When discussing France, much focus is usually placed on Paris due to its fantastic cuisine, fashion and architecture. However, the entire country of France is intriguing, beautiful and has a rich history. To learn more about France, Maisa Farina, a corporate flight attendant based in Gary, Indiana (KGYY), shared her experiences and tips on her favorite places in the South of France.
Maisa had her initial training with Aircare FACTS six and a half years ago. Since then she has amassed experience flying on a variety of private jets including GIV, GV, G450, G550, GII, Falcon 2000, Challenger 601, 604, Legacy, Hawker, Lear and BBJ. Her last recurrent was in September 2013, and she is about to attend her next recurrent.
During her career, Maisa has been busy operating within Europe, North Africa, Russia, Middle East, South America, Central America and North America. Her clientele has been a range of leading businessman, well-known personalities, royal families and diplomats. While Maisa keeps busy working on private jets, she values networking, and you can find her attending industry events hosted by Chi-Stat and NBAA when her schedule permits.
Prior to moving to the United States and beginning her career as a corporate flight attendant, Maisa graduated from Universidade Positivo in Curitiba, Brazil with a degree in business. Being a Brazilian native, Maisa if fluent in English, Spanish and Portuguese.
Since Maisa has had the honor of experiencing cuisines from five continents, we wanted to get her input into the best food she has tasted during her travels. Maisa said, “Mediterranean cuisine, sushi and Indian cuisine. I love all types of cuisines, and I love to try everything.” Narrowing it down to her favorite dish, she loves the “yellowtail sashimi from Nobu in London.”
Maisa’s favorite place in the world is the South of France because it is “breathtaking and just so glamorous.” Her favorite restaurant in France is Villa Romana, Saint-Tropez. France is not only known for amazing cuisine, but also for delicious treats. Maisa recommends trying “the best macarons in the world at Ladurée.” Ladurée has several locations in Paris, along with locations in Saint-Tropez, Cannes and Nice.
If you are making a stop in Cannes and have time on the ground available for exploring, Maisa says a great way to pass the time is to “take a walk on La Croisette where they have all the shops, the Ritz Carlton and the famous Cannes Film Festival.”
For corporate flight attendants visiting Paris for the first time, Maisa suggests trying “mussels at any place you find them. Green salad and steak frites served with secret unique experience at the restaurant Relais de Venice L’entrecote. Also, the Niçoise salads there are unique and incredible.”
Marseille is another location that Maisa recommends visiting if you have the opportunity. “I spent some time in Marseille, and it’s so beautiful,” she said. “I did all the sightseeing and it was fantastic, beautiful and a lot of history.” When it comes to dining in Marseille, Maisa says to “keep an open mind with the seafood. It has minimal seasoning but is served very fresh and presented wonderfully.”
Thinking back though her trips in France, Maisa shared the story of her most memorable experience flying there. “I had a 45 minute flight for which the principal told me he would order catering from his restaurant, and I had to pick it up before the flight. I picked up the catering, and nothing was plated or assembled. I managed to plate everything before they boarded and served all the dishes he requested. He also showed up with two extra adults and a child. The menu consisted of Tuscan kale salad, lobster caprese, meatballs, crostini and tiramisu. Stressful but executed successfully. What a flight!”
In discussing her most memorable flight, Maisa described her first flight. “It was on a Gulfstream IV. I had ten passengers, and I served breakfast and lunch. The destination was Las Vegas. I will never forget the combination of anxiety and excitement! Also, it was pretty neat to apply what I learned in training to the real world for the first time.”
For anyone thinking about becoming a corporate flight attendant, Maisa advises, “Pay attention to detail, have a positive attitude and knowledge on services and culinary.” She also says it is important to “network as much is possible, join NBAA and get certified with Aircare FACTS or FlightSafety International. Research various cultures, and treat every flight as if it is your first one. It is also very helpful to keep a profile of your passengers.” If you are looking for an experienced, multilingual corporate flight attendant, contact Maisa Farina at maisafarina@me.com.
This article is part of a series of interviews we are conducting with contract cabin crew members; individuals who are not employed by Air Culinaire Worldwide. If you would like to be considered for an interview, which is posted on our blog and all of our social media accounts, please contact socialmedia@airculinaire.com.
