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If you’ve been reading this blog for any length of time, you know that one of my biggest complaints with United Airlines has been the catering on international flights in the Polaris® (Business Class) cabin. It’s been so bad at times that I have compared it to prison food. This might hopefully be changing as United Airlines is launching an ambitious new culinary partnership with Chef’s Table, the brand behind the Emmy Award-winning Netflix series. I first wrote about this back in March and now we have all of the details.
Beginning August 1st, United Polaris® passengers on select long-haul flights will enjoy more than 30 new chef-curated dishes created by 11 acclaimed chefs from around the world. The multi-course menus feature appetizers, salads, and entrées inspired by the chefs’ home cities and United’s global network.
The lineup includes culinary stars such as Nancy Silverton of Los Angeles, Jenner Tomaska of Chicago, Justin Yu of Houston, David Barzelay of San Francisco, Tomos Parry of London, and Manu Buffara of Brazil.
Highlights from the new menus include:
- Burrata with braised leeks and beef brasato by Chef Nancy Silverton (Los Angeles)
- Ethiopian coffee-glazed short ribs by Chef Fariyal Abdullahi (Newark/New York)
- Halibut with sauce matelote by Chef Jenner Tomaska (Chicago)
- Braised Texas short rib by Chef Justin Yu (Houston)
- Five-spice duck wontons by Chef Penelope Wong (Denver)
- Black cod broiled in tomato tare by Chef David Barzelay (San Francisco)
- Brazilian shrimp stew with coconut rice by Chef Manu Buffara (São Paulo)
- Slow-roasted lamb by Chef Tomos Parry (London)
- Miso-marinated sea bass by Chef Tashi Gyamtso (Tokyo)
The meals will be available on lunch and dinner departures originating from the chefs’ respective cities, allowing travelers to experience cuisine that reflects the local culture and flavors of each destination. United is also introducing a new pre-order option, allowing Polaris® passengers to select Chef’s Table meals through the United app or website beginning five days before departure.
In addition to the onboard dining experience, United and Chef’s Table are launching exclusive inflight entertainment content that takes passengers behind the scenes of the collaboration. The original programming will showcase how the chefs developed their menus, sourced ingredients, and adapted restaurant-quality dishes for service at 35,000 feet.
The airline will also add episodes of Chef’s Table: Talks to its entertainment library starting July 1st, giving travelers access to conversations between renowned chefs and Chef’s Table creator David Gelb. The first round of menus will be available through September 2026 with a new seasonal lineup scheduled to debut in October and continue rotating into 2027.
Anthony’s Take: Could this be the time that United actually fixes catering? With the partnership, United is making one of its biggest investments yet in premium cabin dining by bringing Michelin-starred talent and globally inspired cuisine directly to the skies. Let’s see how it all tastes.
(Image Credits: United Airlines.)
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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.
2 comments
One meal choice from selected airports for a limited time > half aped attempt
It’s a start 🙂