Pan Am Training Film: "Food for Thought" (circa 1950s)

A training film produced by Henry Strauss Productions for Pan American World Airways Sales and Service Training. Note: the accents used in the film may be offensive to modern audiences.
Courtesy of the University of Miami Special Collections and donated by World Wings International, Inc.
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[@kevinvilleneuve5030]

Judging from the china pattern and silver used in the video, I think this is from the early 1960s. The dishes are the President Special pattern with an eagle and 13 stars, and a light blue band on the edge of the plates made by Noritake and used from 1960 to 1970. The silverware has the Pan Am logo on the handle and was made by the International Silver Co.

[@lisabudd5979]

Deffinatley...the music the fake chines voice lol the sound of the audio.😃

[@lisabudd5979]

P.s keen eye you noticed. .this was interesting all in all i wonder if they held up to the promise.

[@mangomonkey6938]

Correct.

[@1sonyzz]

50 years later - it's plastic everywhere lol.

[@mangomonkey6938]

@@1sonyzz yup and though metal and paper recycling is working out just fine, plastic recycling efforts here in the US are an unmitigated disaster.

[@drbulbul]

The exact same music i always play when serving my guests at home!

[@waritpong5213]

can you please tell me what the music is called

[@suhailshafi]

Service is a fine art. Preparing and serving good food with great service comes with training. The style is as important as the substance.

[@nicolee2649]

And we know this from the finest restaurants in the world and how they are ran!

[@lisabudd5979]

Yes i know all to well about table wear and dining wines all that .. I was a apprentice at 17 yr old I learnt to chef i also learnt about dinning in many different formats ... I like to look back in history and compare .even to day i see change in some places again ...with the new style foods and trends..😊🇦🇺

[@johntechwriter]

⁠@@lisabudd5979 What you frequently see in First Class these days is an individual dressed like a lout and behaving accordingly. The subtleties of fine dining are wasted on them. Keep the booze and hamburgers coming and they are happy as pigs in . . . well, you know.

[@keithscott4914]

The first portions were all served during moderate turbulence, while the perfect second ones were done in smooth air.

[@ThePlur427]

“ yessir every drink is served with that personal touch.” Right after she raw dogged the ice with her bare hands.

[@Chris-ly2xc]

It doesn’t get more personal then personal germs

[@abd12459]

🤣🤣

[@georgewang2947]

She personally touched each of those ice cubes

[@Dnttou0497]

And then just tosses the tray onto the table without so much as a care.

[@MJK1965]

🤣🤣🤣

[@gargantuaism]

Goofus plops down a slice of roast beef all sloppy and messy while, Gallant gently places the perfect slice on the plate in an appetizing fashion.

[@cocodelocofashion6424]

at :26 seconds I just knew that drinky was gonna come tumbling down the food tray..lol! That would have been kinda funny not gonna lie! THIS IS ABSOLUTELY MY FAVE NEW AV CHANNEL! Thanks so much for posting these gems daily we appreciate it!

[@roachtoasties]

Now it's just how to take pretzels and a soft drink can out of the cart. Anyway, it's sure easier not to spill things when the training film is made on the ground and not at 38,000 feet. As for spilled coffee, Starbucks has had that issue solved for decades. Just snap a lid on a paper cup.

[@Sashazur]

Pretzels??? Soft drink? Look at Mr/Mrs Rockefeller here, must always fly first class! In coach now on shorter flights you’re lucky to get a miniature bottle of room temperature water.

[@HC-cb4yp]

@@Sashazur You're lucky if a fistfight doesn't break out.

[@70s80s]

If you're lucky enough to buy a winning lottery ticket, you can afford to fly on an airline like the one in the movie "Crazy Rich Asians" and get classy service like the one in this film!

[@robertfoerster566]

Love the hands serving the ice! hehe

[@josephcarlbreil5380]

I own a full set of PA's President Special crockery, which PA donated to me whilst I was employed by TW. PA was a class act. I miss them.

[@Cab00v]

Hey, this is good to teach anyone about plating fine dining.

[@jfchonors8873]

I love my current choice between Biscoff or pretzels

[@jacknewman9256]

Last time I flew I thought the caviar was too salty and the filet mignon slightly overcooked. The Cherries Jubilee though was fantastic.

[@MJK1965]

Those were the days. I loved flying Pan Am

[@thekirksiffs5285]

Apparently, the meal presentation all depends on the background music. Just hope that next time you fly, there is elegant music playing overhead.

[@sierre00]

Watching this while eating my mini pretzels and corn snakes...

[@FruitMuff1n]

Holy crap, that accent has to be the most offensive thing I've heard in a while lol! Thanks for going through the effort to upload these videos, really interesting (and entertaining) to watch.

