Consistently named among the world’s best airlines, Cathay Pacific never ceases to provide new and improved in-flight amenities. Their latest challenge is to go beyond the norms of airline vegetarian meals with a reimagined menu of plant-forward creations.
Cathay Pacific’s catering kitchen has drawn inspiration from the breadth and variety of plant-based dishes served at VEDA by Ovolo — an innovative Hong Kong restaurant — so the Asian airline collaborated with VEDA and Ovolo Hotels executive chef Raul Tronco to develop a reimagined selection of plant-forward dishes to enhance wellness dining options for Cathay passengers.
Cathay Pacific’s premium economy and economy class customers traveling on selected long-haul flights departing from Hong Kong from now until June 2024 will be the first to enjoy a rotating selection of new vegetarian dishes.
Premium economy class customers will choose from dishes such as Bombay carrot salad with cashews, raisins and cherry tomatoes, Keralan-style coconut curry with mushrooms, red bell peppers and cumin rice and roasted vegetable tagine with halloumi cheese and pearl couscous. Coach flyers can opt for dishes such as Mediterranean potato salad, purple quinoa tabbouleh, Northern Thai-style coconut curry noodles with mixed vegetables, and vegetable masala with green pulao rice.
The partnership comes as Cathay Pacific moves toward becoming a more sustainable airline, partially by better eco-conscious use of catering resources. According to the airline, in 2022, it removed 56% of its single-use plastic consumption from its 2018 baseline. The food collaboration also aligns with VEDA’s and Ovolo Hotels’ ongoing “Do Good, Feel Good” Plant’d pledge to ethical eating, conscious cuisine and cutting-edge vegetarian, with the group becoming the first hotel brand globally to commit to a vegetarian-led offering.
“Designing a meal to be enjoyed at 30,000 feet comes with its challenges,” said Ovolo Hotels’ executive chef Raul Tronco. “I had to consider everything from how taste buds are affected at altitude, to cooking techniques. After countless hours of recipe testing, I am really pleased with the result and am confident that the curated VEDA inflight dishes offer travelers variety, vibrancy and incredible flavor.”
