Emirates’ onboard meals from Dubai are now supplied from a new, purpose-built flight catering facility that is the most modern and the largest of its kind in the world. The $120 million unit, with a design capacity to produce 115,000 meals per day, became fully operational at the start of this month.

The new flight kitchen is exclusive to Emirates while the existing one, adjacent to it, continues to serve all other airlines. Both are operated by Emirates Flight Catering, which is 90 per cent owned by Emirates and 10 per cent by Dubai’s Department of Civil Aviation.

The new unit covers a total area of nearly 50,000 square metres, spread over four floors, and services around 95 departures and 90 arrivals per day.

It designed by the EKFC management team in consultation with i+O, the German industrial design company specialising in in-flight catering facilities, and incorporates the latest systems in hygiene, energy saving, food production and automated equipment handling to ensure that Emirates passengers enjoy onboard food that is totally fresh, perfectly cooked and absolutely hygienic.

At EKFC, the answer to managing huge demand is automation. That includes an electric monorail system for meal carts, a bin conveyor system for equipment and a vacuum waste disposal system throughout the facility.

Hygiene is ensured with Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point in which food safety hazards are assessed and means of control defined and implemented. Temperatures are constantly monitored using infrared guns that register the temperature of anything at which they are “fired” while the unit’s in-house laboratory continually carries out random tests of food and equipment.

The kitchens incorporate preparation areas for Chinese, Japanese, Indian, Arabic and Continental meals, a special kitchen for Emirates’ range of 24 special meals, a training kitchen and one that produces staff meals. Despite the varied range of dishes produced, however, no pork or pork products ever enter the facility.