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Qantas will be starting up one of the world’s longest routes when it starts flying its 787-9 Dreamliner between Perth and London on 24 March 2018 and now we have our first look at some of the food that passengers can expect on board.
At over 9,000 miles in distance and with flight times of over 17 hours (on the Perth – London sector) passengers are going to need all the help they can if they’re not to feel out of sorts when they land at their destination (especially those traveling in Economy Class).
I loved the Business Class cabin when I tried it out back in November but that didn’t exactly give me a chance to try out the long-haul menu…and Qantas appears to have been working hard on that.
Back in June of last year Qantas mentioned that it was partnering with researchers at the University of Sydney to work on a number of different areas to see what could be done to enhance a passenger’s wellbeing on ultra long-haul flights like the one between Perth and London.
Amongst the various things being looked into was the food that is served to passengers before and during the long flights and now Qantas has revealed samples from its first ultra long-haul menu.
- Probiotic infused Botanica cold pressed juice shots
- A bespoke herbal tea, which encourages relaxation developed especially for Qantas by Dilmah, made from lemon verbena chamomile and lemongrass
- Dishes which feature ingredients that promote hydration such as green leafy vegetables, cucumber, strawberries and celery
Salad of cumin spiced beef with zucchini, corn and a citrus dressing – Economy and Premium Economy menu (image – Qantas)
- Tailoring specific ingredients (such as chilli) to particular times of the day
- Lighter meal options (e.g. tuna poke salad bowl)
Tuna poke salad with wakame and sesame soy dressing – Business Class (image – Qantas)
- A hot chocolate bedtime drink with the combination of warm milk and chocolate containing the sleep inducing amino acid Tryptophan to help prompt the body’s sleep cycle
- Organic kombucha by Remedy: a live cultured, sparkling drink full of natural probiotics that assist with digestion.
The food offerings will clearly depend on the cabin you’re booked into and the direction of travel and here are a few more examples pf the food you’ll find served on this route:
Perth – London
Crudites with hummus – served at the Business bar (image – Qantas)
Chicken with red rice, roasted Mediterranean vegetables, soya beans and thyme jus – Economy and Premium Economy menu (image – Qantas)
Poached eggs with kale, quinoa, grilled haloumi, pistachios, seeds and herbed tahini dressing – Business breakfast menu (image – Qantas)
Seared Cone Bay barramundi with herbed garlic potatoes, broccolini, lemo, olive and almond sala – Business menu (image – Qantas)
Tomato and mushroom puff pastry tart with corn salsa – Premium Economy menu (image – Qantas)
London – Perth
Roast English beef with Yorkshire pudding, peas and onion gravy – Business menu (image – Qantas)
Smoked salmon, soba and raw zucchini noodles with ponzu dressing – Business menu (image – Qantas)
Examples of desserts provided are:
- Seasonal fruit plate served in all cabins
- Baked vanilla custard with rhubarb, honeyed pear and almonds served in Business Class
Thoughts
The pictures look good so it will be interesting to see how close to reality they turn out to be.
We’ve been given a lot more examples of the food that will be served out of Perth than we have of the food we can expect out of London so I’m hoping the other London offerings are a bit better.
The sample items flyers can expect out of Perth look very nice indeed (I’d happily order any of them) and it’s nice to see a good number of lighter options included too.
I’m hoping someone will finding out for me if Qantas Business Class can produce a poached egg as good as Singapore Airlines First Class….
Singapore Airlines First Class Breakfast
…or if it’s the bitter disappointment that most egg dishes are at 38,000 feet.
Qantas says that its first ultra long-haul menu “incorporates the latest scientific knowledge on nutrition and hydration” and I applaud the airline for taking this side of things seriously on flights where passengers are going be confined in a composite tube for almost an entire day (once you include boarding, waiting around and disembarking).
Having said that, I wish Qantas had put as much thought and effort into its Dreamliner Economy class cabin as it has done into its menu – no amount of great food (or hydration) will make up for the 17″ wide seats passengers will have to put up with.
