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United Airlines has announced a change to its international premium cabin catering. Starting in August, the carrier will debut a new lineup of chef-curated meals developed in collaboration with Chef’s Table, the creative brand behind the Emmy award-winning Netflix docuseries.
The new multi-course menus will be available exclusively to United Polaris international business class travelers flying on select long-haul routes.
The partnership features culinary creations from 11 globally recognized chefs representing four continents, with dishes spanning seasonal California cooking, modern American fine dining, contemporary European techniques, and bold interpretations of Asian and Latin American cuisines.
Menu availability and pre-ordering
Passengers looking to experience these new meals must keep a few things in mind.
Firstly, these chef-curated culinary experiences are only offered on long-haul international flights serving lunch or dinner.
Secondly, because the airline is connecting the cuisine directly to the place of departure, each specific chef’s meal experience will only be available on flights departing from that chef’s home city.
United Polaris passengers can secure these meals ahead of time using the airline’s website and app where the meals will be available for exclusive pre-order.
The pre-order window opens exactly five days prior to departure and closes 24 hours before flight departure, giving customers a four-day window to view, explore, and select their preferred menu items.
Menu rotation and inflight entertainment
The rollout follows a strict seasonal timeline. The initial set of menus detailed further down this article will be offered onboard from 1 August through 30 September 2026.
Following this initial two-month period, a completely new lineup of dishes created by these same 11 chefs will launch in October 2026. These menus will then continue to rotate seasonally into 2027.
In tandem with the physical food service, United is adding exclusive, original branded content to its inflight entertainment (IFE) seatback screens. This video programming will detail the behind-the-scenes collaboration between United and the featured chefs, showing how the meals were produced and engineered to handle the dry air and pressure of an airline cabin.
According to Justin Connor, President of Chef’s Table Projects, the menus were specifically engineered for 35,000 feet to ensure that the flavors and ingredients remain exceptional despite the high altitude (avgeeks should enjoy this!)
Full breakdown of hub cities, chefs, and menus
The new dining program represents United’s seven primary United States hub cities alongside three major international gateways: London, São Paulo, and Tokyo.
Each chef-curated experience includes a distinct appetizer, a salad, and an entrée reflecting the chef’s culinary home.
Los Angeles (LAX) – Chef Nancy Silverton
Chef Nancy Silverton is an author, baker, restaurateur, and winner of the 2014 James Beard Foundation’s Outstanding Chef Award. She operates Osteria Mozza, a restaurant which has held a Michelin star for 18 straight years (the 2026 awards are in two weeks’ time) and one of my favorite places to eat out in LA.
Appetizer: Burrata served with braised leeks, mustard vinaigrette, and breadcrumbs.
Salad: Shaved Brussels sprouts prepared with mint, almonds, and pecorino Romano.
Entrée: Beef brasato accompanied by garlic mashed potatoes, salsa verde, and horseradish gremolata.
Newark (EWR) – Chef Fariyal Abdullahi
Chef Fariyal Abdullahi is the Chef Partner at Hav & Mar in New York. Her dishes combine her Ethiopian heritage with European culinary techniques.
Appetizer: Chilled tomato soup topped with jumbo lump crab meat.
Salad: Baby gem and endive with berbere spiced pepitas, dried cranberries, pecorino Romano, and a creamy anchovy vinaigrette.
Entrée: Ethiopian-coffee glazed short ribs served with purple mashed potatoes, sauteed Thumbelina carrots, and charred scallions.
Chicago (ORD) – Chef Jenner Tomaska
Chef Jenner Tomaska is a three-time James Beard nominee and co-owner of three Chicago establishments: the Michelin-starred Esmé, Petite Edith, and The Alston.
Appetizer: Braised leeks with a citrus and charred scallion vinaigrette.
Salad: Arugula mixed with endive and shaved radish.
Entrée: Halibut served with sauce matelote, smoked onion, and bacon lardons.
