By Jeni Marinucci
Air travel and “gourmet dining” are terms not typically used synonymously. In fact, if you think about how excited we get when an airport terminal coffee comes close to “acceptable,” it’s clearer than ever that food standards at travel hubs are not generally top notch. Food choice and palatability is not something given too much thought by building and planning commissions when structuring an airport – or at least they haven’t been – until now.
We’re seeing a shift from coffee kiosks and dark airport bars to something decidedly more upscale. And it makes sense; the airport is often the first official stop on our vacations or seen as a second home to business travellers crisscrossing the continent. They often wish for something a bit more elegant for dining than a steam cart hotdog (although they certainly have their place for a craving fix!) But they don’t make a great place to get some work done and a meal in between flights.
Phoebe Fung is a businesswoman who believes all of this to be true; in fact, she’s the force behind Vin Room – an award-winning wine bar franchise based in Calgary – and her latest location is in the international terminal at Calgary’s airport. About the decision to open here, Fung told the Globe and Mail:
“I wanted to put all the niceties that I wanted as a business traveller in an airport restaurant. It has terminal monitors to monitor departure times, it has plug-ins with USB and data ports, and a complimentary business centre where you can fax, scan or print documents. Under our bench seating, there are places to put your carry-on luggage so you’re not tripping over it. It’s all the things that I wanted when I was travelling for business.”
Toronto Pearson airport has had upscale dining in place for a few years, since Boccone Trattoria’s arrival in 2012. Boccone owner Massimo Capra also opened Soprafino in Doha.
One thing travellers cannot afford to exchange for gourmet meals is time. The speed which normally accompanies QSRs is something restaurant owners are considering, so that they can properly accommodate travellers. Capra says that speed counts, noting that everyone who dines with him will receive their food within 10 minutes from when they order, which can help when one is hungry but not willing to run full-speed to a check-in gate on a full stomach.
