Dining on Emirates – the world’s largest flying restaurant

APR – Karachi Dubai, October 21, 2017 – Emirates serves more than 100 million meals a year with the same attention to detail in First, Business and Economy Class. Catering for more than 55 million dine-in guests a year travelling to and from 144 cities across 6 continents, no one understands global culinary trends better than Emirates as it serves destination-inspired cuisine onboard the world’s largest flying restaurant.

With a catering investment of US$1 billion per year, Emirates runs a round-the-clock kitchen with 1,200 chefs based in Dubai whipping up 12,450 recipes. The finely-tuned operation caters 590 flights a day with authentic local cuisines giving customers a taste of the destination they are going to. The airline also works closely with 25 catering partners around the world to provide the same quality of food for its Dubai-bound flights.

Local flavour
Emirates’ focus on local flavour means it has food available from every region it flies to. Flights to Pakistan for example, offer authentic Pakistani cuisine served with specialties like raita, chutney, naan, paratha and traditional pickles to ensure an unrivalled food experience on board.

To keep up with regional and seasonal food trends, Emirates changes its onboard menus monthly and continually reviews its recipes.

The varied menus on each route are also reflected in the bread baskets served on board. Parathas, pooris, and naan bread are served on all six Emirates routes to Pakistan while flavoured breads or breads produced with a sourdough base are popular on European routes. On its Middle Eastern routes, customers get to enjoy Arabic bread – Markook – a very thin unleavened bread common in the region, and Manakesh which is either topped with Zaatar or Cheese.

In premium classes, meals are served on Royal Doulton tableware with Robert Welch cutlery specially designed for Emirates.

Global partners, best of local and artisanal produce
Emirates focuses on simple, well cooked dishes that emphasise fresh ingredients of the highest quality. The airline brings the finest products on board through long standing partnerships worldwide, and supporting local suppliers and artisans. This includes sourcing over 15,000 kilograms of Persian feta from the Yarra Valley in Australia each year. The olive oil served on board is exclusively from carbon neutral producer Monte Vibiano in Italy, a partnership that is now more than 15 years old.

Coffee and tea are the two most widely consumed beverages on board for Pakistanis. Emirates has been serving Dilmah tea across all its cabins for the last 25 years. Over 9.6 million tea bags are used each year with more than 10 tea varieties on offer, including an exclusive blend created for the airline served in First Class called the Emirates Signature Tea. Illy and Nespresso coffee can be found in premium cabins, where espressos and cappuccinos are the most popular requests. For Pakistan flights in premium cabins, Emirates serves other traditional beverages like Nimbu Pani, Mango Juice and Lassi.

Emirates also offers child-friendly meals for its youngest customers and dedicated menus for medical or religious meal requirements which are designed with a team of nutritionists and chefs.
The airline also develops seasonal menus where possible, such as specially created boxes for those fasting during the holy month of Ramadan.