[@Eric2221]

You beat me to it!! LOL I was like ..ummm... WOW!! When does the gong play?

[@Apothicca39]

The fact that they did three different fake accents in this one video is wild

[@johntechwriter]

Loving the Gallic sarcasm.

[@andrewv3905]

“Red or white or wine?” “Brownish black, please”

[@michaelrichie6661]

😂🤣😂

[@Sashazur]

This reminds me of my flight where the coffee or tea I got (don’t remember which I’d asked for) tasted like it was equal amounts of both mixed together. 😝

[@battlethebollocksrodgers9173]

The future is so bright 😎

[@dustyflair]

I think the voiceover person who did this video was the dude who was Odis the town drunk on Andy Griffith show. He had a big career as a voiceover person.

[@bruceclark1037]

It doesn't sound like Hal Smith.

[@dustyflair]

@@bruceclark1037 kzbin.info/www/bejne/ZnvZZH9tbc-smsk Noneof his voiceover work really sounded like him until LATER in his career.

[@TheMajortanner]

The most striking thing about this video are the supposed Asian, French and Latin American accents.

[@johntechwriter]

The implied racism was taken as gospel back then. Something we have gone beyond. Well, most of us anyway.

[@rachelbryant5762]

One time I dumped hazelnut dessert sauce all over the salad because I thought it was the salad dressing….half the people ate it anyway.

[@pierrecusmybladdersempty1938]

The person carving the meat should take a lesson from the Old Country Buffet carver. Maybe add in a little "do you like hot fudge sundaes?"

[@mike48084]

I how she put her thumb in the au jour

[@cockula776]

@@mike48084 ... and threw the potatoes

[@nicolee2649]

Hahahahahaha! Buffet carver! Hahaha!

[@adamsmith5572]

"did you catch that game last night"

[@pierrecusmybladdersempty1938]

@@adamsmith5572 "Have you tried the lasagna? It's my favorite!"

[@crashjim2634]

I want the one that it was sloppy and that was it had more food in it

[@BenPanced]

Srsly. Just like the way I make it at home.

[@Z.D.G.Entertainment745]

None of this portion bullshit

[@abd12459]

True 🤣🤣

[@OsborneCox.69.420]

😂🤣 we need more commercials with this accent!

[@roachtoasties]

I was thinking the inflated Asian accent would be considered an insult today.

[@rodneystanger1651]

Thumbs up for Apu.

[@TheMajortanner]

It IS an insult. @@roachtoasties

[@abd12459]

The wine part definitely outpouring to the glass 🤣🤣

[@pyronixe]

Don Draper produced this.

[@boobitch_]

Period

[@VictheChick]

Oh, for sure -- sometime back when "PEGGY!!!" was still his secretary, if that gives you a firm timeline 😉

[@danielleiapalucci1693]

Omg lol the meal here…..could you imagine getting that flying? You can’t even get that in most restaurants looking that good 🤦🏻‍♀️

[@CallieMasters5000]

The pitch fork and big knife were technically part of the security system too.

[@mutestingray]

These days I’m lucky if I can get a bag of snack mix and a sip of Diet Coke.

[@tommyboy1653]

The good old days it seems we're great.

[@HC-cb4yp]

When the biggest problem was that they cut TOO large a piece of the prime rib and then just PLOPPED it on your plate! Horrors! Today the trick is to get off the plane with no BROKEN ribs.

[@johntechwriter]

Yes, when people knew how to use the apostrophe.

[@dipaola702]

Great video!!!!

[@Potatofarmer1898]

I am watching this while traveling on Spirit. What. Has. Happened? 😢

[@truerenegade7469]

Well...your on spirit lol jk

[@MJK1965]

You're on Spirit. You get the half sub sandwich, packet of crisps, and a Coke for $25.

[@beavermuffin]

Deregulation happened in 1980s. And then came Southwest Airline’s low cost model. And rest is history.

[@bg02261989]

Legend says that they still using the same ingridients as other airlines copy them. Over the years the efficency improved drasticly in order to make more profit therefore you get the same ingridients in a plastic plate along with a tray which you get happily thrown on you.

[@PoshMurder]

Is it bad that I'm disappointed he didn't do an Indian accent? "Dis curry berry goot!"

[@dylanjames4706]

did anyone else notice that she touched the ice with her bare hands? personal touch for sure lmao

[@elderlypoodle9181]

I can see my sister in law spending this time as a flight attendant in 2023 serving barefoot crude customers 🥴

[@johntechwriter]

Exactly.

[@scotty3kable]

Just grab the ice with your hand

[@cementer7665]

I have to wonder if the meals served in First Class today, even come close to the portion size, and the preparation, as was shown in the video. The carelessness and "finger in the pie" meal service shown, must have been copied by the flight attendents on American Airlines. I flew many a mile on Pan Am, from the early 1980's to their end, when I was working in Japan and Communist China, and Pan Am was always a great way to get to and from work.

