Food is an important part of the passenger experience, especially in Business Class. Cathay Pacific is leaning into this, with its new ‘Chinese Classics’ dining offerings.
The new offering is inspired by the Eight Great Cuisines of China and will complement the airline’s “Hong Kong Flavours” and “International Favourites”.
According to the airline, the Eight Great Cuisines of China embody the diversity and storied traditions of Chinese food. The “Chinese Classics” menu encompasses dishes from Sichuan, Fujian, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Shandong, Guangdong, Anhui and Hunan, redefining inflight dining with innovative concepts and exceptional quality. These have been worked through for their suitability in the air (as we all know by now, food in the air tastes different to how it does on the ground).
From April 2025, Cathay Pacific has progressively introduced its “Chinese Classics” offerings in its Business class cabin, debuting on selected outbound flights from Hong Kong to the Chinese Mainland. The menu features a new dish each month, bringing fresh and authentic Chinese flavours to customers from around the world. The airline plans to introduce dishes from Sichuan, Fujian, Jiangsu and Zhejiang this year, with a complete rollout of the eight regional cuisines expected in 2026.
The airline has shown detailed examples of cuisine from Fujian and Jiangsu as part of its rollout.
Jiagsu Cuisine
Fujin Cuisine
Meanwhile, the “Hong Kong Flavours” menu has been introduced across all Cathay Pacific cabins and in selected lounges, with special Chinese wines and teas also available inflight to create a multi-layered experience.
In Quotes
“Our ‘Chinese Classics’ menu complements our already popular ‘Hong Kong Flavours’ and ‘International Favourites’ options, showcasing rich Chinese cultural heritage to all our customers. These dining offerings are meticulously crafted, vibrant in both flavour and presentation. We hope that these iconic dishes can offer our customers a taste of home and warm their hearts whenever, wherever they fly with us.”
Flavouring the cabin… meeting regional flavours
It’s always interesting watching airlines coming up with new food and menu options, as they have to meet a lot of requirements, be it the customers’ tastes for a varied menu, what menus works in the sky, what adjustents need to be made and of course, the cost of putting it all together to be served in the sky.
With the Chinese Classics range, the airline is working to cater to both local and regional tastes, key demographics that Cathay serves with its mainline airline, which should provide a welcoming taste to the palate when travelling.
And making that journey maybe a little more memorable.
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