Delta Air Lines enhances its in-flight dining for flights out of Asia Pacific with new regionally sourced offerings such as oven-baked sesame dumplings, kuro-buta pork and bibimbap.

New menus celebrating Chinese and Japanese cultures are available March 1, thanks to partnerships with chefs Jereme Leung and Norio Ueno. An additional partnership with Korean chef Woo-Jong Kwon begins this summer.

“Dining, no matter where you are, should be an experience that is enjoyed and remembered,” said Allison Ausband, senior vice president — in-flight service, Delta Air Lines. “Making sure the experience is as authentic to local culture as it is delicious is at the core of how we develop our in-flight menus, and why we wanted to partner with chefs Jereme Leung, Norio Ueno and Woo-Joong Kwon, who are so well respected in their home countries.”

Chef Leung’s menus are available on Delta flights departing Beijing and Shanghai, while Chef Ueno’s menus are available on flights departing Japan for the United States. The former is known for blending modern Chinese cuisine with classic Chinese provincial tastes, and his menus feature highlights such as Shanghai-style steamed sole fish and sesame dumplings. The latter is praised for his detailed approach to new favorites such as marinated rockfish and saimaki shrimp with special egg yolk vinegar.

“I am looking forward to bringing some of my signature dishes and dining experience from our restaurants around the globe to our distinguished guests on Delta flights,” said Leung. “Working with the Delta team to create their new Chinese cuisine offerings inspired by China’s seasonality and many wonderful food options has been an amazing experience — I hope our guests enjoy these menus as much as I enjoyed designing them.”

“Considering the different environment and challenges in the air versus on the ground, we had to think a little differently to design the in-flight meals,” added Ueno. “Though it was a challenge to recreate our delicate dishes, we managed to achieve a high-quality menu without compromising authentic Japanese food, and are very much looking forward to offering [the] menu onboard to Delta customers.”