Fine dining, at a new high. A Michelin-starred chef will take his cuisine to our upper atmosphere

Category: Lifestyle/Entertainment

Listening

Unlocking Word Meanings

Read the following words/expressions found in today’s article.

  1. nothing to write home about / ˈnʌθ ɪŋ tə raɪt hoʊm əˈbaʊt / (idiom) – not special or interesting
    Example:

    I expected the movie to be amazing, but honestly, it was nothing to write home about.


  2. ascend / əˈsɛnd / (v.) – to rise through the air
    Example:

    The bird spread its wings wide and began to ascend smoothly into the sky.


  3. appetite / ˈæp ɪˌtaɪt / (n.) – a strong desire for something
    Example:

    He explores and travels to new places because of his appetite for adventure.


  4. fittingly / ˈfɪt ɪŋ li / (adv.) – in a way that’s suitable or appropriate for a particular situation
    Example:

    The team celebrated their win fittingly with a big party.


  5. a far cry from (something) / ə fɑr kraɪ frəm / (idiom) – to be very different from something
    Example:

    His current behavior is a far cry from the respectful young man I knew years ago.


Article

Read the text below.

Ever since humans have journeyed to space, their meals there have proved to be, well, nothing to write home about. But that could change after a Michelin-starred chef teamed up with the Florida-based startup Space Perspective to take fine dining to our upper atmosphere in late 2025.


Six guests are set to ascend aboard Spaceship Neptune to the stratosphere, where they will enjoy an immersive dining experience served up by Danish Michelin-starred chef Rasmus Munk.


Munk, 33, will travel with the guests and serve the meal himself, from a small kitchen. He says his menu will be inspired by the impact of space innovation. “We want to tell stories through the food,” Munk says. “We … want to talk and highlight some of the research that’s been done through the last 60 years.” 


“I think that will make an even stronger impact when you’re up there and looking down,” added Munk, who will fly with the six ticket buyers.


Spaceship Neptune is more of a balloon than a rocket. The company says its pressurized capsule, attached to a balloon, will lift to an altitude of around 100,000 feet (30,480 meters) above sea level where guests will dine while watching the sun rise over the curvature of the Earth.


Organizers are promising an out-of-this-world experience for those with an appetite for adventure. But such an astronomic menu comes with a fittingly astronomic price tag — $495,000 per ticket. Organizers say the trip will last six hours and that they are still in discussion with potential participants. 


It’s one of the latest offerings by private firms that include Blue Origin, Virgin Galactic, and SpaceX.


The flight won’t technically reach “space”—Spaceship Neptune will ascend to around 19 miles (30 kilometers), well below the Karman line, the boundary separating Earth’s atmosphere and outer space, which is some 62 miles (100 kilometers) from Earth.


Munk’s menu is expected to be a far cry from meals eaten by past and present astronauts.


This article was provided by The Associated Press.


Viewpoint Discussion

Enjoy a discussion with your tutor.

Discussion A

  • What do you think about the idea of fine dining in the upper atmosphere? Is it something worth experiencing at least once or is it an experience only a few people would enjoy and appreciate? Why do you say so? Discuss.
  • Would you be willing to spend $495,000 to experience fine dining in the upper atmosphere? Why or why not? What other out-of-this-world experience would you be willing to spend that much money on? Discuss.

Discussion B

  • What dishes do you think tell something about your country’s history and culture? In what way do these dishes introduce your country’s history and culture? Discuss.
  • What meal have you tried that’s a far cry from what you usually eat? How was it different? Discuss.