Continental's BusinessFirst
 With all the bad news about the U.S. airline industry... bankruptcy headlines and in-flight service cut backs. It was a reassuring pleasure to cross the Atlantic in Continental's BusinessFirst. Rather than cutting back on their Premium International service, Continental has enhanced it. Starting with a brand new fleet of Boeing 767s and 777s, Continental's Premium cabins are spacious. They provide comfy BusinessFirst sleeper seats with individual video screens offering a numerous selection of movies and audio...and in-flight dining is First Class.
Continental has created a congress of chefs and wine masters comprising noted regional chefs and wine professionals from several parts of the U.S. Contributors include Houston's Michael Cordua owner and chef of the popular Churrascos, the Amazon Grill, and Artista – opened in the new Center for the Performing Arts. Also part of the line up is Tim Keating of Houston's eclectic restaurant, Quattro in the prestigious Four Seasons Hotel. From Hawaii, Roy Yamaguchi adds his highly personal cooking style blending flavors of the East, the West and Polynesia. He has set the standard for the rapidly emerging popularity of Asian-Pacific cuisine.
On our flight, selected entrees were inspired by Chef Paul Minnillo, chef/owner of Cleveland Ohio's Baricelli Inn. Chef Minnillo's unique combination of tradition and inspiration is influenced by three generations of family steeped in the business of food. They were grocers, butchers and restaurateurs. Upon graduating from Ohio's Miami University with a degree in Business Administration, Minnillo returned to the family's restaurant. He transformed it into a cutting-edge eatery with a wine list specializing in California varietals, making it the first of its kind in the Midwest.
He went on to train in New York and London with Anton Mossiman at the venerable Dorchester Hotel returning in 1985 to open the family's crowning endeavor, The Baricelli Inn. Located in the University Circle, Cleveland's cultural hub, the elegant brownstone mansion represents Minnillo's love for the continental dining experience.
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| Continental Congress of Chefs |
Chef Minnillo creates a seasonal menu reflecting European traditions, but the ingredients and style are uniquely his own. "Simplicity in cooking is a greatly underrated virtue," Minnillo states. In December 1999, Chef Minnillo opened the Baricelli Cheese Company where he "blooms" rare and exotic cheeses from around the world for the country's leading restaurants and specialty food retailers.
Minnillo is active in several charitable culinary organizations such as Share Our Strength's Conference of Leaders. Also, following the September 11 tragedy, he spearheaded the city's culinary event benefiting victim's families of the World Trade Center's Windows on the World.
Continental Airlines' wine masters program has two wine specialists assisting in the selection of wine and food pairing. Karen MacNeil, a private wine tutor to numerous corporations, has taught customized wine and restaurant service classes around the United States. She has published the "The Wine Bible" hailed as the "most comprehensive wine book ever written by an American author." She has published more than a thousand articles on food and wine in various publications such as The New York Times, and Cooking Light magazine. In addition, Karen is the chair of the wine program at the Culinary Institute of America in California's Napa Valley.
From the East coast, David Gordon adds his expertise. Wine Director for the world famous Tribeca Grill in New York City, David is a graduate of Cornell. He was featured in Wine Spectator when Tribeca Grill received the Best of Award's Excellence for their wine list. David creates wine tastings and dinners for corporate clients, as well as the restaurant's celebrity film investors. He is also a regular guest lecturer on Crystal Cruise Lines, as an educator of people on the joy of drinking wine in moderation.
On our flight, we enjoyed a 2001 Pouilly Fume, a 1999 Chablis Premier Cru Vaillons and a Rosemount Estate 2001 Roxburgh Chardonnay. The reds consisted of a tempting Merlot from Rodney Strong Estate Vineyards in Sonoma and from France, Château Vernous Medoc. After dinner we were served a delicious Fonseca Porto Bin No.27
Our in-flight staff was professional, warm and welcoming. Our galley "chef" Cheryl did an excellent job preparing this special Congress of Chefs menu despite her ovens being at 35,000 feet. Dinner service began with hot towels and warm roasted nuts followed by a smoked salmon and cheese tart with a cream herb sauce. A Romaine lettuce salad with Kalamata olives and buffalo mozzarella dressed with a choice of balsamic vinaigrette or yogurt herb dressing was next. Entrée selections included Herbed breast of Chicken Provencal on a bed of white wine risotto, Shrimp Scampi over saffron risotto, and a pasta bowl of Tortellini filled with cheese and sun-dried tomatoes complemented by a fresh mushroom sauce. The dessert cart featured made- to-order ice cream sundaes or a warm fruit cobbler. Cappuccino is an exclusive in BusinessFirst, which we thoroughly enjoyed.
Beyond the quality afforded by BusinessFirst, the CruiseGourmet is especially impressed with Continental's OnePass Cruises, a new feature of their frequent flyer program. You can earn up to 10,000 OnePass miles sailing your choice of sixteen fabulous cruise lines It's the perfect reason to enjoy BusinessFirst on the way to your next cruise. For more information log on to www.continental.com.
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