The events in the Middle East caused the cancellation of my flights via Doha from Australia to Europe and so I had to quickly get creative with booking different flights as flights were fast filling up on alternative routes. I ended up flying via Johannesburg and London to get to Europe which gave me the opportunity to experience British Airways business class food.
British Airways Business Class Johannesburg to London menu
The flight was an 11 hour flight and departed at 9pm flight and while it was a later evening flight it still offered a 3 course dining experience. Alternatively you could opt for a goodnight service which included just a starter and dessert. The second meal service was a breakfast service.
Main Meal Service
Before takeoff a selection of beverages was offered including champagne, orange juice and water. Promptly after takeoff a the pre-dinner service was served with a drink and bag of nuts and chickpeas served. The rosemary added a lovely flavour to the chickpeas.
I chose the smoked trout and cream cheese roulade and it was absolutely delicious. It was served with a side salad and bread roll. The bread roll was intriguing – it was one bread roll but came in three parts which were all different flavours of bread. The side salad was brightly coloured and was a mix of cabbage, tomato, radish, edamame beans, sunflower seeds and pumpkin.
I chose the herb roasted chicken as a main and while it didn’t look much on the plate (looked a bit sad when I first saw it) it tasted really good. The chicken breast wasn’t too dry and there was just enough creamy sauce to complement the chicken and vegetables without drowning them. The potatoes and the capsicums (peppers) were quite soft. Interesting the dish was called herb roasted chicken as I didn’t find the herb flavour very strong – the creamy mustard sauce carried most of the flavour.
Nutrition comment
The smoked trout roulade was a nutritious starter for this flight. Since it was a later evening flight (and my body clock was also on early morning time) having a high protein starter was a good option for travel wellness. The side salad was welcome, providing ~ 1 serve of vegetables to the overall meal experience. 5 serves of vegetables a day can be hard to achieve when flying and side salads are a good opportunity for both a delicious dish but also a nutrient boost. The bread concept was interesting and useful from a travel wellness perspective. The small portions of each flavour of bread allowed me to choose a small dark rye roll and easily have a small amount. This allowed for the enjoyment of some bread, without too much temptation to eat a large amount which at this time of the day (and my body clock) wasn’t what I was after. The amount of creamy sauce with the roasted chicken was perfect – enough for flavour but without adding unnecessary calories at the beginning of a sedentary 11 hour flight (and sedentary 40 hour journey). It was a lovely balance of flavour and nutrition.
Second Meal Service
Breakfast was served 1.5 hours before landing and I chose to have the starter and a main to see what the full experience was like. The yougurt dish was not overly sweet which was good for just after a long flight. The granola wasn’t crunchy and was quite soft. The croissant was served warm. I thought the half a strawberry was a bit random.
The chive omelette unfortunately was dry. The creamed spinach was really tasty and the sweet potato was just ok as it was described as herbed but I didn’t really taste many herbs.
Nutrition comment
The yogurt was plain and the compote wasn’t too sweet. This was a refreshing change from many plane food breakfasts. The compote and the granola gave a hint of complementary sweetness to the tart yogurt but it was good it wasn’t overly sweet. This suggested the levels of added sugar were minimal (or at least lower than they could have been). This is important for travel wellness. The meal came with a croissant and there was no choice offered with this. I would have much preferred a wholegrain/wholewheat slice of bread/roll for additional nutrients and fibre.
Snacks
There were a range of prepackaged snacks in the galley for during the flight including crisps, nuts and pocorn.
Final word British Airways Business Class food Johannesburg to London (Heathrow)
The British Airways Business Class food from Johannesburg to London was a solid business class experience. The food experience wasn’t fancy, but was tasty. The cabin crew service was attentive and anytime I asked for anything it came quite quickly.
NOTE: All pictures of British Airways Business Class food are my own and I review the food from the menu I was given and the food I ordered on my flight. There may be different options available at other times.
If you are flying out of London Heathrow on British Airways you may be interested in the review of the British Airways First Lounge T5.
