Advertiser & Editorial Disclosure: The Bulkhead Seat earns an affiliate commission for anyone approved through the links below. This compensation may impact how and where links appear on this site. We work to provide the best publicly available offers to our readers. We frequently update them, but this site does not include all available offers. Opinions, reviews, analyses & recommendations are the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, endorsed, or approved by any of these entities.
United Airlines is introducing a new culinary partnership with Chef’s Table (the award-winning series available on Netflix) to create exclusive meal experiences for travelers flying in United Polaris® (Business Class). Beginning August 1st, United Polaris® passengers will be able to enjoy a lineup of regionally inspired dishes created by 11 acclaimed chefs from around the world. The collaboration will introduce 10 new onboard meal experiences designed to highlight flavors tied to United’s key hub cities and major international gateways.
Each participating chef will develop a full meal service including an appetizer, salad, and entrée. The menus will be offered on flights departing from the chefs’ home cities that inspired the dishes.
The lineup features chefs representing United’s seven US hub cities along with important international markets such as London, Tokyo and São Paulo.
Travelers leaving Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD) will enjoy meals from Jenner Tomaska (chef and co-owner of MICHELIN-starred Esmé as well as The Alston and Petite Edith).
At Denver International Airport (DEN), chef Penelope Wong of Yuan Wonton will highlight the diverse Asian American flavors that helped shape Denver’s dining scene.
From Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH), James Beard Award-winning chef Justin Yu of Theodore Rex will showcase refined cuisine influenced by French culinary traditions.
From Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), James Beard Award-winning chef Nancy Silverton of Osteria Mozza will bring her Italian-inspired cuisine and focus on artisan ingredients to the Polaris® menu.
Flights departing Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) will feature dishes created by Fariyal Abdullahi (executive chef of Hav & Mar in New York) whose cooking blends Ethiopian heritage with European techniques.
Passengers departing San Francisco International Airport (SFO) will be served dishes from David Barzelay. He is the chef behind two-MICHELIN-starred Lazy Bear along with JouJou and True Laurel.
Flights leaving Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD) will feature culinary creations from chefs Isabel Coss and Matt Conroy of MICHELIN-starred Lutèce, where French techniques meet Mexican culinary influences.
United’s international gateways will also play a major role in the program.
From London Heathrow Airport (LHR), chef Tomos Parry (founder of MICHELIN-starred restaurants Mountain and Brat) will bring dishes inspired by Welsh heritage and northern Spanish cooking traditions.
In Brazil, menus departing São Paulo/Guarulhos International Airport (GRU) will highlight cuisine from Manu Buffara of Manu in Curitiba. She is known for elevating Brazilian flavors with modern techniques and sustainable agriculture practices.
Flights departing Tokyo Narita International Airport (NRT) will feature cuisine from chef Tashi Gyamtso of Jimgu and Enowa Yufuin (known for farm-driven menus based entirely on seasonal ingredients).
United has long been the worst of the US carriers for in-flight dining and this upgrade is long overdue. Let’s hope that this is not just hype and actually is the turning point for the slop that has been served in Polaris®. By partnering with globally recognized chefs, United says that it aims to deliver restaurant-quality cuisine that reflects the culture and flavors of the cities passengers depart from to create a more memorable and regionally inspired inflight experience. The execution now needs to match the press release.
Andrew Nocella, Chief Commercial Officer at United Airlines, said:
United’s network spans many of the culinary capitals of the world, allowing us to authentically bring together acclaimed chefs from around the globe. Our collaboration with Chef’s Table shows how we’re leveraging our unique position as the world’s largest airline to deliver restaurant-quality moments in the sky. Our United Polaris international business class travelers are going to love the new dishes coming later this year.”
Justin Connor, President of Chef’s Table Projects, added:
This collaboration represents an unprecedented look at how we can elevate the inflight dining experience, bringing the culinary brilliance featured on Chef’s Table to the skies. By partnering with United, we are turning a global culinary journey into a reality for millions of passengers. Many travelers around the world will be able to experience firsthand the artistry of these 11 world-renowned chefs on their plates at 35,000 feet. Together we’ll create incredible, regionally-inspired meals and unforgettable experiences for travelers from takeoff to landing.”
Anthony’s Take: In the words of Lizzo, “it’s about damn time.” I’m excited to try these dishes and hope that this is a turning point for the in-flight catering on United Airlines in Polaris®.
(Featured Image Credit: United Airlines.)
User Generated Content Disclosure: The Bulkhead Seat encourages constructive discussions, comments, and questions. Responses are not provided by or commissioned by any bank advertisers. These responses have not been reviewed, approved, or endorsed by the bank advertiser. It is not the responsibility of the bank advertiser to respond to comments.
Advertiser & Editorial Disclosure: The Bulkhead Seat earns an affiliate commission for anyone approved through the links above This compensation may impact how and where links appear on this site. We work to provide the best publicly available offers to our readers. We frequently update them, but this site does not include all available offers. Opinions, reviews, analyses & recommendations are the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, endorsed, or approved by any of these entities.
