Rasmus Munk, famous for his immersive approach at Copenhagen’s Alchemist, has teamed up with SpaceVIP, a luxury space travel group, and Space Perspective, described as a carbon-neutral spaceflight experience company, to offer ‘stratospheric dining’ on a six-hour flight taking off from Florida, US, in 2025.
Only one table for six people is available, however, ‘starting at the price of $495,000 per ticket’, said the partners.
Guests will ascend to 100,000 feet above sea level aboard Space Perspective’s Spaceship Neptune craft, which features a capsule lifted by a ‘SpaceBalloon’, not a rocket.
An example trajectory of the journey. Photo credit: Courtesy of Alchemist, SpaceVIP and Space Perspective.
Dressed in custom-made outfits from fashion house Ogier, guests are promised an unequaled dining experience. Above 99% of the Earth’s atmosphere, they will enjoy a spectactular dining event while witnessing the sunrise over the Earth’s curvature, as shared by the event organisers.
Alchemist, known for its award-winning wine list, ensures a range of wine and other beverages for diners during the journey, detailed a representative from the restaurant.
As quoted from a representative, ‘The cabin is pressurised, creating a similar wine drinking experience to that on an airplane.’
Given that space is limited onboard, many components of the meal will be prepared in advance. Chef Munk will have a ‘mini-kitchen’ situated within the craft itself; this will exclude any open flame, and this station will be used to heat, finalize and garnish dishes throughout the flight.
Munk, who is co-owner of two-Michelin-star Alchemist, is keen to include dishes inspired by 60 years of human space exploration, and reflecting the impact this has had on society – ‘both scientifically and philosophically’.
Alchemist head chef Rasmus Munk. Photo credit: Jonathan Hedrick, courtesy of Alchemist.
Munk said, ‘Immersiveness is central to [the concept of] Holistic Cuisine, and my ambition is to blend gastronomy with art and science to create awareness about social and environmental issues.
‘In this experience, I want to highlight food as a common thread in our human existence, and it will be truly meaningful to serve it while gazing down at the Earth’s curvature.’
He added that Alchemist’s domed main dining room is inspired by his visit to Copenhagen Planetarium as a child.
Roman Chiporukha, founder of SpaceVIP and board member of the Space Prize, described the initiative as an ‘unprecedented culinary odyssey’.
It is set to be the first in a series of voyages offered by Space Perspective and curated by Space VIP, ‘in partnership with leading artists in their respective fields’, said these two groups.
Jane Poynter, founder and co-CEO of Space Perspective, said, “With our unique spaceflights, we are enabling what can be this completely life-changing moment for people – a profound shift in the way we humans view the world and our place within it.”
Proceeds from the event will go to the Space Prize Foundation, which is dedicated to promoting gender equity in science and technology.