[@narangi108]

Does anybody know how they prepared the coffee for the demitasse on board vs. the standard American coffee? I'm assuming it was more of a Turkish coffee. I have some of the Presidential service demitasse cups.

[@packer812]

Economy class in the 50's probably put today's first class to shame.

[@mynewyork165]

5:00 Ha ha! They spilled the coffee!

[@mtrspotter8234]

2:39 also they wasted some wine

[@azmrblack]

What has happened? Someone PLEASE give me a time machine....

[@beavermuffin]

Deregulation happened in 1980s. And rest is history.

[@stuartlee6622]

Integration

[@johntechwriter]

Let me save you the discomfort of time travel. Our civilization is in decline.

[@Liberalcali]

I want it full

[@j2simpso]

I'd prefer my plate, wine glass and coffee cup overflowing to be honest!

[@msr1116]

If your cup runneth over during turbulence 😮, then the ☕ spillage becomes very messy ....flying everywhere.

[@j2simpso]

@@msr1116 I've had partially filled glasses spill during turbulence so I doubt that'll make much of a difference either way. Just gimme the drink... ALL OF IT!

[@knownothing5518]

The choice is obvious!

[@thekirksiffs5285]

Are those goldfish crackers? I didn't think those came out till the late 70s-early 80s.

[@classicalroach]

Actually I want the sloppy cut roast beef because you got much more food on that plate lol.

[@spectrum10]

I did not know Pan Am had a railcar division

[@RiverDanube]

Now the art is in asking for payment, either cash or credit card and upon processing, passing germs onto other passengers.

[@philiplee1803]

Using her hands to grab the ice??

[@stevebennet6539]

I had to pause the clip and go straight to the comments..

[@mike48084]

How else is she going to grab it? Her ass check?

[@paula889]

That's in the "what not to do section", she uses tongs in the next clip of what she should do.

[@psgman41]

the first drink is how it's served nowadays

[@schullieringer]

OMG! The fake, stereotypical accents... not judging THEM at the TIME, but glad we've come so much further than this! LOL. However, NOT so glad that all we get now are microwaved factory food and nuts.

[@johntechwriter]

Just laugh along.

[@kam2ma]

I think current US air carriers bought this training film, but they ran it backwards which explains why their so-called first and business class service and product are like the wrong way shown in the film. 😏

[@VictheChick]

I really don't see much of a difference between options a and b in the "sort of racist" food part of the video. Should I?

[@Z.D.G.Entertainment745]

Yes

[@VictheChick]

@@Z.D.G.Entertainment745 ?

[@Z.D.G.Entertainment745]

@@VictheChick you should see a difference option a and b because option a has more food or drink and it is more sloppy

[@VictheChick]

@@Z.D.G.Entertainment745 Who doesn't want more food and drink though? Airlines are notorious for short-changing their customers LOL ...just the idea of being served anything at all at a flight is kind of a novelty these days. But do go on 😉

[@Z.D.G.Entertainment745]

@@VictheChick ye the airlines are super cheap and it’s not right I wish they could go back to a time where they thrived themselves on quality service!

[@Ccyawn123]

That meat is so undercooked it could be revived by a halfway competent veterinarian

[@johntechwriter]

You say that like it’s a bad thing.

[@stevehaynes7516]

Ah, meat and potatoes, the good ole days.

[@HC-cb4yp]

These days when the flight attendant puts my caviar on the plate... uh... oh. Nevermind.

[@HunterShows]

"Like ancient watercolor nobody care to look at!"

[@BuIIet]

The video description warns us that "the accents used in the film may be offensive to modern audiences." .. Can someone explain that for the uninitiated?

[@HuplesCat]

"Can I have vegan please?" "Vaygoon? What's that?" Ah the perils of time travel but worse if you were Japanese!

[@RichardFriedlaender]

Sounds like Mel Blanc

[@elderlypoodle9181]

I can see I’m in the company of my fellow germaphobes 😁🙏🏻❤️

[@LMays-cu2hp]

Too cute.

[@SouthwesternEagle]

Remember when flying was a pleasurable experience? :) Neither do I.

[@rodneystanger1651]

If you were around in the 70's and 80's, it really wasn't that bad. Food was good and free, no security theater and the stewardesses were still young enough to be hot. Unfortunately, they kept their jobs and now they're a bunch of Karens.

[@mikelieman]

That yellowface act starting at about 1:05 is total cringe.

[@johntechwriter]

Do not overthink it.

[@WoahItsDustin]

“Good Lord Ed, did you have to get the fish for a 5 hour flight? Landsakes, that’s pungent.”

