Ordering lunch for the CEO at 40,000 feet: What executive assistants need to know

September 2026 | EBM Newsdesk Analysis

SkyDine Jet Catering explains why ordering food for a private flight is very different from arranging lunch for the boardroom — and why the aircraft, airport, timing and passenger schedule can all determine what actually arrives on board.

For an executive assistant, ordering lunch for the CEO might normally be a straightforward task. There may be a preferred restaurant, a familiar order and a delivery address everyone knows. Private aviation changes the equation. A meal that sounds simple — grilled salmon, vegetables, a salad and sparkling water — has to be prepared in advance, packaged correctly, transported to the airport, delivered to the right FBO or handling facility, loaded onto the aircraft and eventually served in the cabin. What looks like a lunch order is actually a small logistics operation.

Start With the Passenger — Then Consider the Aircraft

The passenger’s preferences are still the starting point. A CEO may favour light breakfasts, particular ingredients, certain beverages or specific dietary requirements. But the aircraft matters almost as much. A large-cabin jet flying long-haul presents very different catering requirements from a smaller aircraft making a short domestic sector. Private aviation also relies heavily on food being prepared in advance and, where appropriate, finished or reheated on board. A dish that works perfectly in a restaurant may not travel, store or reheat particularly well in an aircraft galley.

An executive assistant does not need to become an expert in aviation catering. Providing the aircraft type, tail number, passenger numbers and flight details gives the caterer the information needed to assess what is practical. The same principle applies when arranging the flight itself: understanding the aircraft and the passenger’s requirements is central to booking a private flight.

Let the Caterer Solve the Practical Problems

This is where specialist catering providers become important. An executive assistant should be able to say what the passenger wants without having to understand every operational constraint behind the request. The caterer’s job is to determine whether the food can be sourced, prepared, packaged and delivered within the available time.

Sometimes the answer will be straightforward. Sometimes it will not. A passenger might request a particular dish from a restaurant that does not have a suitable takeaway format, while a specialist ingredient may be difficult to source near the departure airport. A complicated meal may also require more preparation time than is available. The solution is not necessarily to reject the request, but to suggest the closest practical alternative. That flexibility is part of what makes private aviation different from ordinary business travel.

Dietary Requirements Need More Than a Note on the Order

Food also passes through several hands before it reaches the passenger. It may travel from the catering kitchen to the airport, through the FBO or handling operation and onto the aircraft before being stored in the galley. Packaging therefore becomes an important part of the service.

Meals need to be clearly identified, while hot and cold items must be handled appropriately. Portion sizes should work for the aircraft and the way food will be served. Dietary requirements and allergies need to remain clearly associated with the correct passenger throughout the process. Consider four executives travelling together: one wants grilled fish, another is vegetarian, a third has an allergy and the fourth has no restrictions. Getting the food to the aircraft is only half the job. Ensuring each passenger receives the correct meal is equally important.

Catering Has to Fit the CEO’s Day

The executive assistant often has information the caterer does not: what happens when the aircraft lands. A CEO may leave an early meeting, fly for two hours, work during the flight and go directly into another meeting on arrival. In that situation, a substantial meal may not be appropriate. A lighter lunch, salad, fruit or smaller portion could make more sense.

Conversely, a longer flight may require a more substantial meal, additional snacks or a second service. This is where the value of understanding the passenger’s entire schedule becomes apparent. Private aviation is built around flexibility, and catering needs to fit into that schedule rather than exist separately from it. The broader appeal of private flying for executives is often precisely this control over time and logistics, something EBM has previously explored in its coverage of private jet travel for executives.

Give the Provider Time — But Expect Flexibility

Earlier notice gives a catering provider more options, particularly when a passenger wants unusual ingredients, a specific restaurant dish or something that needs specialist preparation. The departure airport matters too. What is easy to source in London may be considerably harder to obtain at a smaller regional airport.

That does not necessarily make a request impossible. It simply gives the caterer more time to find a workable solution. Providing the passenger count, aircraft type, departure airport and FBO, flight time, departure time and individual meal requirements as early as possible allows the provider to plan properly.

The same applies to the smaller details. Regular passengers may have preferred water, coffee, tea, soft drinks, fruit or snacks. A catering profile can make repeat orders much easier, but it should not become a rigid template. A passenger who normally wants a substantial meal on a long flight may want nothing more than coffee and fruit on a short morning sector.

The Private Jet Catering Checklist

Before confirming an order, the executive assistant should establish the passenger count, individual preferences, allergies and dietary requirements, aircraft type, departure airport and FBO, departure time and expected flight duration. The caterer can then advise whether the requested dishes will travel well, whether they can be stored and reheated appropriately and whether unusual ingredients can be sourced within the available timeframe.

It is also worth considering the return flight if the aircraft is coming back later the same day. Beverages, snacks and smaller preferences can easily be overlooked when the focus is on the main meal, yet these details can make a significant difference to the passenger experience. In luxury business travel, personalisation increasingly extends beyond the obvious elements of the journey.

Getting Lunch Right at 40,000 Feet

The difference between ordering lunch for a boardroom and arranging catering for a private flight is ultimately one of logistics. The executive assistant knows the passenger, their preferences and their schedule. The specialist caterer knows what can realistically be sourced, prepared, transported and served on board.

The best result comes when those two areas of knowledge are combined. The assistant provides the ideal request and the flight information; the caterer works out how to make it happen.

At 40,000 feet, getting the CEO’s lunch right is not simply about knowing what they like to eat. It is about making sure what they want can actually reach their seat in the right condition, at the right time and in a form that works for the aircraft.