthal's multi-sensory approach to cooking can sit at the bar where aromas will enhance the dining experience.

Prices for main dishes from £11 ($18).

Perfectionists' Cafe, Terminal 2 departures, Heathrow Airport, London

Porta Gaig (Barcelona-El Prat Airport)

The hook: Opened by one of Barcelona's most celebrated chefs, Carles Gaig, who runs the city's Michelin-starred Gaig.

The cuisine: Modern Catalan food, such as slow-braised beef cheeks or poached eggs over potatoes, enjoyed in peaceful, airy surrounds with plate-glass windows through which diners can watch aircraft land and take off.

Travelers in a rush can have quick tapas such as Iberico ham and pa amb tomaquet, a Catalan classic of bread rubbed with tomato.

Open noon-5 p.m., weekdays only, with main dishes from €10.70 ($15).

Porta Gaig, El Prat Airport Terminal 1 departures , Barcelona; +34 93 259 6210

Prime Tavern (LaGuardia Airport, New York)

The hook: Created with chef and TV personality Michael Lomonaco of NYC steakhouse Porterhouse.

The cuisine: Steakhouse diner with prime cuts of dry-aged steak and hearty burgers.

Vegetarians can go for the heirloom tomato salad or chilled cucumber soup.

Lobster rolls round off a menu of diner favorites, all buttressed by a beer list chosen by Brooklyn Brewery's brewmaster, Garrett Oliver.

Prime Tavern, Delta Terminal, LaGuardia Airport, New York; +1 866 508 3558

The Gorgeous Kitchen (Heathrow Airport, London)

Opens in June 2014

The hook: Menu designed by four UK celebrity chefs including Sophie Michell of London's Pont St restaurant, and cookbook author Jo Pratt ("In the Mood for Food").

The cuisine: Light, wholesome fare prepared from British-grown ingredients.

Signature dishes include a chorizo toad-in-the-hole and sweet corn and coriander fritters with king prawns.

An express section of the menu can be ordered and served within 15 minutes.

The Gorgeous Kitchen, Heathrow Airport, Terminal 2 departures, London

Top Air (Stuttgart Airport, Germany)

The hook: Europe's only Michelin-starred airport restaurant, it's headed by chef Marco Akuzun.

The cuisine: Gourmet European, complete with artistic presentation, flavorsome foams and an amuse bouche at the start of the meal.

For travelers with time, there's a seven-course menu for €132 ($183).

Top Air, Stuttgart Airport, Terminal 1, Stuttgart, Germany; +49 711 948 2137

Twist (Toronto Pearson International Airport)

Opens August 2014

The hook: To be launched by Canadian celebrity chef and cookbook author Roger Mooking, who also hosts cooking shows "Heat Seekers" and "Man Fire Food."

The cuisine: Locally sourced North American comfort food with the eponymous "twist" -- scones with lavender honey and peameal bacon and roast Cornish hen made with Moroccan spice rub, charred lemon and served with arugula.

Twist, Toronto Pearson International Airport

Contributed by  Natasha Stokes, CNN

10 Things You Didn't Know About Las Vegas

 Not many cities evoke as many instant associations as Las Vegas.

Maybe you think of the Rat Pack, showgirls and mobsters sipping martinis. Or perhaps it's bachelorettes and bros on a bender that everyone hopes won't end up on Facebook.

It's a town whose story has been told thousands of times, in books such as "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas," movies such as "Casino" and televisions shows from "Vega$" to "Vegas."

But there's much more to the city than just sin.

Photos: The Vegas you didn't know

There's a lot about Vegas you might not know -- and we don't just mean magic tricks, personal secrets or those holes in the desert you see in gangster movies:More than half a million people live here -- about 800,000 if you include the adjacent suburb of Henderson. Plenty of slots and cocktails still abound, but the arts and cultural scene is blossoming and a tech boom is building.

1. Down with the old, up with the new

No town turns over real estate like Las Vegas. The Wynn inhabits the site of the storied Desert Inn; the Bellagio has totally obliterated the Dunes. Planet Hollywood still has some of the Aladdin buried inside, while the Sahara is being gutted and repurposed as the SLS.

There's still a Flamingo, but Bugsy Siegel didn't run rampant there -- the final remnant of the original hotel was torn down in 1993.

A small plaque in the garden indicates the location of Siegel's personal suite, which had bulletproof glass, earthquake-proof walls and a trapdoor in the closet leading to escape tunnels.

2. City of culture

Las Vegas is a big museum town -- in its own way.

We have the Neon Museum, a dazzling pile of obsolete signage, from vast casinos such as the Stardust and Moulin Rouge to roadside motel dice or the smiling shirt advertising a dry cleaner.

At the Mob Museum, you can see Kefauver's courtroom, where mafiosos testified before senators, as well as the bullet-riddled brick wall from the St. Valentine's Day Massacre.

The National Atomic Testing Museum has history, science and bombs. At the Pinball Hall of Fame, you can admire (and play) hundreds of games.

Dream of driving the 1932 Rolls-Royce Phantom II at the Auto Collections or check out Gypsy Rose Lee's g-string at the Burlesque Hall of Fame or visit the brand new Polaroid Museum, which is set to open Thursday.

3. Downtown

When people think of Vegas, they think of the Strip, but recently, the older Downtown area has been pulling focus.

Online retailer Zappos moved in, and CEO Tony Hsieh started theDowntown Project, aimed at revitalizing the neighborhood through investing in real estate and small businesses (and a huge music festival).

