Air New Zealand has released its latest menu for in-flight meals, showcasing a large range of products from New Zealand suppliers, and more locally sourced ingredients than ever before.
The new menu, known as “A Taste of Aotearoa”, was inspired by manaakitanga, the Māori tradition of hospitality, and is set to be a true celebration of New Zealand’s culinary heritage. The new menu has already been introduced on Business Premier cabins, and will be available on all long-haul international flights to locations such as New York and Chicago.
Air New Zealand's chief customer and sales officer, Leanne Geraghty, said that it is a privilege to showcase the new in-flight food and beverage menu to the world.
“Whether it’s on a plate or in a glass, we want to serve up an authentic taste of New Zealand onboard and in our lounges,” said Geraghty.
Geraghty added that the menu will be able to take passengers on Air New Zealand’s flights on a culinary adventure of their own.
“Our country’s unique flora and produce are a treasure trove of flavours and ingredients that have inspired us to create a dining experience that celebrates the special flavours of Aotearoa.”
Some of the new menu items include a superfood salad with horopito-dusted New Zealand salmon, creamy kawakawa mushrooms on rye toast, sauteed spinach and grilled tomatoes, ahaia smoked moki on kawakawa blini, and grass-fed New Zealand lamb rump with horopito rub.
The new menu aims to create a memorable dining experience for customers and pay homage to the traditional uses of the selected ingredients. Geraghty said that the new menu has something for everyone, and that there is truly something magical about native flavours from New Zealand.
“Working hand in hand with renowned local suppliers, the menu is bursting with New Zealand-grown produce. Other menu items showcasing New Zealand include Ahia™ smoked moki sourced from the people of Ngāti Porou, Ōra King salmon from Marlborough, New Zealand hāpuka, smoked mussels from the Coromandel, cheeses from Oamaru and Hawke's Bay extra virgin olive oil.”
