When you consider the nature of the food astronauts consume on board, lobster, haddock and foie gras are unlikely to be what comes to mind – but that is precisely what France’s next space visitor to the International Space Station (ISS) will be eating.
Astronaut Sophie Adenot Partners with Michelin-Starred Chef
Astronaut Sophie Adenot joined forces with award-winning French chef Anne-Sophie Pic to develop a gastronomic menu that will accompany Adenot on the ISS next year.
Rather than the standard freeze-dried food eaten by astronauts, Adenot, 42, has a choice of “Foie gras cream on toasted brioche” or “Lobster bisque with crab and caraway”.
A “Pinch of France” in Orbit
The menu – which the European Space Agency (ESA) has referred to as “a pinch of France in space” – consists of four appetisers, two main courses and two desserts.
Adenot explained the dishes, also including braised beef, and chocolate cream, will not just “delight our palates” but will also make her feel connected to Earth, and her home nation.
“Her (Pic’s) culinary signature is strongly rooted in the terroir. This matters to me because I come from the countryside, and it will remind me of home,” she was cited as saying in an ESA release.
The Challenge of Space-Ready Gourmet Food
There are strict regulations for food on the ISS – it has to be crumb-free, light and last for a minimum of 24 months, says the ESA.
So, most meals are canned, vacuum-packed or freeze-dried, with fresh fruit and vegetables an occasional luxury that can only be appreciated when a spacecraft comes with fresh supplies.
But to spice things up, raise morale, and facilitate crew bonding, meals are served every tenth or so, which are specially prepared for each astronaut, with these “bonus meals” frequently prepared in collaboration with a chef.
A Star Chef Takes On the Final Frontier
Known for her haute cuisine, Pic, 55, has the highest number of Michelin stars among women chefs globally – 10.
She describes this project as “pushing the boundaries” of gastronomy, where she and her team developed special food, but within the technical limitations.
“Space cooking is a thrilling challenge,” she was quoted as saying by the ESA.
A Taste of Home Among the Stars
Adenot declares that she will be distributing the haute cuisine to her fellow crew members on board – it is, after all, a historic moment – French gastronomic culture going for the first time. extra-terrestrial.
Adenot, ex-helicopter test and rescue pilot, has received a series of awards, including a medal for her role in gender equality in science.