Qantas unveils new menus for in-flight passengers and First Class lounge

The national carrier will launch an entirely new menu when international travel kicks off again – and passengers will notice one big difference.

Qantas will launch a new menu when it takes flight next week following the end of the international travel ban.

And passengers will notice one key difference when they head overseas with Qantas – the permanent addition of a plant-based option.

Speaking at Sydney International Airport yesterday, Qantas’ chief customer officer Stephanie Tully said the addition of a vegetarian option, across all cabins, was in response to customer demand.

“One of the things we’ve been spending a lot of time talking to customers about over the last few years, and we really listen to what they want to see, so we are introducing plant-based options for the first time for all customers in all cabins which is responding to that real customer need,” Ms Tully said.

Chef Neil Perry, who is in charge of Qantas’ food and menus, developed the new plant-based options.

Some examples of the plant-based options include celeriac gratin with roasted fennel, peas, mushroom and onion sauce and a ratatouille pasta bake with herb crumb, cauliflower and green beans.

Potato and celeriac gratin with roast fennel, peas, mushrooms and onion sauce. Picture: Qantas

Rigatoni with oyster mushrooms, roasted eschalots, rocket and almond pesto. Picture: Qantas

Tandoori roast carrots with spicy tomato and green bean kasundi and moong dal with roti paratha. Picture: Qantas

Qantas will still keep meat options on its menu and Ms Tully said due to the international reopening date being pushed forward by a few weeks, the menus would be “gradually introduced” over the next couple of weeks.

Iconic Australian ice-creams will also be added to the in-flight menu including Paddle Pops and Splices.

Another change passengers will notice is the end of the economy snack bar – a section of the plane where passengers could grab free food throughout their flight.

Due to Covid, Qantas has had to ditch the snack bar but is instead offering a new “movie service”.

“It’s one great example of our team pivoting with the times … so we’ll be roaming the economy cabin constantly with snacks and drinks, so it’s almost like a roaming movie service,” Ms Tully said.

Beef fillet with Paris mash, green beans and salsa verde. Picture: Qantas

Salad sandwich of slow cooked chipotle lamb with sweet onions, mint salsa and salted chilli. Picture: Qantas

Kung pow king brown mushrooms with choy sum and jasmine rice. Picture: Qantas

The airline has also launched a new cocktail, the Qantas Sky Spritz – developed by SOFI and featuring Australian botanicals including Davidson Plum and Finger Lime.

Inside Qantas’ First Lounge, which will open on Monday to first and business class passengers, Qantas club members and gold frequent flyers, until the airline’s Business Lounge opens, passengers will also be treated to a new menu.

“Neil Perry’s team has been flat out creating a new menu,” Ms Tully said.

“They’ve kept some old favourites like the salt and pepper squid and the steak sandwich.

“The steak sandwich has obviously been a staple on our menu and in the lounges for over 20 years, we’ve served nearly a million of them so we’re excited to have it back.”

Perry and his team have also ordered 125 punnets of strawberries and 25kg of passionfruit to create his famous pavlova.

New menu items in the First Lounge include buttermilk pancakes with fresh blueberries, toasted pecan and baked rhubarb, Neil Perry’s lasagne with shaved fennel, lemon and parsley salad and finally, paprika and garlic chicken with chickpeas, roasted capsicum, sherry vinegar and rice pilaf.