When it Comes to Kosher, the Airlines Still Can’t Get it Straight

Posted by Menachem Lubinsky on September 19, 2010 under Sixth Sense | View Comments

My Sixth Sense…by Menachem Lubinsky

On a recent Transatlantic flight, a major international carrier served a passenger in Business Class a kosher dairy meal with grilled chicken as the hot dish. After complaining to the airline, the carrier offered a 15% discount on future flights, acknowledging only that it failed to provide the kosher meal rather than admitting its mistake. The European kosher caterer who supplied the meal simply ignored the passenger’s complaint. Several other passengers on international flights complained that their meals were “half-frozen” and one even told of a carrier that served him a Passover meal three weeks after the holiday had ended. There is the sense that despite the progress of kosher in the air, the airlines still have a way to go in training and execution. And why not? Orthodox Jews and kosher travelers are commonplace nowadays, far more prevalent than the many special meals that airlines offer without incident these days.

Perhaps the kosher caterers and the certification agencies should take the initiative and offer ongoing training to airline crews. There is no reason why so may travelers tell stories of frozen fruit cocktail and even little challah rolls that cannot be cut. What about the confusion that ensues as to whether to open the wrappers or not. Another complaint that simply does not make sense these days is that frequently kosher customers are denied upgrade privileges because the economy meals on board do not measure up to the class of travel. That would be fine if the airlines got it right in the upgraded class, but when they serve milk and meat on one tray, there is no reason why an upgraded passengers cannot chose to eat an economy kosher meal in business or first class. As grateful as travelers are for the accommodation of a kosher meal 35,000 feet in the air, they do expect the airline crews to be well grounded in how to serve the meals.

Simply Devine Foremost Merger Makes Sense in Recession

Posted by Menachem Lubinsky on February 25, 2010 under Kosher Companies | View Comments

New York…by Zechariah Mehler…Two well-known kosher caterers joined forces recently in a merger that sources say should help both well known kosher caterers. Simply Divine, a premier New York kosher caterer and event planner, has become a division of Foremost Caterers. The combination of Foremost and Simply Divine caterers gives both companies the ability and resources to create an expanded boutique catering and event planning experience. Also expanding is Simply Divine’s line of prepared foods which is sold at Zabars. Judy Marlow, the creator of Simply Divine describes her company as “the Calvin Klein of Kosher Caterers”. She says that Simply Divine excels at providing food which is simple but exceptional. Officially Simply Divine will be acting as a division of Foremost. This will allow them to retain the unique style Executive Chef Brian Sutor has created for them. Trained at Le Cordon Bleu in Paris, Sutor spent 13 years as Sous Chef at the 5-Star Le Bec Fin in Philadelphia and the last 5 years at Simply Divine. The merger will also allow regular customers of Foremost to have a greater number of options for their events. One source familiar with the deal said that such mergers are designed to share in overhead while increasing business, particularly in a recession environment.