Fourteen production kitchens around the globe produce around seven million meals a year for Air New Zealand passengers.
And it takes over 12 months from concept to tray table for a new menu to be perfected – something 575,000 Condé Nast Traveller readers have recognised in the magazines’ 2024 Readers Choice Awards, where Air New Zealand secured the top spot for Best Airline Food ahead of ten contenders.
Best Airline For Food
“We’re absolutely thrilled to be acknowledged in this year’s Condé Nast Readers’ Choice Awards and I’m particularly stoked that one of those awards recognised us as the best airline for food voted by readers,” says Justin Koen, Head of Culinary at Air New Zealand
“Over the past year we’ve worked hard to elevate our onboard food offering, introducing the ‘A Taste of Aotearoa’ menu, which showcases the finest local and indigenous ingredients from New Zealand for our customers in Premium Economy and Business Premier.
“Crafting these dishes for the unique environment at 35,000 feet is no small feat, especially as it is common to experience a reduction in taste and aroma. To compensate, recipes are developed to enhance flavour and texture, with spices becoming more pronounced.
“It takes around 12 months from idea to tray table to bring a new menu to life. We start by developing concepts, using feedback from over 10,000 customer surveys each month to help guide us.
“Once the ideas are refined, we test them with real customers and work closely with our catering partners to ensure everything is perfect, at which point the menu takes to the sky.”
Menu Refreshed
For long haul flights the menu is refreshed three times a year, and on short haul flights options are swapped out monthly.
“We’re incredibly fortunate to have a fantastic catering team that ensures consistency across our global network and this award is a testament to their dedication. It’s also a privilege to champion the unique flavours of Aotearoa, celebrating our regions and sharing the best of New Zealand with the world,” says Koen.
At the start of October a new menu was launched and current highlights from the airline’s “Taste Of Aotearoa” menu, currently flying include: –
· Smoked kahawai mousse with confit potato, chives, and cornichon
· Crayfish bisque with chive crème and sourdough croutons
· Rose veal with green bean, capers, and herb salad, pickled red onion
· Slow-cooked beef short rib with black truffle jus, potato purée, kūmara chips, and fresh rocket
· Seared Hauraki Gulf snapper with nori butter, green pea purée, fresh pea shoots, and crispy batter bits
· Peach and raspberry warm melba pudding with vanilla crème anglaise (right).
· Creamy Ōamaru Brie and Canterbury sheep Gouda with quince paste, toasted pecan, and upcycled grain crackers.
Air New Zealand has won two categories in the 27th Condé Nast Traveller 2024 Readers Choice Awards, with its menu taking top honours for Airline Food, and the airline itself taking the Best In The World category.
Top Ten Best Airlines For Food
1. Air New Zealand: score 91.18
2. British Airways: score 89.11
3. Singapore Airlines: score 88.86
4. Qatar Airways: score 88.03
5. Emirates UAE: score 87.11
6. Malaysia Airlines: score 85.37
7. Virgin Atlantic: score 85.28
8. Etihad Airways: score 85.00
9. Swiss International Air Lines: score 83.28
10. Delta Air Lines US: score 80.71
Top Ten Best Airlines In The World
1. Air New Zealand
2. Singapore Airlines
3. Qatar Airways
4. Emirates, UAE
5. British Airways
6. Etihad Airways, UAE
7. Virgin Atlantic, UK
8. Delta Air Lines US
9. Swiss International Air Lines
10. Malaysia Airlines
