Some restaurants may promise an out-of-this-world experience, but none can deliver like this.
Two-Michelin-starred chef Rasmus Munk, of Alchemist in Copenhagen, has announced that he will offer diners the opportunity to eat at the edge of space.
Next year, six lucky (and extremely wealthy) tourists will have the opportunity to travel in a “space balloon” 3.5 kilometers (100,000 feet) above sea level.
During the six-hour experience, each diner will be served “dishes inspired by the role of space exploration.”
But at an astronomical price of $495,000 (£388,535) per ticket, this could be a steep price to pay for a restaurant with (literally) no atmosphere.
A two-Michelin-starred chef has revealed plans to serve a once-in-a-lifetime dinner aboard a space balloon (pictured) at the edge of space.
The culinary expedition will take place aboard Space Perspective’s Neptune spacecraft.
Despite its name, this craft is not actually a spacecraft but rather a pressurized capsule suspended beneath a huge hydrogen balloon.
Without rockets or jet engines, the flight should be smooth enough that anyone can participate without any training.
The balloon is scheduled to take off from Florida at a fairly gentle speed of 12 mph (19 km/h).
At its highest point, diners will be able to contemplate the Earth through the largest window ever opened into space.
According to Munk, dinner will be served while guests watch the sun rise over the curvature of the Earth.
Importantly, it notes that the ship will not enter microgravity during the flight, so guests and food will not experience any weightlessness.
Rasmus Munk (pictured) is the head chef at Alchemist, Copenhagen. He is known for his experimental and immersive techniques that he calls ‘Holistic Cooking’.
Diners will be served aboard Space Perspective’s Neptune spacecraft, a pressurized capsule with capacity for eight passengers and one pilot.
Monk said: “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 as we contemplate the curvature of the Earth.
“I am honored to be a part of what I believe will be a once-in-a-lifetime transformative experience.”
The company has kept menu details vague beyond the warning that they won’t be able to cook with an open flame.
Given how small the capsule is, it’s unclear whether the food will actually be prepared on the vessel or simply served there.
However, if it’s anything like Alchemist’s previous menus, the dinner will no doubt feature plenty of novel techniques.
Previous menu items, or “impressions,” as the restaurant calls them, included candy-wrapped wood ants, a cod eye gel, and a dessert served in a silicone head.
In 2010, the restaurant even created a sakura flower dish for the Japanese Space Agency.
This dish was created for two astronauts Naoko Yamazaki and Soichi Noguchi from the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency who wanted to remember the cherry blossom season while in space.
While obviously extremely decadent, the mission to send six people to dinner in space also seeks to promote its socially conscious credentials.
Diners will ascend to the edge of space in the world’s first “carbon-neutral spacecraft.”
All proceeds will be donated to the Space Prize Foundation, a charity dedicated to improving the role of women within the space industry.
Alchemist also suggests that the experience of belittling everyone on Earth could be “a sobering reminder that our destinies are intertwined.”
Roman Chiporukha, founder of SpaceVIP, which is organizing the experience, says: “This maiden voyage is but the first chapter of SpaceVIP’s mission to harness the transformative power of space travel to elevate human consciousness and shape the course of life. our collective evolution.”
Diners will face Earth and be served dinner as the sun rises over the horizon. The cost of a single ticket will be $495,000 (£388,535) per ticket.
Alchemist says he hopes diners get a “sobering reminder that our destinies are intertwined” as they look down at Earth.
The effect of looking at the Earth from space, also called the overview effect, is a psychological phenomenon that some astronauts report upon arriving in space.
Visitors to space sometimes report feeling a shift in consciousness or a connection to the fragility of the Earth.
In its statement, Alchemist writes that viewing the Earth from space “has the power to create cognitive change and inspire a greater appreciation for the Earth and a deep connection with humanity as a whole.”
But it remains to be seen whether showing people the Earth while they enjoy a half-million-dollar dinner will truly “dismantle the barriers that divide us.”
Currently, Space Perspectives has not yet launched its first commercial flights, but hopes to do so before the end of the year.
If successful, the company could join others competing to offer the first wave of space tourism.