Dinner in space by Michelin-starred chef costs half a million dollars

Wealthy food and space enthusiasts will soon be able to enjoy gourmet dining in the stratosphere. At least if they're willing to pay nearly $500,000 for a ticket. Less than 24 hours after the flight was announced, many people are already asking where they can sign up.

SpaceVIP, a luxury space travel company, has hired a Danish chef from a Michelin-starred restaurant for a high-tech, six-hour space balloon flight, which is scheduled to debut next year.

Rasmus Munk will prepare the menu for the six guests who will be transported to 100,000 feet (30 kilometers) above sea level. Here they will dine while watching the sun rise over the curvature of the Earth, with on-board Wi-Fi allowing them to broadcast live to their friends at home.

The menu hasn't been finalized yet, but in an interview with Bloomberg, the 32-year-old chef said he wants the dishes to be as innovative as the flight itself, with airgel-inspired food and scents encapsulated among the ideas. He is the head chef of the Danish restaurant Alchemist, which ranked fifth in the World's 50 Best Restaurants 2023 guide.

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Despite the hefty price tag, Munk said there are more people interested in the maiden voyage than can be accommodated on the spacecraft.

“We realize this is an expensive maiden voyage,” said Monk, who will be joining the cruise himself. “But ultimately this is the first launch with these dining experiences on board.” He said the plan is to organize more trips and later reduce the price to allow more people to enjoy the experience.

“Dozens of eligible participants have already expressed tremendous interest in this experience, and with only six seats available, we expect to secure all passengers in the next few weeks,” said Roman Chepurukha, founder of SpaceVIP.

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The spacecraft, built by Space Perspectives, does not require any training or special equipment, a statement said. The pressurized capsule will be lifted by a space balloon, a technology developed by NASA, rather than a rocket. Test flights will begin next month.

SpaceVIP is not the first company to offer the opportunity to dine in space. Last year, France-based Zephalto announced that it wanted to offer people the chance to dine on a balloon at the edge of the stratosphere for at least $132,000, starting in 2025.