Qantas has just announced a multi-million dollar investment in its catering, with plans to bring new dishes both onboard flights and to lounges.
Continue reading: Qantas Invests In New Menus & Larger Meals
Share your questions, experiences, and thoughts below.
This is not an upgrade. Qantas are still using Neil Perry. They are still serving side salads with Neil’s vinaigrette.
This menu is the same rubbish that has existed for decades. Lipstick on a pig.
QF meals are generally pretty good. However, I find myself constantly hungry since their serving size apparently caters to aussie wannabe influencers who don't eat anything.
When my son was five years old, he could tell the difference between USDA Choice and USDA Prime beef. An airline can shift a single serving of beef from USDA Choice to USDA Prime for under $5. TACK THE $5 ON THE PRICE OF THAT FIRST CLASS TICKET. Ask a typical first class passenger whether one would want 1) the better beef and pay $5 more in airfare or 2) the cheaper beef and save $5 in airfare. True premium airlines get it.
“True premium airlines get it.”
As do regular premium flyers.
Your point is 100% spot on.
Long overdue if this is a serious upgrade rather than their usual marketing-speak. QF’s food has been huge weakness for some time IMO and the mediocre quality and pitiful portions are a real shortcoming compared to many of their competitors. I know several people who aren’t really tuned in to aviation or soft product differentiators who’ve remarked on it and on my travels in the last five years or so SQ, CX and even BA since their catering changes have been head and shoulders above Qantas food-wise.
I feel like they try to replicate “fancy” restaurant food rather than understanding that many dishes just don’t work well coming from galleys and eaten at altitude and I’m not sure that will change while Perry is still involved.
QF has pretty good meals and generous portions, at least that was my experience on SFO-SYD in 2019.
And if I'm vegan why do I have to pay an extra $5?
There is always going to be haters.
This just make you sound like an entitled snob.
If the airline tries to charge you an extra $5 on top of the expensive first class ticket, guess the amount of backlash they will get.
They put an extra $5 into ALL of the meals, including vegan. But, you're saying that there will be backlash over raising a $5000 ticket by $5? Really? And, if a person were just some guy who busted his butt for decades to save up for an enjoyable retirement, would you still call the person an entitled snob? If the same guy were to take his grandson to a Yankees game and get box seats instead of bleachers, would you still call the person an entitled snob? Lose the chip.
Nice to hear that Qantas is putting greater emphasis on its in flight catering. Larger portions are not the norm for Airline food. The proof will be in the feedback that Qantas, airline bloggers & reporters give. Great news.
When I hear chef director of creative food and beverage I cringe. When will it be understood most people do not want a meal covered in random ingredients. Leave that to the food network hacks that continually need to stay relevant by ruining food. Trying to translate restaurant food that is both prepared and served in minutes to catering on a flight will not happen. Like others here have suggested quality ingredients would make an impact but also remember what is $5 more in a store will likely be $50 more through catering. But hey, on a premium ticket maybe they can find the dough
I'll get to check out the catering next month in PE (or J if I get an upgrade). I'm typically not a demanding customer, and an enjoyable meal even if not world beating is fine by me. Even in Y a couple of years back, after a passable meal service, QF came round every couple of hours on a SYD-US flight with a snack, some of them quite substantial, and in one case I remember the FA kept coming back with more wine (!). That said, I do notice if something is good. A couple of months ago I had a delightful Thai green chicken curry on a Virgin Australia J flight.
Gotta go with the cheapest ingredients and also more food like meatloaf, lasagna, and mac and cheese. Or let Applebee's do the catering.
No upgrade to the brown gunge in the Sydney domestic business lounge it seems, but there might be ice cream for afters. Some traditions are not to be messed with. At least they fixed the dishwasher.
Looks good but it would be better if ticket prices were more affordable instead as ticket prices are really expensive
I cringe whenever Neil Perry’s name is mentioned. Worst business class food- from Johannesburg to Sydney in 2018 inedible.
Are you 'serious'?
One thing about Qantas international menus is that they are generally light on the stomach (vs Mac & Cheese), usually fairly balanced in nutritional composition ... and quite digestible for a traveller. Australian's love of quality food shifted QF away from stodgy, carb-loaded menus years ago.
