On a moving trolley in the aisle, TWA was infamous for cutting chateaubriand.
Cathay Pacific used to make Baked Alaska while in flight. Could you picture igniting something in a modern airplane?
Singapore Airlines' early 1970s flight menus included regionally inspired delicacies like Malaysian salad and prawn curry.
Additionally, airlines introduced distinct dining areas and drink bars on board, and Japan Airlines even reproduced a Teahouse in the Sky that was fashioned to seem like a classic Japanese inn at one point.
Beginning in the 1950s, Pan Am and Maxim's de Paris, the renowned eatery next to Place de la Concorde, collaborated to offer the French cuisine of the illustrious restaurant on international flights.
This beautiful carrot dish, which bears the name of the charming French resort town of Vichy, was a side dish on the Pan Am Maxim's menu. It is sweet and slightly caramelized.
Here is a recipe for the traditional French dish that is served at the Maxim, courtesy of Julia Child, another legendary French chef.
Caviar in the air was the hot commodity and symbolized the opulent, glam travel era; in the 1950s, Air France served Beluga caviar on board.
Aaaah, la la! The best French cuisine served on Jet Clipper flights operated by Pan Am even inspired the economy class menu.
Early in the 1960s, a menu for economy class comprised rice pilaf with peas and the traditional French comfort food Fricassee of Veal a l'Ancienne.
On a 1970s economy class Pan Am flight between New York, Fairbanks, and Tokyo, the broiled beef teriyaki, chicken hasamiyaki, and the perennial favorite braised beef bourguignon were highlighted on the menu.
International coffees such as Cafe Parisienne with Grand Mariner, Cafe Royal with Cognac, Cafe Mexicano with Kahlua, and Italian Coffee with amaretto di sal were also frequently provided on Pan Am flights.