The best in-flight food experience I’ve ever had was on Turkish Airlines. I was flying in business class from Chicago to Egypt to cover the launch of the Viking Aton cruise ship — and I was blessed with lie-flat seats and a posh little amenity kit. I knew the ride would be nice, but I didn’t expect an entire cart of desserts after my kebab dinner. I have quite the sweet tooth, so I asked for nearly everything on the cart, and my Turkish flight attendants happily obliged. Sherbet! Halva! Ice Cream! I was in heaven.

I haven’t been able to replicate that in-flight meal experience yet, but thanks to a bounty of airline–chef partnerships, I might be able to get close. These are the newest ones to keep on your radar.

PHOTO: © KOREAN AIR

KOREAN AIR
For three years running, Korean Air’s first-class dining options have earned Best Airline Onboard Menu in Global Traveler’s annual Leisure Lifestyle Awards. That’s partially due to the airline’s partnership with Chef Seakyeong Kim, owner of Cesta in Seoul, a restaurant that highlights charcoal- grilled cuisine alongside other fine-dining options such as wine and cheese. Chef Kim’s menu seamlessly gives traditional Korean cuisine a fine-dining edge. First-class passengers dine on bibimbap, egg custard and abalone with caviar amuse-bouches, black cod en papillote, lamb chops, veal, petit-fours and more. Each menu is seasonal, as well, showcasing all four seasons of Korea’s cuisine. Alongside the food, a sommelier-designed wine program exclusive to the airline is curated specifically to match the main dishes on offer. Every meal in Korean Air’s first-class cabin has been rigorously tested to ensure it doesn’t lose flavor or quality while in flight. To that end, the team simulated meal service on several test flights, adjusting the seasonings and ingredients to ensure the food tastes the way it should.

EL AL ISRAEL AIRLINES
At the start of 2026 EL AL Israel Airlines partnered with Michelin- starred celebrity chef Assaf Granit to completely overhaul the in-flight menu. EL AL wanted Chef Granit to bring true Israeli and Mediterranean flavors back into the limelight, with a focus on bold pairings and seasonal ingredients — exactly what he does on the ground as well in his 13 restaurants and during his television appearances. Every cabin class on EL AL flights enjoys a tailored menu created by Chef Granit, but his culinary expertise truly shines in business class.

Food starts to arrive shortly after takeoff, beginning with an assortment of warm breads. Next, passengers receive salmon tataki seasoned with cilantro and ponzu and served with fresh radish. A Mediterranean salad comes after, with chickpeas, cucumbers, yellow peppers, olives, and both sun-dried and cherry tomatoes, all drizzled with a lemon olive oil dressing. Business-class passengers then get a choice of three main courses: panko-crusted salmon seasoned with za’atar and lemon zest, served alongside baby potatoes, roasted broccoli and cherry tomatoes; maple- lemon glazed chicken with roasted yams, white rice and seasonal greens; or the French classic, beef Bourguignon with celery root, mushrooms, carrots and potatoes. On flights departing after 9:30 p.m., this last option is swapped for squash ravioli in a tomato sauce, served with steamed spinach.

The culinary delights continue into breakfast, when business- class passengers get fresh-baked pastries and bread alongside cream cheese, smoked salmon, jibneh, vegetable salad and muesli. Then they can choose between cinnamon and blueberry pancakes with maple syrup or an omelet with potatoes and cherry tomatoes.

PHOTO: © SLATE AVIATION

SLATE AVIATION
Slate Aviation runs semi-private charter flights, shuttling passengers between high-end destinations and seasonal routes in New York and Florida. But a smaller airline doesn’t mean less of a focus on the food served to flyers. For each spot from which Slate flies, passengers get meals through destination-specific chef partnerships. For example, on flights departing from Palm Beach or Fort Lauderdale, passengers receive food from Chef Clay Conley, who owns Buccan, Imoto, Grato and Buccan Sandwich Shop. Chef Conley is Michelin-recognized and has been nominated for a James Beard Award seven times. For the flight, he created a menu of five Buccan Sandwich Shop options along with craft cocktails and brewed drinks. Passengers must pre-select their meals up to 48 hours before their flight. For flights leaving New York, Slate chose to partner with Chef Daniel Boulud, who operates about 20 restaurants around the world.

PHOTO: © MOZZA RESTAURANT GROUP

UNITED AIRLINES
As a lifelong Chicagoan, I’d be thrilled with something as simple as a Chicago hot dog or Italian beef on a flight. But I was excited to learn one of my favorite local chefs, Jenner Tomaska — the James Beard Award-nominated co-owner of Esmé, The Alston and Petite Edith in Chicago — is collaborating with United for a special menu on Polaris international business class, starting Aug. 1. The meal is part of an overall partnership with United and the Netflix documentary series Chef ’s Table, which brings 10 regionally inspired meals from culinary legends to the skies. The food represents the airline’s seven hub cities and a selection of key international destinations: London, Tokyo and São Paulo. Each of the featured chefs developed an appetizer, salad and entrée for flights departing from their home city.

For Chicago, Chef Tomaska blends his classic French techniques with art, something on display on the ground in his restaurants through art on the walls, creative plating and locally made dishes. James Beard Award winner Chef Nancy Silverton, co-owner of Michelin- starred Osteria Mozza, tackles Italian food and artisan ingredients for flights departing Los Angeles. Flights leaving New York and Newark will feature Ethiopian flavors with European techniques from Chef Fariyal Abdullahi, owner of Hav & Mar in New York. São Paulo’s menu is courtesy of Chef Manu Buffara, the owner of Manu in Curitiba; she highlights the bold flavors of Brazilian food with sustainable agricultural practices. For flights from Houston, passengers will dine from a menu curated by Chef Justin Yu, owner of fine- dining restaurant Theodore Rex, a relaxed spot with a French flair.

Flights departing Denver will have food from Chef Penelope Wong, owner of Yuan Wonton. For her menu, she focuses on the diversity in Denver’s food scene as well as Asian-American flavors she experienced growing up. United tapped Chef David Barzelay for flights leaving San Francisco; he owns 2-Michelin-starred Lazy Bear, JouJou and True Laurel. His menu will highlight an unpretentious American fine-dining experience. Out of D.C., two chefs take center stage: Isabel Coss and Matt Conroy, owners of Michelin-starred Lutèce. Their menu is a fusion of seasonal Mexican cuisine with French technique.

Tokyo’s Chef Tashi Gyamtso handles the menu for flights out of the Japanese city; Chef Gyamtso owns Jimgu, a restaurant where menus are purely based on local harvests, and 2-Michelin-keyed Enowa Yufuin, a botanical retreat with an on-site restaurant serving only food harvested from the hotel’s farm. Lastly, flights from London will receive a menu treatment from Chef Tomos Parry, who owns three open-fired restaurants across London, including Mountain and Brat, both Michelin- starred. For his menu, he takes inspiration from not just his Welsh and Celtic heritage but also the cooking traditions of northern Spain.

I have a lot of United miles right now, so I have to say I smell the delicious scent of an upgrade in my future.