Bringing a Taste of the Arctic to your Flight
Curious about how Thyme & Again food took to the skies? Read on to find out more about the Thyme & Again dishes being served on First Air!
It started over a bowl of venison stew.
This stew, a signature dish, was served as part of a fundraiser for David Reid, and the team responsible for the Bear Witness Arctic Expedition — a journey that marked the circumnavigation of Bylot Island by ski.
It was this chance tasting that sparked the beginning of a partnership between First Air and Thyme & Again — a collaboration further cemented by our mutual goals of connecting communities — and what better way to do so than by sharing food together!
In the conception of this specialty menu, it was important for us to blend our style of small batch cooking, with a sprinkle of Northern flare. Keeping with what we do well, we focused on fresh, local ingredients that would be ready to take to the skies!
Our First Air menu features our venison stew, a penne with fresh vegetable ratatouille, and an Arctic char with smoked tomato chutney, jars of which are favourites in our take home food shop. Our Arctic char is delivered to us by First Air, all the way from the Pangnirtung Fisheries, renowned for both its char and turbot. Getting the chance to play with this incredible ingredient was definitely a process highlight for our chefs, and we loved the spirit of collaboration resonating in the creation of this dish.
From our bakery comes a signature cookie, made only for First Air, featuring white chocolate and cranberries, echoing flavours reminiscent of winter. Not only has the creation of this menu been incredibly rewarding and inspiring for our team, we have been overwhelmed by the positive response we’ve seen so far — from letters, to e-mails, and especially across social media.
Thyme & Again is also thrilled to see the collaboration of communities supporting community, as when First Air joined us as a sponsor for Canada’s Table, an event in Ottawa, Ontario, on August 27. This iconic dinner celebrated Canadian food and chefs from across the country and was a fundraiser for food security both locally and nationally.
Every Tuesday and Thursday on flights between Iqaluit and Ottawa, First Air will serve amazing new menu creations by Thyme & Again Creative Catering. We hope you enjoy!
-Thyme & Again
Originally published in Above & Beyond Magazine
