United have announced the next rotation of its Chef’s Table programme with 30 new dishes from 11 chefs across 10 cities for Polaris international business class passengers. The menus will be available from 1 November to 31 December, and the programme will continue to rotate seasonally into 2027.

Each chef’s meal is served on either the lunch or dinner flight out of the city that inspired the recipes. Polaris customers pre-order via united.com or the United app between five days and 24 hours before departure. Each chef provides an amuse-bouche, a salad and an entrée.

United says over 60k customers have had the first menu rotation (launched 1st August) and that satisfaction scores for that meal were nearly 20 points higher than for other pre-ordered meals. The release doesn’t mention what scale the scores are on.

Aaron McMillan, United’s Managing Director of Hospitality Programs, said: “With this next menu rotation, we’re building on that foundation, introducing new flavours and chef-driven dishes that bring a greater sense of culinary discovery to the inflight experience.”

On the West Coast, Nancy Silverton at Osteria Mozza is serving a spiral meat lasagna with passato and taleggio sauce (from LA), and David Barzelay at Lazy Bear is serving a grilled rack of lamb with carrot barbecue sauce, cured carrots and chicories (from SF).

From Denver: Penelope Wong at Yuan Wonton has char siu pork with celeriac Yukon puree, anise-glazed rainbow carrots, garlic-ginger confit and pickled onion. From Houston: Justin Yu at Theodore Rex serves poached chicken breast with garlic-lemongrass anchovy curry, coconut Carolina Gold rice, aromatic herbs, and marinated cucumber.

In the Midwest, Jenner Tomaska of Esmé serves a roasted chicken breast stuffed with a chicken and mushroom mousseline, with morels, fava beans and burnt onion jus from Chicago.

On the East Coast, Fariyal Abdullahi of Hav & Mar has chicken breast glazed in chermoula, served with cumin-spiced rainbow carrots and preserved lemon pearl couscous from Newark. Isabel Coss and Matt Conroy of Lutèce and Pascual have a duck leg enchilada with queso Oaxaca, crema, roasted sweet potatoes and salsa roja from Washington, D.C.

Internationally, Tomos Parry of Mountain and Brat serves grilled halibut with parsley-garlic potatoes, seaweed sauce, lemon spinach, and crispy garlic and lemon oil from London. Manu Buffara of Manu offers roasted beef with natural jus, bean pirao, sautéed collard greens and fresh herb cumari pepper relish from São Paulo. From Tokyo, Tashi Gyamtso of Jimgu serves ginger-soy-glazed chicken with Japanese curry ratatouille and sesame-crusted potatoes.

Silverton’s menu has the Mozza caprese with slow-roasted cherry tomatoes and burrata. Barzelay’s has the Dungeness crab Louis with bay shrimp, butter lettuce and Ritz crackers. Parry’s has the roasted pumpkin with rosemary stracciatella, pickled apples and hazelnuts.

Customers can also watch exclusive Chef’s Table content on the seatback screens and select episodes of the Chef’s Table: Talks podcast (hosted by series creator David Gelb).

Photos: United Airlines

From 27 October, Virgin Australia will offer hot chips with aioli on its buy-on-board Economy menu. A new Business Class menu will launch on 11 November.

From 27 October, passengers can buy hot chips and the returning Cheeseburger Toastie on eligible flights longer than 1.5 hours, subject to availability.

Virgin Australia says it has sold over 50,000 toasties since it launched in May 2026.

The chips are made from skin-on potatoes, which the airline says helps reduce food waste. They are packed to let air flow through, heated in the onboard ovens, and served with aioli, salt, and pepper.

Andrew Cleary, Chief Customer Officer at Virgin Australia, said: “Hot chips are a great example, with no Australian airline believed to have served them onboard before. It’s taken months of testing to get them hot and crispy in the air.”

The Economy menu now includes matcha lattes, the airline’s own take on a Chicken Caesar wrap, BOSS Iced Latte Coffee, chai lattes, and a Jose Cuervo Sparkling Margarita.

The refreshed Business Class menu, from 11 November, adds new breakfast, lunch and dinner dishes, included in the Business Class fare. Virgin Australia says guest feedback and taste testing helped create these options.

Breakfast options include an egg-and-cheese quesadilla with sour cream and salsa, cheesy scrambled eggs with bacon and Boston beans, a chorizo, pumpkin, and fetta frittata with tomato relish, Bircher muesli with strawberry and rhubarb compote, and mango and coconut chia pudding.

For lunch and dinner, choices include seared beef with roasted vegetables, potato, and rosemary jus; stir-fried beef in black bean sauce with rice and Asian greens; crumbed chicken with broccoli, spiced potato, and a lemon, caper, and dill sauce; and beef bolognese with parmesan.

There is also an Asian beef noodle salad and a pasta pesto salad with beetroot and fetta. Dessert options are walnut brownie cake and berry choc cheesecake.

Velocity Frequent Flyer members can still use Points to pay for eligible onboard food and drinks with a linked Visa card. These menus are available on eligible domestic and short-haul international flights.

Photos: Virgin Australia

Virgin Australia has unveiled redesigned Business Class and buy on board Economy class menus that feature bold, seasonal flavours and high-quality, Australian grown produce.

Economy guests have access to premium beverages and food items via buy-on-board, with complimentary tea, coffee, and water available on all services.

Business class breakfast options include homestyle eggs with bacon, tomato, Cajun potato and hollandaise sauce. French toast with banana, salted caramel, mascarpone and strawberries.

Belgian waffle with berry compote and mascarpone cheese. Mango bircher muesli with cranberry & apple granola and strawberries.

Acai & chia coconut pudding with pineapple, pumpkin seeds, cranberries and apple granola.

Scrambled eggs with bacon, beans and roasted potatoes. Tapioca mango pudding. Acai oat balls.

For lunch, passengers can expect a Mediterranean risoni salad with grilled chicken, feta, pickled red onion, and green dressing.

Peri peri marinated chicken salad with salsa, couscous, mint yoghurt, pickled red onion and pita bread.

Marinated lemongrass chicken with herbed rice and bok choy.

Vegetable Japchae salad with marinated cucumber & miso roasted sesame dressing. Romesco fusilli pasta with roasted vegetables.

In economy class, the new buy on board menu includes Arnott’s Tim Tams, Byron Bay White Chocolate and Macadamia Cookies, and a grazing box featuring hummus, crackers and fruit & nut mix.

Premium beverages include Bundaberg sparkling drinks, Batched Strawberry Gin Sour cocktails, Chivas Regal 12-Year-Old Whisky and Havana Club Añejo 7-Year-Old Rum.

Savoury options include the Southern Style Chicken Tender Wrap, Ham and Cheese Toastie, Mainland Cheese and Crackers, Savoury Beef Snack Pie, and Sausage Roll. Archie Rose Gin and Peach Soda is available.

Ali Dunn, Virgin Australia General Manager Product & Customer Strategy, said: “Summer is our busiest travel period, so it’s the right time to introduce our wonderful new menus that deliver more choice and flavours that Australians love. Whether it’s enjoying a grazing box, sipping a premium cocktail, or having a classic eggs Benedict in Business Class, the new menus are elevated and unmistakably Virgin Australia.”

Dunn added: “We are committed to making travel more wonderful — from Pets in Cabin flights and baggage tracking, to being the first airline in Australia to offer Points redemptions inflight, our new menus are a testament to that relentless focus.”

Over the past 12 months, Virgin Australia sold 5.4 million food and beverage items onboard to Economy guests, with cheese and crackers emerging as the most purchased food item.