Hay River / Merlyn Carter · CYHY / YHY · Canada

Private jet catering at Hay River / Merlyn Carter Airport (CYHY / YHY), Hay River

Catering to your aircraft in Hay River.

CYHY on the south shore of Great Slave Lake is a quiet field with a short apron and long winters. The catering is built for it: whitefish, pickerel, bison and berries, packed to hold and finished in your own oven, then handed to the aircraft.

Menu & order Download the menu

10 hours

ideal notice, last-minute handled

Plane-side

handover at the steps

Flight deck

crew and pilot dishes, on request

24/7

a flight attendant on the line

Three of us. All ex VIP cabin crew.

We know the galley, the diet card and the 5 a.m. re-plate — because we lived them. So we built the caterer we always wished we could call.

Camille

Menu & galley logistics

Fourteen years on VIP and head-of-state cabins. Can plate for twelve in a G650 galley and still land it hot.

Inès

Dietary & labelling

The one who reads every diet card twice. If it says no cross-contact, it means no cross-contact.

Sofia

The 24/7 line

Answers at 5 a.m. when the leg moved overnight. Same-day swaps are her love language.

The local tableCooked so it travels

Regional dishes of Hay River for jet catering at YHY

Hay River sits on the south shore of Great Slave Lake, and the private jet menu for CYHY follows the lake and the Northwest Territories larder. Local specialities here are fish first: Great Slave Lake whitefish, pickerel (walleye) and lake trout, plus northern pike for those who ask. Bison from the territory's herds and wild berries such as cloudberries, cranberries and blueberries round out the inflight menu.

Private jet food built around Northwest Territories produce is mostly simple and cold-friendly. Private jet platters carry smoked whitefish, bison charcuterie and bannock; gourmet inflight meals come as pan-seared pickerel or braised bison that finishes in your oven; private jet snacks are dried berries, jerky and bannock bites. Every local speciality is described the way it travels in a galley: what is chilled, what needs the oven, what goes in its own pot.

Open the menu Download the menuPDF

Local specialities of Hay River, Northwest Territories: whitefish and bison for a private jet menu at CYHY

01Smoked Great Slave Lake whitefishChilled, sliced on the plate

02Pan-seared pickerel (walleye)Oven, sauce apart

03Braised Northwest Territories bisonOven, sauce in its own pot

04Bannock with wild berry compoteRe-plate cold

05Lake trout rillettesChilled, crackers apart

06Cloudberry and cranberry tartChilled, cream apart

How it works

Three steps, one message

You message us

Tail, pax, diets, timing. One message — no portal, no quote form. Answered at any hour, by a flight attendant.

We cook & pack for a galley

Leak-proof boxes, marked by guest and restriction, with reheating times written on the lid.

You re-plate and serve

Two minutes out of the drawer. Whatever you ordered for the crew comes in the same delivery, and one clean invoice follows.

At a glance · Hay RiverHay River / Merlyn Carter Airport · CYHY

The three founders, former VIP cabin crew, on a business jet airstair — private jet catering at Hay River / Merlyn Carter Airport (CYHY)

Hay River / Merlyn Carter sits on the south shore of Great Slave Lake, where the apron can be white with frost long before the calendar says winter. Private jet catering at CYHY is planned around that: cold plates that hold, hot dishes that finish in your own oven, and Northwest Territories produce chosen to travel. The same inflight catering and aviation catering we pack everywhere is built here for the type and the galley you actually have, and in-flight catering for a quiet terminal means everything is agreed with your handling agent beforehand. Business aviation catering, executive jet catering and diplomatic flight catering all start from a brief; cabin crew meals ride in the same order, marked CREW.

Restaurant cuisine, cooked on the ground
Fresh and local produce
Labelled by seat, diet and reheat
Aviation-ready packaging
High loader for large cabins
HACCP certified kitchens

Who we fly forTwo cabins, one standard

Business jet on the apron at Hay River / Merlyn Carter (CYHY) ready for private jet catering delivery

Business aviationOur core

VIP flight and private jet catering at Hay River / Merlyn Carter Airport (CYHY)

For a Hay River departure, business jet catering means fitting a small galley without waste. Our private jet chef writes a bespoke menu: whitefish starters, bison or pickerel mains, a berry dessert. Corporate jet catering, VIP flight catering and charter flight catering at CYHY are labelled by seat number, and luxury inflight catering here means plated care, not extra items. The same order covers inflight catering and in-flight catering needs, whatever the leg.

