Many thanks to the FAs who let me observe them on my recent LAX-HKG trip:

Before takeoff the FAs put the rice in the rice cooker and add water. The rice cooker comes on a retractable stand so that it can safely be stowed in the galley cabinet. After they pass through 10,000 feet the first thing they do is turn on the heating element so the piping hot fresh rice will be ready to serve to passengers. Next, they turn on the ovens. Usually on climbout the FAs write out the little placards given to each passenger. If you would like the premium tea advertised on the card, just ask the FA and they will give it to you!

Hopefully orders have already been taken during taxi so they can load the entrees into the oven straight away. It takes a while to heat the ovens and prepare the cold entrees, so in the meantime a FA can distract passengers with an elaborate silverware setup on the table in the center of the cabin.

Unlike in J, the entrees are plated after reheating and come pre-packed in aluminum foil tins. The tin is opened and any cold items are set aside. The tin is then resealed and the hot items are loaded into the oven for reheating. Once reheated the FAs assemble the entree into the desired configuration according to a book of photos and then present it to the passenger.

Before the entrees are presented the caviar cart is prepared. Do you see those wrapped things in the upper right corner? If you want to look like a pro those are lemons and you are supposed to squeeze them through the mesh filter wrapping to prevent seeds and bits going on your caviar. One of the FAs will come around with the inflight manager and serve you some delicious salmon and caviar.

During mealtime, the galley can be a busy place, and the FAs wear mittens as the ovens are hot! Everything is organized and very efficient. In this picture, can you see the retractable rice cooker and thermos for soup?

After the meal service is complete comes the cheese cart, which is setup in the galley and again served to customers usually along with the inflight manager. Doesn't this look good??

Once the meal is over it's time for cleanup in the galley and then the crew can rest with one or two members assigned to check on passengers.

Since it is a 15 hour flight you can order a snack, such as the famous noodles which likewise come prepacked so they don't get soggy and are specially made by CX. Yum this was so delicious! You can also order an appetizer from the extensive snack menu. These crabcakes don't look too good in the wrapper, but with the artistic touch of the FA can be made to appear mouth watering!

Sadly, no ice cream sundaes here! But would you like to look like a first class veteran again? CX uses dry ice packs to cool cold items, so the ice cream tends to be rock hard. Pros know before ordering the Haagen Daz to ask the FA to heat it in the oven so that you don't have to wait half an hour to be able to eat it with a spoon as it is frozen solid when it comes out!

It can be hard to work as a FA. They have to inspect and clean the bathroom after each passenger uses it and fold the toilet paper into a little V.

After landing since I was continuing onto TPE they let me hang out on the plane and watch the cabin cleaning as the aircraft was prepared to head back to LAX. One of the last duties of the departing crew is to open all the overhead bins and check all around that premium passengers did not forget anything! The carpet in the F cabin is dusted and everytime the aircraft undergoes a maintenance check gets steam cleaned! All the linens and pillows are changed, too. Each first class seat is carefully disinfected and checked to make sure everything is in order. Next, a truck pulls up and loads all the meals for the return flight. The Y cabin is cleaned as well and all those headrest things are replaced.

[Edited 2006-07-30 06:09:40]