French astronaut Thomas Pesquet and his Crew-2 team launched to the International Space Station (ISS) for a six-month mission. For special occasions, they enjoy gourmet dishes like lobster, beef bourguignon, cod with black rice, potato pancakes with wild mushrooms, and almond-caramelized pear tarts.
Space food has evolved dramatically since Yuri Gagarin's 1961 flight, where he consumed tube-squeezed mashed beef and chocolate sauce reminiscent of toothpaste. Shortly after, John Glenn, America's first orbiter, made do with applesauce. Space agencies soon recognized that astronauts' well-being hinged on quality meals.
In France, change accelerated in 1993 after astronaut Jean-Pierre Haigneré returned from Russia's Mir station, complaining about the food. Southwest France chef Richard Filippi, hearing this on the radio, contacted the French space agency, CNES. He and his students crafted beef, quail, tuna, and lemon confit stews for French astronauts on 1990s Mir missions.
When CNES sought to revive the program for the ISS in 2004, the retired Filippi recommended Michelin-starred chef Alain Ducasse. Since then, Ducasse's team has developed over 40 recipes, including gluten-free and vegetarian options like carrot-smoked paprika clafoutis and saffron quinoa with vegetables.
For Pesquet's Crew-2 mission, the ISS crew savors Ducasse's creations, developed with Michelin-starred chef Thierry Marx and Paris-Saclay University's Raphaël Haumont, a physical chemistry professor. Haumont's expertise adapts recipes to space's strict technical requirements.
The French Center for Culinary Innovation previously supplied meals for Pesquet's 2016 ISS mission. Notably, Pesquet and Marx, both judo black belts, met years earlier at a conference.
As a former Air France pilot, Pesquet partnered with airline caterer Servair and chef François Adamski for dishes including lobster, beef bourguignon, cod with black rice, potato-mushroom pancakes, and his favorite almond-caramelized pear tarts. These treats are reserved for celebrations like birthdays, with portions for the entire crew.
