New Orleans Private Jet Catering: Mardi Gras and Lakefront (KNEW / NEW) Guide
New Orleans private jet catering has a lot to live up to. This is a city where food is part of every celebration, from the parades of Mardi Gras to the stages of Jazz Fest and the New Year's Sugar Bowl. Business aviation guests arriving at New Orleans Lakefront (KNEW / NEW), on the shore of Lake Pontchartrain, are minutes from the French Quarter and the Garden District, and they expect the menu on board to carry the same Creole spirit.
Global Diners prepares VVIP inflight catering in our own kitchens in Paris, Nice and Madrid and in our kitchens across more than 2,500 airports, including New Orleans. This guide compares Lakefront and New Orleans (KMSY / MSY), follows the festival calendar, and shares the Creole and Cajun dishes that travel beautifully at altitude.
Lakefront or Louis Armstrong?
New Orleans Lakefront Airport, with its landmark Art Deco terminal, is the city's dedicated general aviation airport and the closest to the French Quarter, the Central Business District and the Garden District. Louis Armstrong New Orleans International, west of the city in Kenner, suits larger cabins and international connections. Our ordering routine is the same at both.
Airport | Best for | Global Diners catering approach |
New Orleans Lakefront (KNEW / NEW) | French Quarter, Garden District, festival weekends | Creole menus, festival boxes and crew meals, coordinated with your FBO |
New Orleans (KMSY / MSY) | Large cabins, international departures, Kenner and Metairie | Full long-range menus and generous sharing platters |
Houston Hobby (KHOU / HOU) | Energy industry trips linking Houston and New Orleans | Working lunches and business menus for short sectors |
Many itineraries combine New Orleans with Houston, Miami or New York. One email to order@globaldiners.com covers every leg, from Houston Hobby (KHOU / HOU) to Teterboro (KTEB / TEB).
The New Orleans festival calendar
New Orleans seems to celebrate all year. Each festival brings its own guests and its own mood, and the menu on board can reflect it.
Moment | When | Menu ideas from Global Diners |
Sugar Bowl and New Year | Around 1 January | Game-day boxes, gumbo, sliders and festive desserts |
Mardi Gras | February or early March, ending on Fat Tuesday | King cake, beignets, muffuletta bites and Creole canapés |
French Quarter Festival | April | Shrimp remoulade, crab cakes and pralines |
Jazz & Heritage Festival | Late April to early May | Crawfish dishes in season, po'boy sliders and bread pudding |
Essence Festival of Culture | Early July | Light summer menus, chilled seafood and fresh fruit |
For Mardi Gras weekend and the two Jazz Fest weekends, we recommend ordering a little earlier than the usual 24 hours and confirming passenger numbers as soon as they are known. Parade days are a joy to plan around: tell us your departure window and our team will agree the delivery time with your FBO.
Creole and Cajun flavours, refined for the cabin
Creole cooking, born in the city, blends French, Spanish, West African and Caribbean influences, while Cajun cooking comes from the bayous and prairies of Acadiana. Both are rich in flavour and many dishes reheat beautifully, which makes them ideal for a business jet galley.
Seafood gumbo: with shrimp, crab and andouille, served with rice and packed for gentle reheating.
Jambalaya: spiced rice with chicken, sausage and shrimp, a perfect one-dish main.
Shrimp remoulade and crab cakes: chilled starters with a piquant Creole sauce.
Crawfish étouffée: a classic in crawfish season, roughly from late winter into early summer.
Po'boy and muffuletta bites: mini sandwiches with fried shrimp, roast beef or Italian cured meats and olive salad.
Red beans and rice: the Monday tradition, comforting on a long flight home.
Beignets, pralines and bread pudding: the sweet side of New Orleans, with café au lait and chicory coffee.
We adjust the spice level on request, from gentle to properly fiery, and pack hot sauces on the side. Halal, kosher, vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free versions of these dishes are available, all with allergen labelling. The Global Diners menu card, with caviar, smoked salmon, fine cheeses and pastries, is available on every departure, and wine can be included subject to local rules.
In New Orleans, every meal is a celebration. The flight home should taste like one more evening in the French Quarter.
