News Hour:
Cathay Pacific announced its collaboration with The Langham, Hong Kong hotel in launching a new inflight menu for its Hong Kong-Madrid service – the latest addition to the airline’s expansive network. A range of authentic Spanish dishes specially designed by the hotel’s Executive Chef Pedro Samper will be available for Business Class passengers flying from Hong Kong to Madrid starting from 2 June until 31 August 2016.
Cathay Pacific strives to create the best possible inflight dining experience for passengers by introducing new dishes through partnerships with renowned hotels and restaurants in the world. As part of the celebration for the new Madrid route, Cathay Pacific collaborates with The Langham, Hong Kong – home to five restaurants that offer a selection of award-winning international cuisines and exquisite dining service – to craft the new Spanish menu that is set to satisfy the discerning palates of the airline’s passengers.
Cathay Pacific Head of Catering Aaron Claxton said, “From tasty tapas to classic soups, salads to main course, Spanish cuisine is well-known for having a beautiful blend of cultures, history and climates from different European regions. We are delighted to collaborate with The Langham, Hong Kong to offer our passengers an array of exciting Spanish delicacies. In fact, this is the first time we are serving local Spanish dishes onboard, which I believe will provide our passengers a great opportunity to savour the real tastes of Spain on their voyage to the exciting city of Madrid.”
The new menu for Cathay Pacific’s Madrid route is inspired by traditional Spanish recipes. One of the signature dishes, “Traditional braised Basque-style cod fish with clams in a salsa verde sauce”, originates from Pedro’s hometown village of San Sebastián, a coastal city and one of the most famous tourist destinations in Spain. This dish is regarded as comfort food for the locals, best served during festivals and celebratory occasions.
In order to present an authentic Spanish taste onboard, Cathay Pacific’s Catering team has carefully selected high quality ingredients that are particularly suited for inflight dining. The dish, “Slow cooked Iberico pork cheek in Tempranillo wine with black truffle potatoes”, incorporates one of the best sources of protein and grape varieties from Spain. Suitable to be served in high altitude inside an aircraft cabin, the technique of slow cooking helps to retain the ideal texture and taste of the meat for the passenger’s enjoyment in the air.
“As a Spanish native, I’m thrilled to partner with Cathay Pacific and promote not only the new route to Madrid, but the country’s cuisine as well. There are many regional cooking styles throughout Spain, all packed with flavour and character, and it’s exciting to help cultivate an authentic dining experience for our guests in the air,” said Pedro Samper.