A number of the older casinos are getting facelifts, while new bars and restaurants open at an ever-accelerating rate.

For entertainment, the Smith Center has high-end offerings -- ballet, Broadway shows, the recent world premiere of Shakespeare's "The Tempest," redone by Teller (of Penn & Teller) and Tom Waits.

Conversely, the Fremont Street Experience offers classic rock-themed light shows, concerts of cover bands (or the occasional original artist) and plenty of frozen drinks in souvenir cups.

Somewhere in between is the Inspire Theater's edgy variety shows and bar-with-a-view, as well as touring band venues like Beauty Barand Backstage Bar & Billiards.

4. Conventioneers!

There are thousands of conventions in Vegas every year, from 150 people for the Nevada Court Reporters Association to almost 150,000 for the Auto Expo.

There are the well-known ones such as CES (premiering the newest technology, from smartphones to spoons that post your calorie count on the Internet) and the AVN (the porn convention).

We welcome the movie stars of Cinemacon and the messengers of Interbike, the Bar & Nightclub Expo and the National Hardware Show, the Renfaire fans and the Trekkies.

Even if you're not here on business, be aware that a major gathering can affect hotel availability, restaurant reservations and the security line at the airport.

5. Skeletons in our midst

The Las Vegas Strip runs glitter and overkill all the way through town, but at its center stand two enormous, unfinished structures, incongruous in rust and darkness.

There's the Fontainebleau, kin to the famous Miami hotel: 68 stories high, 70% completed, $3 billion spent, five years vacant and rotting in the sun.

Across the street was the legendary Stardust, busy until the day it was closed in 2006. Local casino corporation Boyd Gaming bought it up and tore it down, intending to build an ultraluxurious megaresort with Mondrian and Delano hotels, shopping, convention space, multiple theaters ...

They got as far as the girders before the recession hit in 2008. Eventually another gaming group purchased the property and plans to finally turn it into a megaresort.

6. The famous casino that isn't

The Tangiers was the setting of "Casino," perhaps the best movie made about Las Vegas; the Tangiers is also a recurring plot point/location on "CSI."

However, the Tangiers doesn't exist.

"Casino" was inspired by events at the Stardust but, for legal reasons, the name was changed in the film, a name that was then picked up for the TV show. Some folks assume it was torn down, when actually it never existed to begin with.

7. Everyone plays Vegas now

The Vegas headliner is no longer a crooner in a toupee and pinky ring, as an increasing number of more contemporary artists give Sin City the long run.

The pediment of Caesars Palace is adorned not with the visages of Jupiter, Apollo and Venus but Elton John, Rod Stewart and Celine Dion.

The Hard Rock works a similar format within its own theme, with intermittent extended stays by hair-metal lords Def Leppard, Motley Crue and Guns n' Roses.

Britney Spears bumps and grinds at Planet Hollywood, while Boyz II Men brings harmony to the Mirage. Even hipper venues such as the Brooklyn Bowl do extended runs, in this case funk/jam bands such as Galactic, Primus and String Cheese Incident.

8. More than slots and dice

Gambling is no longer the main motivator of a trip to Vegas.

The nightclub is one of the new draws, as lavish megaclubs seem to open every month with over-the-top decor, four-figure bottle service and a roster of superstar DJs. (Of course, dropping the price of a used car on a night out can make the rest of the trip a five-to-a-room event with Budweiser and Hot Pockets.)

A more mature crowd is lured by the city's status as a foodie destination.

The classic steakhouse and coffee shop offerings have expanded into a dazzling array of restaurants, from exquisitely prepared tasting menus with meticulously paired wines surrounded by museum-quality art to comfort food of all cultures, served under bright lights to finger-licking crowds.

Celebrity chefs from Thomas Keller to Gordon Ramsay have resort-property eateries (Wolfgang Puck has six and Emeril Lagasse and Mario Batali each have four).

Even if big names above the door don't mean much to you, they have given many a local chef a career boost. Beloved local restaurants such as Honey Salt, Fat Choy, Eat and the soon-to-reopen Rosemary's were all created by chefs who got their training on the Strip.

9. Halloween every day

There are many people in Las Vegas who make their living pretending to be someone else, meaning you might see "Michael Jackson" in hat, glove and shades waiting at the bus stop.

Elvis impersonators work big showrooms, casino lounges and wedding chapels, so it is not uncommon to see a man in white jumpsuit and full sideburns buying kitty litter or pumping gas into his Honda.

Other fake famous folks do tribute shows, parties or just stand around hoping someone will tip for a photo with "Marilyn." Or "Tupac." Or Barney.

10. Where Vegas is still "Vegas"

There are still some spots that retain the mojo of when Dino was at the Sands and Dietrich was at the Sahara.

The Golden Steer Steakhouse has been velvet wallpaper and sirloin since 1958, and you can still sit in Elvis' booth, sipping a martini while the veteran waiter creates your tableside Caesar salad or cherries jubilee.

The Huntridge Tavern and the Hard Hat Lounge are both Kennedy-era dive bars, the first with an attached drugstore and lunch counter, the latter with glorious pulp-art murals.

Frankie's Tiki Room has a new interior, but the retro-Polynesian style is pure throwback.

A few casinos still retain their original style.

The El Cortez is in the original 1941 building, with vintage neon on the roof and an Elvis impersonator in the lounge; the Riviera may have go-go dancing dealers and a British pub, but it's still got the smoked mirrors and brass trim of its '70s prime.

Contributed By Lissa Townsend Rodgers, CNN.