Lobster bisque and onion soup on ISS menu for French astronaut | International Space Station

Even according to the rigorous standards of French gastronomes, it looks like a meal really out of this world. When French astronaut Sophie Adenot goes to the international space station next year, she will dine on French classics such as lobster bisque, foie gras and onion soup specially prepared for her by a chef with 10 Michelin stars.

Parsnip and velvety Haddock, chicken with Tonka beans and creamy polenta, and a chocolate cream with a hazelnut cazette flower would also be on the menu, the European space agency announced on Wednesday.

The food delivered to the ISS must meet strict specifications. It cannot be friable or too heavy and must be able to be stored for two years, said the agency.

Fresh fruits and vegetables are only available when a new spacecraft arrives with supplies. Thus, most meals in space are canned, vacuum or lyophilized from a set of options offered by space agencies.

To spice things up, one in 10 meals is prepared for specific crew members depending on their personal tastes.

Adenot said: “During a mission, sharing our respective dishes is a way to invite teammates to find out more about our culture. It is a very powerful liaison experience.”

Its menu was developed by the French chef Anne-Sophie Pic, who holds 10 Michelin stars and was named best female chef by the 50 best restaurants in the world in 2011.

Pic said it was an “exhilarating challenge” to develop the menu, which includes four runners, two sector and two desserts.

Adenot, 42, a former helicopter test pilot, should start his first tour on the ISS in 2026.

A pair of NASA astronauts returned to Earth in March after being unexpectedly stuck on the ISS for more than nine months due to problems with the Boeing Starliner spaceship.