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Meatball sandwiches back on Qantas menu to mark Neil Perry partnership

Qantas is serving up a dose of nostalgia to premium customers to mark the airline’s 25-year partnership with chef Neil Perry.

A duck ragu Neil Perry first made for Qantas in 1997 is back on lounge menus to celebrate the chef’s silver anniversary with the airline.
A duck ragu Neil Perry first made for Qantas in 1997 is back on lounge menus to celebrate the chef’s silver anniversary with the airline.

Qantas is taking travellers down a culinary memory lane to mark 25-years of Neil Perry creations, serving up a dose of nostalgia in its first and business lounges.

The “silver anniversary” is thought to be the longest partnership between a chef and an airline, dating back to 1997 when John Howard was Prime Minister and Pat Rafter won the US Open.

In honour of the milestone, throughout November lounge guests can chow down on New York-inspired meatball sandwiches first served in 2009, an Italian duck ragu from 1997 and a Thai style crab and sweet pork salad introduced in the early 2000s.

Australian barbecued prawns, Chinese three cup chicken with bok choy and a vegetarian dish of roast pumpkin with red curry sauce will also make a reappearance with each dish paying homage to a Qantas destination.

Mr Perry said Qantas’s food and beverage offering had constantly evolved to meet the changing tastes of Australians.

“In 1997, gourmet pizza, fusion food and chocolate lava cakes were among the most popular dishes,” he said.

“Fast forward to today and Australians have embraced a wider range of cuisines from around the world, from Japanese to Indian and Middle Eastern dishes and we have loved introducing customers to some of these new flavours.”

Qantas CEO Alan Joyce with chef Neil Perry who’s been cooking up premium cabin meals for the airline for 25-years now. Picture: Stewart Allen/Sunday Times
Qantas CEO Alan Joyce with chef Neil Perry who’s been cooking up premium cabin meals for the airline for 25-years now. Picture: Stewart Allen/Sunday Times

He said over 25-years, it had been “fantastic to see a broader curiosity around international cuisines and plant-based dining as well as a growing focus on sustainability”.

“We have become not only more adventurous with the menu offering but the availability and access to native ingredients has allowed us to incorporate some really terrific and uniquely Australian flavours in our dishes such as finger lime, Kakadu plum and lemon myrtle,” said Mr Perry.

“What has stayed the same is the airline’s commitment to showcasing premium Australian produce and Qantas customers’ willingness to experience new cuisines in-flight and in lounge.”

As Qantas’ international network changed, so had Mr Perry’s in-flight menus, providing fresh inspiration for the former Rockpool chef.

“A particular highlight in my time with Qantas has been the addition of new destinations from our recent Bengaluru service to the upcoming Seoul flights which give new opportunities to innovate and feature new dishes inspired by these regions,” he said.

Qantas was keen to celebrate the longstanding partnership with Mr Perry after the airline’s in-flight meals recently made headlines for the wrong reasons.

When irate passengers took to social media to complain about the lack of vegetarian options for economy travellers, Qantas was forced to revisit its “one size fits all” approach.

Since then, a new domestic economy menu has been rolled out featuring bolognese calzone, chicken and potato mediterranean croquettes, and zucchini and caramelised onion frittata.

The airline was also trialling plant-based meat dishes in its Sydney domestic lounges and expanding the hours of complimentary wine and beer on board.

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Original URL: https://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/aviation/meatball-sandwiches-back-on-qantas-menu-to-mark-neil-perry-partnership/news-story/1b731ac42b167ac61b6240db4bf19852