Israeli national airline El Al announced a high-profile chef is revamping its menus – across all flight classes – it came as exciting news.

Especially when the chef is Assaf Granit, whose Parisian restaurant, Shabour, received a Michelin star in 2021.

Until the new menu is rolled out in a few months, El Al passengers heading to more than 50 destinations will still have to make do with the regular couscous and meatballs, pita with a container of Sabra hummus, breakfast blintzes and the old standby — parve chocolate mousse with the slight aftertaste of nondairy creamer.

However, on Israeli Independence Day on April 26, passengers on some El Al flights got a taste of the future in the form of a one-time-only falafel menu created by Granit with Israeli chain Falafel b’Ribua (Falafel in the Square). Choices included classic falafel, Persian-style falafel with lemon and herbs, and falafel spiced with mango and baharat.

Choices included classic falafel, PersianGranit, 44, was born in Jerusalem where he opened his first restaurant, Machneyuda, in 2009. Located near the Mahane Yehuda Market, it became a trendsetter and made it to 50Best, the annual ranking of international restaurants by British media company William Reed.

Granit would only say that that his head “is full of ideas on how to turn El Al’s fleet of planes into flying restaurants” and promised to “bring the magic and beauty of Israel to the whole world”.