STARLUX’s Exclusive Wagyu Sukiyaki Experience Takes Flight

February 18, 2025 – STARLUX Airlines is redefining inflight dining with an exclusive wagyu sukiyaki kaiseki set developed in partnership with renowned Japanese restaurant Ningyocho Imahan.

The restaurant was established in 1895, is located in Tokyo, and serves top-quality Kuroge Wagyu beef in its Sukiyaki, Shabu-shabu, Steak and Kaiseki cuisine.

This dining experience debuted in July 2024 on first and business class flights between Tokyo and Taipei and quickly became a passenger favourite—garnering over 90% pre-selection rates by year-end.

Inflight Kaiseki

Crafted over six months and rigorously tested at Gategourmet Japan’s Narita facility, the menu captures the precision and artistry of Imahan’s signature dishes. Imahan’s executive chefs, Takashi Sakamoto and Katsutoshi Aoki, played a hands-on role in developing and ensuring that every element stays true to its legendary flavours.

One standout dish, Nanban Zuke Wakasagi, features delicately marinated Japanese smelt and requires 16 hours of preparation.

Seasonal items like maple leaf-shaped carrots in autumn and plum blossom garnishes in winter enhance the meals.

Every ingredient is hand-selected to meet STARLUX’s strict quality and safety standards, reinforcing the airline’s commitment to offering an elite in-flight dining experience.

Innovation in the Skies

Since its launch in 2021, STARLUX has built a reputation for high-end dining partnerships, starting with Hutong Yakiniku in economy class.

Now, the airline is setting a new business and first class benchmark, staying ahead of competitors by continuously innovating. Chairman Zhang Guowei has made it clear that offering an exceptional dining experience is a core part of the STARLUX brand.

One of the biggest challenges in serving sukiyaki on airplanes was finding a substitute for the traditional raw egg. To meet aviation food safety regulations, gategourmet Japan collaborated closely with the chefs at Imahan to develop an alternative.

By December 2024, gategourmet Japan had already produced 5,000 Imahan meals, with continuous refinements to balance flavours and textures for high-altitude dining.

The attention to detail included fine-tuning the agar-agar ratio in yam jelly and optimising the richness of the sukiyaki broth post-reheating.

According to gategourmet Japan’s Senior Account Manager, Chang Suhao, STARLUX’s meals require twice the preparation time and significantly higher costs than comparable airline offerings.

However, the airline remains steadfast in offering an unparalleled dining experience.

While many airline meals are forgettable, STARLUX’s partnership with Ningyocho Imahan sets a new standard that travellers will enjoy.

All images courtesy of gategourmet and STARLUX