This chef will prepare a dinner for... space
Even at 400 km altitude, French gastronomy refuses to compromise: Sophie Adenot will be tasting dishes from a 4-toque chef in orbit.
When French haute cuisine takes off for space... On July 1ᵉʳ 2025, the European Space Agency (ESA) announced an unprecedented partnership. French chef Anne-Sophie Pic worked with spacewoman Sophie Adenot to concoct recipes adapted to space conditions.
In weightlessness, dishes must not be too light or crumbly, and they must be able to keep for at least two years. As for fresh fruit and vegetables, they " are a luxury ", says ESA. They " are only available when a ship arrives with new supplies. "
The food will be packaged with Servair, a French company specializing in in-flight catering. These "bonus" dishes are recipes added to a predefined list of options offered by the institutions. They generally meet the requirements and tastes of astronauts.
Onion soup and chocolate cream
On the menu, the Pic chef will propose four starters, two main courses and two desserts. For starters, ESA lists: cream of foie gras, toasted brioche and lemon confit; lobster bisque, crab and caraway; parsnip velouté with curry and haddock; and onion and pink berry soup with croutons au gratin. Main courses include braised beef with black garlic and smoked vanilla, and poultry with Voatsiperifery pepper, tonka bean and creamy polenta with comté cheese. Finally, for dessert, astronauts can enjoy rice pudding with coconut and smoked vanilla, and chocolate cream with cazette flower and coffee.
Usually, menus in space consist of freeze-dried dishes to be rehydrated with water or canned food. But bonus dishes are often prepared in collaboration with top chefs. Back in 2021, Thomas Pesquet presented his larder to the public. On the menu: shredded poultry, beef with mushrooms and Scottish salmon... by Alain Ducasse.
A menu for 2026
In the spring of 2026, astronaut Sophie Adenot will fly to the International Space Station (ISS) on the "Epsilon" mission. Almost 25 years after Claudie Haigneré, she will be the second French woman in space. " During a mission, sharing our respective dishes is a way of inviting our teammates to discover more about our culture. It's a very strong moment of cohesion for all of us ", explains the astronaut in a press release shared by ESA. With Anne-Sophie Pic, " we decided to work together to honor French gastronomy. "