Government flight catering prepared for a VIP aircraft at Hay River / Merlyn Carter (CYHY), Canada

State & royalDiscretion, protocol

Inflight catering for government and royal flights at Hay River / Merlyn Carter Airport

For official travel through CYHY, government flight catering starts with the delegation's requirements, not a menu. Head of state flight catering is traceable, discreet and delivered by a small team; VIP aviation catering and state visit aircraft catering are coordinated through your handling agent.

Menu highlights for jet catering in *Hay River* (CYHY)Or write your own, we cook it

Chilled private jet platters of smoked whitefish and bison for a flight from Hay River (YHY)

Cold galley

No oven · served in four minutes

Smoked whitefish platter, pickled onion, rye crispsChilled

Bison charcuterie board, bannock, cranberry relishRe-plate cold

Lake trout rillettes with dill creamChilled

Wild berry tart, cloudberry creamSauce apart

Dried berry and jerky snack box (private jet snacks)Chilled

Hot gourmet inflight meals of pickerel and bison packed for the galley oven at Hay River / Merlyn Carter

Hot service

One oven · re-plated in twelve minutes

Pan-seared pickerel, lemon butter, root vegetablesSauce apart

Braised bison short rib, wild rice, juniper jusOven

Whitefish chowder with fresh herbsOven

Bannock with berry compoteOven

Gourmet inflight meals: roast chicken, charred greens, potatoOven

Make a request Download the menuPDF

A dish sealed and labelled for one guest's diet

PrincipalSealed

Nut-free · gluten-freeChecked by two people

Special meals

Special meals for every diet: in-flight catering at Hay River / Merlyn Carter Airport

Special meals at CYHY are a procedure, not a promise on a label. Kosher, halal, vegan, gluten free and allergen free plates are cooked and sealed apart, and kids meals are simple and labelled by seat. In northern cooking the allergen to watch is fish: whitefish, pickerel and trout turn up in stocks, chowders and spreads, so we keep each restricted dish on its own board and in its own box.

Allergens

A sheet per guest. Separate boards, separate boxes.

ii.

Halal & kosher

Sealed, certificate in the same box.

iii.

Children

Their own menu, nothing to cut at altitude.

iv.

Plant-based & wellness

Vegan, low-carb, light — composed, never compromised.

Crew & pilot mealsOn request

Pilot meals and crew meals at Hay River / Merlyn Carter Airport (YHY)

On a Hay River turn, the crew eats last. Order crew meals with the flight and we pack them separately: flight crew meals boxed, pilot meals and cockpit meals easy to handle, crew catering labelled CREW, and different meals for pilots on request. Crew meal boxes are invoiced like any order.

Meal passCYHY

Cabin crew

Box

Marked crew

Galley

Oven 6 min

Order

On request

Marked crew

Meal passCYHY

Pilots

Box

CPT ≠ F/O

Galley

Cold or hot

Order

On request

Two dishes

Hay River / Merlyn Carter Airport (CYHY / YHY) apron and terminal on Great Slave Lake, Northwest Territories

To the steps, on your slot.

Airside · plane-side · day or night

DeliveryEvery FBO

Airport catering delivered to the FBO at Hay River / Merlyn Carter Airport (CYHY)

At Hay River, the general aviation terminal is the meeting point. FBO catering is brought there, or straight to the aircraft with the handling agent. Catering delivery to the FBO, ground handling catering and handling agent catering are confirmed against your tail and slot.

FBOHandling agentGround handlerGA terminal

High loaderLarge cabins, bizliners

Galley-door delivery and aviation catering at Hay River / Merlyn Carter Airport (YHY)

What gets loaded at CYHY depends on the type parked on the apron. A light or midsize jet takes its trays by hand through the main door; a larger type may need a high loader, which your handling agent arranges. Galley catering is packed to the galley you have, and airside catering delivery follows the apron access set by the handling agent. Aircraft provisioning for CYHY is confirmed against the tail and the slot.