Mardi Gras flights, step by step
Carnival season begins on Twelfth Night, 6 January, and builds to the great parades of the final weekend and Fat Tuesday. Guests often arrive on the Thursday or Friday, enjoy the parades from a private balcony or a stand on St. Charles Avenue, and leave on Ash Wednesday. A thoughtful catering plan follows the same rhythm.
Arrival: a Creole welcome with shrimp remoulade, crab cakes and a slice of king cake.
Between parades: a light lunch box for the hotel or the balcony can be arranged as a restaurant pick-up on request.
Departure on Ash Wednesday: a calm, lighter menu with grilled fish, salads, fresh fruit and herbal teas.
Crew: balanced meals for the whole stay, labelled individually.
Crew meals and business trips
New Orleans also welcomes energy, port and shipping executives throughout the year, often on short trips from Houston. Working lunches with salads, grilled chicken and Gulf fish, and generous crew meals for the return, keep everyone at their best. Our guide to crew catering for layovers and multi-day trips shares more ideas, and our article on coordinating catering with handling agents explains how we work with your FBO.
How to order catering in New Orleans
Email order@globaldiners.com with the aircraft registration, airport, date, delivery time and passenger count.
Add dietary needs, allergies and VIP preferences in the same message.
Order 24 hours ahead, or a little earlier for Mardi Gras and the Jazz Fest weekends.
Receive your dedicated quote and a written confirmation from our specialised team.
Our team coordinates the delivery time with your FBO or handler at New Orleans Lakefront (KNEW / NEW) or New Orleans (KMSY / MSY).
Restaurant pick-ups can be coordinated on request, for example beignets from a favourite café or a king cake from a local bakery during Carnival season. Mention it in your order and our team will include it in the delivery plan. For the onward flight south, see our page for Miami Opa-locka (KOPF / OPF).
Private Jet Catering During New Orleans Events (KNEW / NEW)
New Orleans has more major events than almost any other American city, and Lakefront Airport feels each of them. Carnival season builds from January to Fat Tuesday, spring brings the French Quarter Festival and Jazz Fest, summer is led by Essence Festival, and the year ends with the Bayou Classic and the Sugar Bowl.
Event | When | Where |
Mardi Gras | February or March (varies); Carnival season from 6 January | New Orleans, citywide parades and balls |
New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival | Late April to early May | Fair Grounds Race Course, New Orleans |
French Quarter Festival | April | French Quarter, New Orleans |
Essence Festival of Culture | Early July (around Independence Day) | Caesars Superdome and the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center |
Bayou Classic | Thanksgiving weekend (late November) | Caesars Superdome, New Orleans |
Sugar Bowl and New Year | Late December to early January | Caesars Superdome, New Orleans |
Mardi Gras at New Orleans Lakefront (KNEW / NEW): February or March (varies); Carnival season from 6 January
New Orleans' Carnival is one of the world's great celebrations, with weeks of parades, balls and parties culminating on Fat Tuesday. King cake, Creole canapés and sharing platters are available on request, and late-night departures after balls can be catered with hot dishes in thermal containers.
New Orleans event dates move every year, Mardi Gras above all, so check the latest schedule with our team as you order.
Things to do around New Orleans Lakefront (KNEW / NEW)
The French Quarter is the heart of the city, with Jackson Square, St. Louis Cathedral, the riverfront and live music on Frenchmen Street. Streetcars run along St. Charles Avenue through the Garden District, lined with grand homes and oak trees. City Park, close to the lakefront, has the sculpture garden, botanical gardens and old oaks. The National WWII Museum is a major attraction, and swamp tours, plantation visits along River Road and riverboat cruises on the Mississippi are popular excursions. Golf is available at City Park and at several nearby clubs around the metro area.
Culture and heritage near New Orleans Lakefront (KNEW / NEW)
Founded by the French in 1718, New Orleans passed through Spanish and American rule and is the birthplace of jazz. Its architecture ranges from Creole townhouses with iron balconies in the French Quarter to the Greek Revival mansions of the Garden District. The Cabildo, the New Orleans Museum of Art, the Ogden Museum of Southern Art and Preservation Hall present its history, art and music. Above-ground cemeteries are a distinctive feature of the city.
