Presenting a Cheese Board on Board a Private Jet: The Way to Serve It
A cheese course tells your guest that nothing about their meal was rushed, and it rewards the VIP FA who knows what is available on the board. When a cheese board is presented on board a private jet, these are the 5 basics of serving.
1. Build the board: up to five cheeses, mild to strong
A good board is chosen, not piled. Fewer cheeses in perfect condition always look more generous than a crowded tray. Take cheeses from different families rather than three from one, and arrange them clockwise from the mildest to the strongest, with the blue last, so the guest naturally tastes in the right order. A classic board for one or two guests:
Fresh goat's cheese
Brie de Meaux
Comté
Aged Gouda
Stilton
Leave space between the cheeses and give each its own knife, so blue mould never reaches the Brie.
2. Add the accompaniments
Accompaniments should refresh the palate or add contrast. Choose a few, prepare them neatly and scatter them around the board in small clusters.
Fresh fruit: grapes, pears, figs and apple slices
Dried fruit: apricots, figs and dates
Nuts: walnuts and almonds, the classic with blue cheese
Something sweet: honey, quince paste, fig jam or chutney, in a small dish with a cloth beneath it so it cannot slide in turbulence
Plain crackers and sliced baguette, kept in a separate basket so they stay crisp
3. Bring the cheese out in good time
Cheese straight from the refrigerator is closed and flat. Soft and fresh cheeses need about 30 minutes out of the chill, hard and aged cheeses longer, and they stay wrapped while they warm so they do not dry out. Build the board close to service and cover it until you walk in. Cabin air also dulls taste, so bold, aged and savoury cheeses often shine, while delicate fresh cheeses can seem bland. Add contrast with honey, fruit and something crunchy.
4. Present the board and name each cheese
Show the whole board and name each cheese from the mildest to the strongest. Describe each one in three beats: where it is from, what milk, and how it tastes. For example: "Brie de Meaux, a soft, creamy French cow's milk cheese with a white rind, mild and buttery." Or: "Stilton, England's classic blue, crumbly, rich and salty, wonderful with port." If you are unsure of a detail, say you will check. Never guess about allergens or rennet.
5. Pour the right drink
Ruby or vintage port with Stilton and other blue cheeses, the English classic
A structured red wine, such as Cabernet or Rioja, or a tawny port with hard, aged cheeses
Sancerre or another Sauvignon Blanc with fresh goat's cheese, if the guest prefers white
Never pressure a guest to drink. Some principals do not drink at all, so offer a non-alcoholic option, such as sparkling water, pressed apple juice or a pot of tea, with equal care.
The details guests remember
Serve a little less than they might want, and make every bite worth it. Keep strong cheeses sealed away after service so the cabin does not fill with smell, and set the board on a non-slip mat or tray so it cannot slide in turbulence.
Learn the full silver service standard
Cheese is one of many details that define an exceptional VIP flight attendant. At Elite Cabin Crew, the Career & Training Academy for VIP Flight Attendants, our team coaches CV and interview preparation, online courses, in-person silver service and butler and hospitality training for the private-jet cabin. Book a free strategy call with our team on our website, or write to us at contact@elitecabincrew.net.
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