Houston (IAH) – Chef Justin Yu
Houston native and James Beard Award winner Chef Justin Yu is the owner of Theodore Rex, a relaxed fine dining restaurant featuring French-inspired cuisine.
Appetizer: Deviled eggs seasoned with white soy, aged cheddar, and chives.
Salad: Chicory salad mixed with spiced bacon, chickpeas, cucumber, onion, and an oregano mustard vinaigrette.
Entrée: Braised Texas short rib with a ragout of mushrooms, red miso, and black-eyed peas.
Denver (DEN) – Chef Penelope Wong
Denver native Chef Penelope Wong introduces the flavors of her Asian American upbringing at her local eatery, Yuan Wonton.
Appetizer: Shokupan bread served with smoked trout, lemongrass, Chinese celery, and trout roe.
Salad: Kale salad with fresh cherries, golden beets, grana Padano cheese, and a honey ginger vinaigrette.
Entrée: Five-spice duck wontons served in duck brodo with Swiss chard and chili oil.
San Francisco (SFO) – Chef David Barzelay
Chef David Barzelay operates three San Francisco establishments: the two-Michelin-starred Lazy Bear, JouJou, and True Laurel.
Appetizer: Hashbrown served with pickled relish and cured trout roe.
Salad: Peach panzanella featuring sourdough croutons, Vela dry jack cheese, wild arugula, and a Napa Cabernet vinaigrette.
Entrée: Black cod broiled in tomato tare, served with gold rice grits, smoky tomato raisins, peppers, and basil.
Washington, D.C. (IAD) – Chefs Isabel Coss & Matt Conroy
Chefs Isabel Coss and Matt Conroy mix French techniques with Mexican culinary influences across their three restaurants: Lutèce, Pascual, and Maison Bar À Vins.
Appetizer: Melon and burrata salad dressed with a chorizo vinaigrette and opal basil.
Salad: Quinoa salad featuring currants, butternut squash, kale, and a banyuls vinaigrette.
Entrée: Braised chicken breast served in a vadouvan coconut curry.
São Paulo (GRU) – Chef Manu Buffara
Chef Manu Buffara operates Manu in Curitiba, focusing on modern Brazilian cuisine and sustainable agricultural practices.
Appetizer: Collard green roll stuffed with shrimp and fresh heart of palm, served alongside a passion fruit citrus sauce.
Salad: White bean and celery salad accompanied by goat cheese, cheese bread croutons, and orange segments.
Entrée: Brazilian shrimp stew paired with coconut rice, cashew nut farofa, and sauteed okra.
London (LHR) – Chef Tomos Parry
Chef Tomos Parry is the founder and co-owner of three open-fire restaurants in London: Michelin-starred Mountain, Michelin-starred Brat, and Brat x Climpson’s Arch (all very well known London eateries).
Appetizer: Grilled beef fillet served with thyme, beetroots, Caerphilly cheese, and mustard.
Salad: Lobster paired with grilled peach, tomato, and fennel herb.
Entrée: Slow-roasted lamb accompanied by smoked potatoes, grilled broccoli, and green sauce.
Tokyo (NRT/HND) – Chef Tashi Gyamtso
Chef Tashi Gyamtso is the head chef at Jimgu and Enowa Yufuin, where he executes farm-driven menus dictated entirely by land yields.
Appetizer: Poached scallop served with a yuzu-ginger glaze and edamame puree.
Salad: Napa cabbage and mizuna crunch salad with shaved carrots, toasted sesame seeds, and rice wine vinegar.
Entrée: Miso-marinated sea bass paired with Koshihikari rice and shiitake mushrooms.
Bottom line
United’s upcoming collaboration with Chef’s Table brings a localized approach to international business class dining starting on 1 August 2028 and I have to admit that it all looks (or sounds) very nice.
Keep these route restrictions and the 24-hour pre-order cutoff in mind if you have a Polaris long-haul flight booked for the final weeks of this summer, and please come back and let us know in the comments how good or bad the meals are if you get to try any of them out.