Also on the Global Diners network: New Orleans (KMSY / MSY)
Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport lies in Kenner, west of the city, and is the main jet airport for southeast Louisiana. Business jet flights bring executives from the Gulf of Mexico energy, petrochemical and shipping sectors, convention delegates, and leisure travellers visiting the French Quarter, the Garden District and the plantation country along the Mississippi.
The French Quarter, with Jackson Square, Royal Street's galleries and the riverside Moonwalk, is the place to start. The St. Charles streetcar runs past the oak-lined mansions of the Garden District, and City Park has sculpture gardens and ancient live oaks. Paddle-wheel boats cruise the Mississippi, while swamp tours explore the bayous south and west of the city. The plantations of the River Road, such as Oak Alley, are a short drive from the airport. Live music fills the clubs of Frenchmen Street every night, and the National WWII Museum occupies several buildings in the Warehouse District.
FBOs at every airport in this guide
Here are the business aviation terminals (FBOs) at each airport mentioned above. Our team coordinates every catering delivery with the FBO or handler you choose, and our own kitchens deliver planeside at Paris (LFPB / LBG) and Nice (LFMN / NCE).
New Orleans Lakefront (KNEW / NEW): Flightline First, Signature Aviation and Skyborne
New Orleans (KMSY / MSY): Atlantic Aviation and Signature Aviation
Houston Hobby (KHOU / HOU): Wilson Air Center HOU, Atlantic Aviation, Galaxy FBO, Jet Aviation Houston, Million Air Houston and Signature Aviation
Miami Opa-locka (KOPF / OPF): Atlantic Aviation, Embassair, Fontainebleau Aviation, Jet Aviation and Signature Aviation
Teterboro (KTEB / TEB): Atlantic Aviation, Jet Aviation and Signature Aviation
Frequently asked questions
Which airport is best for private jet catering in New Orleans?
New Orleans Lakefront (KNEW / NEW) is the closest to the French Quarter and the Garden District, while New Orleans (KMSY / MSY) suits larger cabins and international departures. Global Diners prepares catering for both, with delivery coordinated with your FBO or handler.
Can you include Creole and Cajun dishes on a New Orleans flight?
Yes. Gumbo, jambalaya, shrimp remoulade, crab cakes, crawfish étouffée in season, po'boy bites, beignets and pralines are all available, with the spice level adjusted on request. Mention your wishes when you order at order@globaldiners.com.
How early should I order catering for Mardi Gras?
We recommend ordering a little earlier than the usual 24 hours for Mardi Gras weekend and Fat Tuesday, and confirming passenger numbers as soon as they are known. Our specialised team replies with a dedicated quote.
What is the Global Diners client portal?
The portal, coming very soon, is designed to bring the Global Diners menu, order requests, confirmations and documents into one space for crew, operations and finance. Until it opens, all orders go through order@globaldiners.com.
Can Global Diners deliver catering at New Orleans Lakefront (KNEW / NEW) during Mardi Gras?
Yes. Our team plans delivery routes and timings around the parade schedule with the FBO or handler in advance. King cake, Creole canapés and celebratory platters are available on request, along with hot dishes for late departures.
Can I pick up a dish from a famous New Orleans restaurant for my flight from Lakefront (KNEW / NEW)?
Yes. For departures from New Orleans Lakefront Airport (KNEW / NEW), restaurant pick-up from well-known New Orleans dining rooms and po'boy shops can be arranged on request, subject to the restaurant's opening hours and policies. Popular requests include gumbo, turtle soup, muffulettas and bread pudding. Our team handles collection, packing and delivery to the FBO or handler, keeping hot and cold items separate.
Explore more destinations and guides
Private jet catering in New Orleans Lakefront (KNEW / NEW)
Private jet catering in New Orleans (KMSY / MSY)
Private jet catering in Houston Hobby (KHOU / HOU)
Heading to New Orleans soon?
Whether your passengers are coming for Mardi Gras, Jazz Fest, the Sugar Bowl or a business meeting, Global Diners brings one menu, one specialised team and our kitchens to New Orleans Lakefront (KNEW / NEW) and New Orleans (KMSY / MSY). Send us your schedule and we will prepare a dedicated quote.
To request a quote, email order@globaldiners.com with your aircraft registration, airport, date, delivery time and passenger count. Our specialised team replies with a dedicated quote for your mission.
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