Cathay Pacific Introduces Michelin Tosca Meals

Cathay Pacific has partnered with Michelin-starred restaurant Tosca to provide an exciting new inflight menu for First and Business Class passengers. The restaurant, which is located inside The Ritz-Carlton in Hong Kong, is well-known for its Romanesque ambience, majestic chandeliers and high-quality rustic Italian fare. 

From 1 February to 30 April 2017, the promotional menu will be served onboard selected Cathay Pacific flights departing from Hong Kong to a variety of long-haul destinations, including Australia, Canada, Europe, New Zealand, South Africa and the United States.

Chef Pino Lavarra has designed a delicious inventive menu for Cathay Pacific's First and Business Class customers while staying true to the rustic Italian flavours at heart. A great deal of thought has gone into adjusting the cooking process and recipes to replicate Tosca’s signature dishes as closely as possible, retaining the essence of Italian flavour, refined presentation and consistency of quality. 

Dishes on the menu include an octopus terrine, lemon and parsley salad, which has an interesting contrast of temperature and texture between the terrine and the seared octopus layered on top. The flavours have also been accentuated by a hint of tanginess from the lemon mayo.

Passengers can also enjoy a dish of beef short ribs, tomato Pizzaiola sauce and eggplant, which has been prepared using a traditional poaching technique under low heat for five hours. Succulent and tender, the short ribs are paired with palate-pleasing herbed tomato sauce and mashed potato.

Another highlight is the lobster, almonds, romaine and pink pepper dressing, which features imported tomatoes from Europe. The dressing, created specially by Chef Pino, adds considerable flavour to the salad, while the tomatoes provide a vibrant colour contrast and natural sweetness.

Cathay Pacific Head of Catering Aaron Claxton said:  “The food we serve on our flights is an integral part of our premium travel experience and our partnership with The Ritz-Carlton, Hong Kong optimises our menu options in providing quality cuisine that matches the high expectations of our passengers.”

Chef Pino added: “In the sky, there are no limits to your imagination. When working with Cathay Pacific, I was particularly intrigued by the concept of creating intense flavour pairings that can offset the effect that flying at high altitude can have on the sensitivity of our taste buds."

Last year introduced a new lounge at Heathrow and opened a new business class lounge in Hong Kong, as well as boosting UK connectivity.