Qatar Airways is taking inflight dining to new heights, unveiling an exclusive new menu created by acclaimed Australian chef Ross Lusted. Launching on 12 June 2025, the premium dining experience will be available to First and Business Class passengers travelling from Australia to Doha on Qatar Airways and Virgin Australia flights.
The culinary collaboration celebrates Australia’s finest produce, with Chef Lusted’s signature clean and bold flavours at its heart. The result is a sophisticated inflight menu that showcases seasonal and sustainably sourced ingredients – a hallmark of Chef Lusted’s culinary philosophy.
Traveltalk was lucky enough to be among the few to sample this exceptional offering first-hand at Woodcut in Sydney. True to his celebrated approach, Chef Lusted’s dishes capture the essence of modern Australian cuisine, with a global twist that elevates the inflight experience.
Qatar Airways’ Senior Vice President for Product Development and Design, Xia Cai, said: “We know that dining is a key element of the premium travel experience. That’s why we’re so thrilled to partner with Chef Ross Lusted, whose creativity and passion have translated perfectly to the skies.”
Chef Lusted himself added: “It’s an exciting challenge to bring fine dining to the inflight environment. My goal was to create a menu that celebrates the best of Australian produce while offering a familiar yet luxurious experience.”
Antony McNeil, Vice President – Culinary Design and Standards, Qatar Airways: Chef Ross Lusted and Justin Kestel, Regional Manager for Australia & New Zealand for Qatar Airways (L to R)
Justin Kestel, Regional Manager for Australia & New Zealand for Qatar Airways added “We really want high end quality restaurant service and food delivery, and this is what this partnership with Ross will deliver and don’t forget there’s another amazing partnership kicking off next week, which this is all part of, and that’s our partnership with Virgin Australia, and we’re incredibly excited the first Virgin flight we’ll be checking in at this time next week.”
Launching on 12 June and refreshed every three months, the menu features locally-sourced meats and produce from Australian suppliers. For First Class passengers, the journey begins with Fraser Island Spanner Crab Cakes, followed by Black Angus Beef Tenderloin and a decadent Textures of Chocolate dessert. Business Class diners will enjoy delights like Seared Cured Fish, Lamb Osso Buco Style and Basque Cheesecake.
Qatar Airways has long been recognised for its world-class inflight offerings, having secured Skytrax’s ‘World’s Best Business Class’ title 11 times and the ‘World’s Best Airline’ title a record eight times. This partnership with Chef Lusted is a testament to the airline’s commitment to excellence and culinary innovation, adding a uniquely Australian twist to the premium flying experience.