Mention it when you order

HACCP kitchen

Certified, inspected, with cold-chain records filed against your trip.

All FBOs served

Whichever terminal you park at, handover is at the aircraft, on your slot.

Diets read twice

Allergen sheet per guest, halal and kosher on request, sealed and labelled.

One clean invoice

Itemised and trip-report ready, sent after the leg.

About the airportCYHY / YHY

About Hay River / Merlyn Carter Airport: business aviation and airport catering

Hay River / Merlyn Carter Airport is a regional field in the Northwest Territories on the south shore of Great Slave Lake, used by charters, medevac and northern operators. Business aviation here is practical rather than glossy, and catering is planned around the aircraft and the weather.

Business aviation

Winter and summer ask different things of airport catering at CYHY. Inflight catering in January is cold plates and oven finishes; in-flight catering in July may be fresh pickerel and berries. Aviation catering and business aviation catering use the general aviation side with FBO services and ground handling services. Executive jet catering and diplomatic flight catering are planned ahead, and cabin crew meals ride in the same order. A small business aviation hub like Hay River rewards a clear brief.

Customs & food import

Canadian import rules govern food entering the country; CBSA applies them to meat, dairy and produce on international arrivals. Food prepared and handed over in Canada at CYHY raises no import question. Tell us if the leg is international, and we plan around what can stay on board.

ReviewsFrom the crews we cater for

5.0 / 5

★★★★★

Average rating from the cabin crew and pilots we cater for.

Leave a review

★★★★★GOVERNMENT

“Our priority at Hay River / Merlyn Carter Airport was a cold lunch with cheese and fruit for 8 passengers, with a short ground stop shaping the service plan. I asked The Galley Girls for the fruit plates in clearly marked packs, with garnishes supplied separately for plating on board. We could finish the main courses as each guest was ready, rather than laying everything out at once. For our team, the strongest part of their crew meals was how they handled cabin service sequence.”

Mathilde Q. | Government flight manager

BBJ

★★★★★CHARTER

“Small packing details became important at CYHY: our 12 passengers wanted a cheese board and savoury canapés, and we had a late menu amendment. Our handling contact received the order details from The Galley Girls, including how the canapés had been grouped. The fruit plates went straight to the right colleague instead of circulating between several people during the turnaround. My main takeaway from this FBO catering order was the practical approach to catering handover.”

Pauline O. | Charter operator

Falcon 900LX

★★★★★VIP AIRLINER

“Service planning came first at YHY, with 11 passengers choosing yoghurt pots and fresh berries and a family lunch request influencing our preparation. The main courses came from The Galley Girls in compact food boxes, with a packing list that matched the contents. My main takeaway from this airport catering order was the practical approach to crew briefing. I could hand the side dishes to a colleague with a short explanation instead of unpacking the whole order.”

Grace H. | Chief cabin officer

BBJ

The Hay River / Merlyn Carter questionsAsked by crews

How much does private jet catering cost for a return leg ordered from Hay River for the way back?+

Nothing is priced until you tell us the menu. A return leg from CYHY with lake trout starters and a hot main differs from one with snack boxes only. Ask for both legs in one message and we quote them together; crew meals for the return are added if you request them.

What is the lead time for private jet catering at Hay River for a night departure or an early morning slot?+

Order when you have the slot. Early mornings and night departures from Hay River are no different from daytime ones, because the service is 24/7. Seasonal items such as cloudberries are the one thing worth mentioning early.

What about customs when the handling agent and airside access control catering at Hay River?+

Food prepared in Canada and handed over at Hay River needs no customs step beyond what the handling agent already does for airside access. If your aircraft arrives from abroad with food on board, CBSA rules for meat, dairy and produce apply.

Can you bring food on a short repositioning flight with an empty cabin out of Hay River?+

An empty cabin means a small order. Either bring your own provisions or ask for crew catering from CYHY; a single flight crew meal or a boxed lunch costs far less than a passenger service. Mind customs if the flight crosses a border.

Is catering part of a charter flying out of Hay River with two services on a long leg?+

The charter price does not include meals. On a long flight from CYHY with two services, the catering is ordered on top, built around the galley: cold plates first, a hot main second, with sauces in their own pots.