New Business Class Menu Includes Kava Ice Cream

Fiji Airways has launched its inaugural in-flight Busi­ness Class menu from mul­ti-award-winning chef Richard Cross.

This takes the airline’s catering to new heights with innovative cook­ing techniques rarely seen in com­mercial aviation.

Available onboard all Fiji Air­ways international flights, the de­but Business Class menu from re­nowned Kiwi-Fijian Chef Richard Cross offers fine-dining techniques with new signature dishes such as kava and cinnamon ice cream.

What you can expect

A new menu cycle will launch eve­ry quarter with molecular gastron­omy and house-smoked produce set to feature on upcoming menus.

Business Class passengers can now enjoy gourmet meals such as grilled tiger prawn cutlets with sriracha mayo and crispy noodles on a caramelised pineapple bed, grilled aged tenderloin in a creamy peppercorn sauce and mashed po­tato, herb-crusted chicken breast stuffed with feta and creamy spin­ach, mash potato, broccoli and grilled carrot ribbonettes.

Showcasing indigenous vegeta­bles in a new light, modern cooking and preservation techniques have been used to transform the likes of cassava, sweet potato (yellow kumala), dalo and plantain banana into edible garnishes you’d expect to enjoy in a fine-dining restaurant.

Chef Cross will also be introduc­ing house-smoked local produce as a regular feature on the airline’s Business Class menu, including smoked walu fish and smoked beef tenderloin.

Fiji Airways also utilises eco-friendly Food For Thought packag­ing, particularly in Economy Class, which will save up to half a million litres of water a year and will re­move up to two tonnes of plastics annually from onboard.

Overcoming challenges

Chef Cross said: “Airline catering has its challenges but I’m looking to change that.

“My vision is to use cooking and presentation tech­niques like dehy­drated vegetable garnishes, molecu­lar gastronomy, and house-smoked produce that you would expect to see in fine dining restaurants and serve them 35,000 feet in the air.”

Chef Cross has big ambitions for the airline.

“I like to stay ahead of the curve and experiment with new ideas, so I am really excited to be able to im­plement a range of innovative tech­niques across our Business Class service,” Chef Cross said.

Inspiration

Chef Cross’ inspiration derives from his 28 years of experience as Executive Chef at various interna­tional luxury resorts and his wealth of travel across America, Europe, the Maldives and Australia.

After living in Fiji for over nine years, Chef Cross likes to cham­pion local Fijian ingredients in creative ways and also draws on his Kiwi heritage with the inclusion of ingredients such as lamb and sea­food, as well as inspiration from the classic Kiwi BBQ.

Fiji Airways managing director and chief executive officer, Andre Viljoen said: “Chef Cross and his team have created an in-flight din­ing experience for our Business Class guests that is equal parts phe­nomenal and uniquely Fijian.

“Our new menu is one of the doz­ens of ways we plan to wow our guests when we welcome them home to Fiji –– our returning fly­ers will love the fresh additions and new guests will certainly get the taste of Fiji they’re looking for.”

Chef Cross was appointed Execu­tive Chef of Fiji Airways in De­cember 2021 to oversee all catering functions of the airline.

His previous roles include Execu­tive Chef at luxury resorts such as JA Resorts & Hotels in the Mal­dives, Sheraton Hong Kong, Vomo Island Resort, Radisson Blu Resort and Mana Island Resort in Fiji, Millbrook Resort Queenstown New Zealand, among others.

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