Cathay Pacific is elevating its Economy Class inflight dining experience with an exciting new menu developed in collaboration with Hong Kong’s most dynamic food and hospitality group, Black Sheep Restaurants.
This new culinary proposition marks the first time Cathay Pacific has partnered with a prominent restaurant group to develop a collaborative menu for its Economy Class cabin, fulfilling the airline’s “Move Beyond” brand promise to exceed customers’ expectations at all stages of their journey.
Starting November, passengers travelling in Economy Class on flights from Hong Kong to long-haul destinations, including Vancouver and Toronto, can enjoy dishes created by the restaurant group’s expert chefs that are inspired by popular dishes from across its portfolio of restaurants. Meals will rotate on a regular basis and the new menus will also extend to regional routes at a later stage.
Black Sheep Restaurants boasts two Michelin Stars and has 24 restaurants across as many cuisines that welcome thousands of guests from around the world every day. Understanding international travellers and their needs is something the restaurant group has done since day one. The new dishes curated specially for Cathay Pacific have been designed with the modern traveller in mind, opening them up to new cuisines and allowing them greater choice to enjoy their journey the way they want to.
Cathay Pacific General Manager Customer Experience and Design Vivian Lo said: “We’re delighted to be partnering with Black Sheep Restaurants, bringing together two Hong Kong-based companies who share a similar passion for innovation and world-class hospitality.
“Our home city has a food culture that is both eclectic and vibrant, and this new menu celebrates that with dishes spanning a multitude of different cuisines. Not only does it build on our core of authentic, heart-warming classics from our Hong Kong Flavours concept that rolled out earlier this year, it also adds a whole new dimension to the quintessentially ‘Hong Kong’ culinary experience our passengers can look forward to every time they fly with us.”
Black Sheep Restaurants Co-Founder Syed Asim Hussain said: “Our most significant source of inspiration has always come from travel, and we see every journey as its own adventure. Through this partnership, we are excited to bring our brand of thoughtful storytelling through food to Cathay customers in these carefully considered dishes and hopefully offer them a little inspiration, whether their journeys are just beginning or coming to an end.”
Black Sheep Restaurants Co-Founder Christopher Mark said: “We have approached these recipes in the same way we would create a new dish for any of the restaurants, with flavours that evoke memories or transport diners to another place. The hope is that Cathay customers will feel spoilt for choice when they see the new menus.”
Cathay Pacific’s new Economy Class menu is inspired by South Asian favourites from New Punjab Club, Hotal Colombo and Rajasthan Rifles; Vietnamese from Chôm Chôm and Le Garçon Saigon; and flavours from Hong Kong institutions such as Osteria Marzia, Buenos Aires Polo Club and Maison Libanaise.
Appetisers focus on bright, fresh flavours and unique ingredients, such as with the Shredded Chicken and Cabbage Salad with Nuoc Cham Dressing – a twist on the iconic Vietnamese goi ga salad. Meanwhile, mains have been designed to encapsulate wholesome and delicious comfort food, notably the hearty Braised Beef in Red Wine with Green Beans and Lemon Gremolata. The menu also includes a selection of exciting meat-free options for passengers to enjoy, including Sicilian-style Penne alla Norma with Eggplant, Ricotta and Basil or the vegetarian classic Broccoli Mac and Cheese.
Cathay Pacific continually invests in its customer experience offering and is rolling out a number of exciting enhancements covering everything from soft products to inflight entertainment. Economy Class travellers can also for the first time enjoy Cathay Pacific’s own locally brewed Betsy Beer, which recently made a spectacular return with a new look and flavour, and is now being served on all long-haul flights to passengers in every class.
Appendix I
Dishes available from November in Economy Class on select flights departing from Hong Kong include:
Appetizers
• Corn, Shrimp and Chipotle Salad with Lime Vinaigrette and Coriander Cream
• Bean Salad with Chipotle Aioli and BBQ Chicken
• Shredded Chicken and Cabbage Salad with Nuoc Cham Dressing
• Middle Eastern Grain Salad with Squid, lemon carrots and Tahini Dressing
Main Courses
• Tarragon Chicken with Smashed Mint Peas and Potato Mash
• Mexican Pulled Pork with Spice Roasted Pumpkin and Brown Rice
• Braised Beef in Red Wine with Green Beans and Lemon Gremolata
• Corn Polenta with Roasted Mushroom Ragu and Parmesan
• Broccoli Mac and Cheese
• Penne alla Norma with Eggplant, Ricotta and Basil
