
Loaded Gategroup trucks head to the tarmac to load the food trolleys onto the awaiting aircraft at IAD.

Gategroup’s 126,000 sq.-ft. kitchen facility at IAD is one of 30 locations in the US and around 200 globally.

After arriving at the facility in bulk-sized containers and crates, the food products—cans, eggs, meat, grains, fresh produce, drinks, desserts and packaged snacks—are separated, cooked and packaged according to each airline’s specifications.

Local chefs prepare, supervise and digitally monitor the entire process to ensure quality and safety.

Gategroup procures roughly more than $2 billion worth of food products annually.

Airlines are paying particular attention to the front of the cabin on international flights to offer an “exceptional food service experience” that goes beyond chicken or beef or pasta as a vegetarian option.

Gategroup’s kitchen at IAD employs more than 900 workers to prepare, supervise, plate up, quality check and deliver onboard cuisine to airline passengers.

An employee checks food trolleys to make sure they contain the correct amount and type of food for each airline.

The food trolleys are being prepared to load onto the awaiting trucks at the loading dock.

Loaded Gategroup trucks head to the tarmac to load the food trolleys onto the awaiting aircraft at IAD.

Gategroup’s 126,000 sq.-ft. kitchen facility at IAD is one of 30 locations in the US and around 200 globally.

After arriving at the facility in bulk-sized containers and crates, the food products—cans, eggs, meat, grains, fresh produce, drinks, desserts and packaged snacks—are separated, cooked and packaged according to each airline’s specifications.

Local chefs prepare, supervise and digitally monitor the entire process to ensure quality and safety.

Gategroup procures roughly more than $2 billion worth of food products annually.

Airlines are paying particular attention to the front of the cabin on international flights to offer an “exceptional food service experience” that goes beyond chicken or beef or pasta as a vegetarian option.

Gategroup’s kitchen at IAD employs more than 900 workers to prepare, supervise, plate up, quality check and deliver onboard cuisine to airline passengers.

An employee checks food trolleys to make sure they contain the correct amount and type of food for each airline.

The food trolleys are being prepared to load onto the awaiting trucks at the loading dock.

Loaded Gategroup trucks head to the tarmac to load the food trolleys onto the awaiting aircraft at IAD.
Zurich-based gategroup, which provides catering services to airlines including Air France, British Airways, LATAM, SAS Scandinavian Airlines, Virgin Atlantic and United Airlines, has a 126,000 sq.-ft. kitchen facility at Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD) that produces more than 50,000 meals per week for delivery to all cabin classes. In the summer months that number jumps to more than 100,000.
ATW Senior Associate Editor Linda Blachly was invited to tour gategroup’s IAD facility.
All photos courtesy of gategroup.