Neil Perry is one of Australia's 'better' chefs and Qantas is not alone is employing celebrity chefs to oversee catering. To one of the comments below, have a look in your next inflight mag and see how many are employed by DL, UA and AA etc. My one gripe is that Neil has - for my taste - been at Qantas for way too long. 20 years plus, in fact.
'Cheapest ingredients' might work well on LCC's and some legacy carriers. It does not work on 'Premium' carriers. Hence, why QF is re-introducing a long discarded caviar service in First.
An interesting spread of opinions from good quality & good portion size all the way thru to bad quality and pitiful portions(!) My own experience from four decades flying QF is that quality has come down (but not drastically), and portion sizes have downsized substantially from their 1990s peak. But, QF portion sizes have started increasing again. I will say this though, compared to miserly Air New Zealand's portions child-sized servings (even in business class), QF catering still appears generous.
My flight dining in Business to Syd Australia was poor back in November on Qantas LAX to SYD the food was blah
Syd to Hono even worse and the aircraft past its usable life in my perception.A330?
Years ago it was sensational with Neil Perry cuisine
I decided to fly other carriers next month
American take note. Rubbish on their flights, 2 x 2.5hr b2b flight and in so called first we were served a snack box. Why can't American carriers get it?
Good for them - i suspect if properly asked food and beverage would be in the top 3 reasons for other carriers as well.
Wake up United, American, and Delta
I applaud the current food offerings served by Qantas in international F and domestic business as I much prefer the concept of small plate dining when travelling by air. The food is generally fresh, nutritious and the crew will often use their initiative when serving a dish as evidenced by the FA who presented me with some warmed honey and yoghurt after I said that I was not a fan of breakfast ..... and it was a delicious treat (not ground breaking in a gourmet sense or even inventive but just what was needed).
It makes me so happy to read of the return of the caviar service which is an extremely welcome addition although I hope that the appropriate accompaniments are thoughtful and considered ..... a warm blini would be an excellent start.
You are missing the point completely. But that's the thing with most entitled snobs, they don't realize it and use the same excuses.
Then there's they where does this end. The next snob wants to pay extra for fresh Oysters, more for Foie Gras, then more for Caviar, even more for some vintage Margaux, then a live 3 star Michelin chef on board?
There is always a richer snob who sees $5k as a spare change just like how you see $5.
Take his grandson to a Yankees game and get box seats, yes totally agree to splurge your hard earned money the way you want. Nothing snobbish at all.
What you are asking is not about spending $10k on Yankees box seats. It's saying you would rather spend $5 more so they serve Wagyu hotdogs instead of Nathan's.
Just flew Qantas J Sydney to Tokyo and was stunned with how poor the food offering was.
The menu looked OK (far from amazing) but then we have been told that the menu was for decoration only - the actual food on offer was a lot more limited (you could have an appetizer or a main course, but not both). Some of the dishes weren't available at all.
Breakfast on the way back was even poorer with very cold toast and plastic eggs. Also - no Vegemite on offer, which is absolutely unaustralian 😉
Ed - I thought I was the only one noticing how filthy the dishes were!
As of last week - still disgusting.
Absolutely agree.
Neil Perry really managed to tarnish his own brand with his endorsement of the Qantas food offering.
We usually refer to the Sydney International Lounge as "Breakfast at Neil's". Neil Eggs is the unique combo of scrambled eggs that are simultaneously dry and covered in water ; Neil Hash are those slippery, soggy hash browns that accompany said eggs.
Deceptive headline. Should read "Qantas *restores* ...
Think like a blogger journalist, not a PR shill!
Filthy dishes may be considered and upgrade from paper plates, or it may not.
Brown gunge still in effect, however I am tucking into what I assume is an upgraded cake, some form of apple and blueberry layer cake. It’s quite nice.
Interesting that after razoring the loyalty out of airline staff and customers during the pandemic as well as record breaking product cuts, Qantas now uses the resulting record profits to drip feed basic lip service. Where is the missing staff resource and remuneration?