How to Choose a Private Jet Caterer

The jet is booked. Now someone asks what you want to eat on board. It sounds like a small detail. It is not. Food on a private jet has to be ordered early, cooked for a tiny galley and delivered to the right door at the airport. This guide explains how private jet catering works and how to pick a caterer you can trust.

Who orders the food

On most charter flights you do not call the caterer yourself. You tell your broker or the operator what you want. The operator's flight attendant or operations team places the order with a caterer near the departure airport. The caterer delivers it to the FBO, the private terminal, where the crew loads it on board.

You can also bring your own food, or have a restaurant you like prepare it. The crew will tell you what will keep and what will not. Either way, the caterer or restaurant needs to know the aircraft, the departure time and the FBO.

What the galley can handle

This is the part most people miss. Private jet galleys are small, and they differ a lot by aircraft size.

Aircraft	Typical galley	What works
Light jet, such as an Embraer Phenom 300	Cold storage, hot drinks, no oven	Cold plates, sandwiches, salads, fruit
Midsize jet, such as a Citation XLS	Small oven or microwave on many aircraft	Simple hot dishes that reheat well
Large cabin jet, such as a Gulfstream G550	Full galley with oven, often a flight attendant	Multi-course meals, plated service

A good caterer asks which aircraft you are flying before suggesting a menu. Charter broker and Falcon 900 pilot Enzo Viardot, who plans New York to Dubai flights, puts it this way: "The flight attendant suggests dishes that still taste good after being reheated in flight." A dish that is perfect in a restaurant can be a disappointment after two hours in a chiller and ten minutes in a small oven. Our guide on light vs midsize jets explains the cabin differences.

Order early

Caterers can turn a standard order around at short notice. Special dishes cannot be rushed. James Ison, who runs a London private aviation and concierge business, told us in his guide on planning a trip by private jet: "It's best to decide a few days before the flight rather than the day before or that morning." Special ingredients, dietary needs and large groups all need time.

What to look for in a caterer

• Aviation experience. A caterer that serves business jets knows how to pack for a galley, label dishes and write reheating notes for the crew.
• Food safety. Ask for the caterer's local food hygiene licence or rating, and whether it works to a hazard control plan. Cold food should arrive chilled and sealed, with the time it was packed.
• Airport access. The caterer needs to deliver to the FBO at the right time. A caterer that already serves that airport has the passes and the contacts.
• Dietary needs. Allergies, halal, kosher, vegan and children's meals should be routine, not a special request. Allergen labelling on every container is a must.
• Presentation. Ask what dishes and glassware the aircraft carries. Some caterers supply their own plating. Others pack for the operator's own service.
• Price transparency. Catering is usually a pass-through on the charter invoice, and the operator or FBO may add a handling fee. Ask for the caterer's price and the fee separately. Our guide on reading a charter quote shows where catering appears.

Flying across borders

Food that is fine on departure can be a problem on arrival. Many countries limit what fresh food can be brought in. The United States bans most fresh meat and many fruits and vegetables from abroad, and the European Union does not allow meat or dairy from outside the EU in personal baggage. Crews often have to throw away leftover catering at the border. If you are on a return trip, the operator will order fresh food at the destination from a local caterer. Ask your broker to confirm who that caterer is.

Alcohol has its own rules. Some countries restrict it on board or in the terminal. The operator knows the rules for each stop, so ask before you order.

Questions to ask

1. Have you catered this aircraft type before, and what do you recommend for its galley?
2. How much notice do you need for a standard order, and for a special one?
3. What food safety licence or rating do you hold?
4. Do you label allergens and reheating instructions on every dish?
5. Do you deliver to the FBO we are using, and at what time?
6. What is your price, and is there a separate handling fee from the operator or FBO?
7. Can you match a menu from a restaurant we like?

Flying with pets? Their food has border rules too. Our guide on private jet charter with pets covers what to bring.

Need a caterer at your departure airport? Browse in-flight catering companies in our aviation directory.

Sources: guest articles by Enzo Viardot (Elysium Jet) and James Ison (The 0.1% Group) on this site, US Customs and Border Protection rules on bringing food into the US, European Commission rules on personal imports of animal products, published order terms of aviation caterers.