Auckland-based chef Michael Meredith has partnered with Qatar Airways to create exclusive menus for its Business Class passengers flying from Auckland to Doha. Photo / Qatar Airways
On Wednesday, Michael Meredith looked remarkably calm.
The acclaimed Kiwi chef had just prepared dozens of mouth-watering dishes for a Qatar Airways tasting event at Meredith’s award-winning Mr Morris restaurant in Auckland. The airline has been dubbed the world’s best an unprecedented nine times by Skytrax. Many people would have been sweating under the pressure. Meredith wasn’t. He’s been a chef for 30 years.
“I don’t look [my age], but I feel it at times,” he joked.
The chef, known for his high quality and cultural authenticity, has teamed up exclusively with the airline to create a three-course menu showcasing New Zealand produce and wine for Business Class passengers flying from Auckland to Doha.
While Meredith has collaborated with airlines before – he was previously a consulting chef for Air New Zealand – it’s the first time he has partnered with Qatar Airways. It’s also the first time the airline has partnered with a celebrated chef from New Zealand.
It comes after fellow acclaimed Kiwi chef Sid Sahrawat earlier this year partnered with Singapore Airlines for an exclusive menu in First and Business Class cabins for passengers departing from Auckland.
The launch event started with a light and refreshing cured king salmon, wasabi and confit apple. It was a solid portion.
The main screamed decadence: a braised beef short rib with truffle polenta and mushroom marmalade. (One diner exclaimed, “Omg. The beef actually melts in my mouth. I’ve never had that happen to me before.”)
The dessert stole the show: a semolina and pear pudding with honeycomb that surely reminded everyone of a Crunchie chocolate bar. It was delicate. It was teasing. It was easy on the eyes.
“Food has always been central in my life, and this partnership allows me to share my passion with Qatar Airways passengers, bringing a sense of home and the southwest Pacific hospitality to a global audience,” Meredith said.
“With this menu, I wanted to honour the incredible ingredients on offer in Aotearoa and create something that is refined. I hope passengers feel that sense of care and connection in every bite. It was a real treat to give guests a taste of what the experience will be like on board.”
Xia Cai, Qatar Airways’ senior vice-president for product development and design, said: “Exceptional on-board dining is an essential part of a premium travel experience. This new menu is more than just a meal, it’s a celebration of storytelling through food, and a unique opportunity to bring the flavours of Aotearoa to the skies.”
Airlines partnering with top restaurateurs provide several mutual opportunities, including showcasing cultural identity through high-quality food. Here are other recent collaborations you may not have heard of.
Since March, passengers in First Class and Business Class on Singapore Airlines flights leaving from Auckland and Christchurch have had the opportunity to experience a wide array of exclusive dishes curated by renowned chef Sid Sahrawat, whose New Zealand restaurants include Cassia and The French Cafe.
The menu showcases New Zealand produce in several seasonal dishes, and includes an appetiser of poached crayfish with corn and spring onion hash, macadamia nuts and wasabi mayo, a main course of Canterbury lamb rack with roasted kūmara and korma sauce, and a classic pavlova with salt-baked pineapple for dessert.
Speaking to the Herald in February, Sahrawat said his personal favourite from the menu was the lamb rack.
“It’s kind of a blend of a lot of Māori flavours – like in the hāngī, it’s always lamb and kūmara cooked together. So we’ve brought in a little bit of that culture and a bit of sauce which has been very symbolic to Cassia, korma.
“Korma has got a lot of cardamom, a lot of almonds so that really lends itself quite well to lamb and kūmara,” Sahrawat explained.
Top Australian chef Neil Perry has been collaborating with Qantas for nearly three decades – the longest partnership of its kind. Passengers on the airline’s international flights enjoy Neil Perry-inspired cuisine that celebrates both Australian and the international destination’s produce.
On selected premium economy flights, you may get rich black pepper beef with oyster mushrooms. For Business Class, salt and pepper chicken with cabbage slaw and lemon could be an option. Some passengers flying in First Class may have the option of a Calvisius caviar tartlet with cauliflower cream and Ma Hor caramelised pork, prawn, pineapple and cashews.
Michelin-star chef Tom Kerridge has partnered with British Airways since 2021. The English chef, who was previously a contestant on Great British Menu, creates gourmet meals for passengers flying on the airline’s short-haul economy (Euro Traveller) class through its High Life Café. Food options include a variety of hot sandwiches, fresh salads, cookies, baps and drinks.
The national carrier’s Taste of Aotearoa menu showcases a blend of indigenous flavours and contemporary cuisine for premium economy and business premier passengers. Some menu highlights have included smoked kahawai mousse with confit potato and seared Hauraki Gulf snapper with nori butter, green pea purée, fresh pea shoots, and crispy batter bits.
Head of culinary Justin Koen oversees the catering behind its menus, which are refreshed regularly throughout the year. Previously, Meredith and celebrated chef Peter Gordon worked as consultant chefs for the airline, helping design its recipes.
In 2024, Air New Zealand was named the best airline for food by Condé Nast.
Varsha Anjali is a journalist in the lifestyle team at the Herald. Based in Auckland, she covers travel, culture and more.