[@gazf9946]

The gravy with that roast beef was criminally thin

[@kevinvilleneuve5030]

It’s an “au jus,” which is on the thin side.

French-style gravy "au jus", think like Phillipe's.

[@gazf9946]

Looked ghastly

[@nicolee2649]

Most definitely!

[@sashamellon822]

I think post covid we would all prefer our food pre served with a lid on rather than have half an hour of flight attendant spit on it

[@98hkg63]

4:33 are those tater tots?

[@mikeh2006]

Serve my food however, as long as its cooked. But don't dare serve me an over filled coffee. Seriously.

[@icreatedanaccountforthis1852]

Omg the racist accents

[@brianpan6453]

I think I saw this in a Simpsons episode.

[@Starlababy]

I don't want any of that 40 year old food. Yuck.

[@JewelBlueIbanez]

Is that an American imitating a Chinese accent?

[@leeriches8841]

Who cares?

[@sashamellon822]

A white person doing a Chinese voice. Not much has changed 😜

[@ryangrg4222]

Overflowing is better as your are getting more for your money.

[@kiwali]

gahhhh did she used her hands to add ICE to that drink? ewwwwwww!!!! okay i seee buy holy that's way too much caviar!!

[@staceychastain4395]

Whos the Japanese?

[@2abbaking]

4:00 essentially modern first class cuisine on North American based airlines

[@spontina]

Wow! Potatoes, peas and a piece of a amputated leg with su jus.

[@WhatALoadOfTosca]

Ahhhh 1:20 ... 50s US racism... Classic.

[@mangomonkey6938]

followed by '60s racism.....

[@johnfd0210]

I don't think the accents are racist; the airline is just showing they have an international clientele.

[@EatPrayShop]

I’m Not sure what’s most repulsive…. The look of the food or the accent delivered in the commentary .

[@justingudvangen3379]

Are you referring to the mysticism of the Ancient Orient?😂

[@EatPrayShop]

@@justingudvangen3379 yes which is served with complimentary cringe on the side . I have never cringed as hard as I had watching that video. I guess since all their videos show mostly white crew they weren’t worried about a class action lawsuit by an api non profit lol

[@justingudvangen3379]

@@EatPrayShop Lol yeah! It was likely the same white narrator doing all the voices too.

[@EatPrayShop]

@@justingudvangen3379 I wonder if he ever made it to the big screen. Perhaps an academy award for his background voice talents lol NOT!

[@Unuthryear]

accent is bit racist. kinda funny tho. I'd house all of the prime rib, don't give af what it looks like.

[@mangomonkey6938]

We too conveniently refer to ignorant portrayals of non American accents as done by white actors as racist. It may have been poorly accented speech that was clearly delivered badly by a white actor, but that on its own doesn't imply racism. It may have been in poor taste but racist is a strong word

[@robertgreen9980]

What's with the fake accents? Now those are racist, but no one said anything back then.

[@jasonallen703]

Not the racist accent lol

[@corner559]

WTF is up with the accent?

[@Ben-xe8ps]

What I found offensive was that you felt the need to cater to ridiculous snowflake sensitivities by saying 'Note: the accents used in the film may be offensive to modern audiences'. That was funnier than the video itself! This video is of course intended to convey the need to provide First Class passengers with impeccable service but also, quite incorrectly, implies that other airlines provided the type of sub standard service illustrated in their First Class cabins while Pan Am offered something better, which is not necessarily correct. I am not quite old enough to have been flying at the time when this video was made, but in the 45 years or so that I have been flying long haul as an adult I have never been of the opinion that US carriers provided the highest standards of service in the sky. Pan Am was a large well known airline with an extensive worldwide route network which did a lot for the advancement of commercial aviation in the post-war era. However, in terms of in-flight service compared to that provided by the major European and Asian carriers in the same year, I have always been unimpressed by Pan Am, finding their service levels to be satisfactory but basic.

Nothing wrong reminding people an old film should be watched with the eyes of the day, even as the world changed. Some people need the context !

[@WhatALoadOfTosca]

@ Sadly the snowflakes can't use their common sense and require bubble wrapping...

@@WhatALoadOfTosca tbh most of the time I see warnings on KZbin, I end up seing more people offenfed by the presence of a warning and ranting about "them snowflakes" than actual people being offended by the content. We might need a "warning warning" ! 😂

[@paula889]

You wasted way more time on this than they did . . .

[@roachtoasties]

Things change. If this video was made today, the Asian accent done this way would never have been done.

[@dieseldragon6756]

/me thinks the modern equivalent of this would have to feature a bit about correct tea service - With one of the clips showing the water being warmed in the microwave, and the milk going in first - And it would have to be done in the guise of British Airways… ✈️🇬🇧🫖😉