Leading International Chefs Will Have Dishes Featured On United Polaris Flights
Each chef developed an inflight menu inspired by the United city they call home, including dishes like burrata with braised leeks from Chef Nancy Silverton, Brazilian shrimp stew from Chef Manu Buffara and poached scallop from Chef Tashi Gyamtso…
If you’re going to be traveling business class on United after August 1st then prepare your taste buds to experience something that’s going to make them jump off your tongue. United and Chef’s Table, the Emmy-Award winning Netflix series have partnered to create chef-curated meals for United Polaris® select long-haul routes. Eleven recognized chefs, including Chef Nancy Silverton (Los Angeles), Chef Jenner Tomaska (Chicago), Chef Tomos Parry (London) and more, from four continents will unveil multi-course menus. The menus will be served onboard from August 1-September 2026, with a new lineup of menus that will launch October and rotate seasonally into 2027.
“At its core, this collaboration with Chef’s Table is rooted in a shared ambition to redefine what inflight dining can be,” said Aaron McMillan, United’s Managing Director of Hospitality Programs. “Because our leading global network reaches into the world’s greatest food cities, we’re able to work hand-in-hand with world-class chefs and translate their points of view into dishes intentionally designed for the realities of travel and inspired by destinations we serve.”
Menus will include California cuisine, modern American fine dining, as well as Asian and Latin American interpretations. Meal experiences will include an appetizer, salad and entrée that reflects the signature cuisine style of the chef’s home city.
Chef Tomos Parry | Photo provided by United
"I am honored and excited to be able to create this menu for United Airlines which not only tastes delicious whilst travelling but also showcases our style of cooking at Brat and Mountain, making the most of some of the best of British produce,” says Chef Tomos Parry in announcement notes. “One of the main reasons I became a chef was from my passion for travelling and have found so much inspiration from seeing and experiencing different cultures. It is exciting to be able to be an extension of someone’s own travels now, bringing a taste of the UK to all United guests internationally."
In addition to an expansive menu, branded inflight entertainment will feature shows, detailing how the airline and chefs created the curated menus and meals.
First Taste: The Dishes Taking Off This Summer
The new menus represent United's seven U.S. hub cities and key international gateways in London, São Paulo and Tokyo, including:
An entree in the United x Chef’s Table collaboration | Photo provided by United
Los Angeles – Chef Nancy Silverton, Osteria Mozza
An American chef, baker, restaurateur and author, Chef Nancy Silverton won the James Beard Foundation's Outstanding Chef Award in 2014 and is widely considered the patron saint of burrata in America. Her restaurants include award-winning Osteria Mozza, and she is the author of 11 cookbooks, including The Cooking That Changed My Life: And More Than 100 Other Classic Cakes, Cookies, Muffins and Pies That Will Change Yours.
Appetizer: Burrata with braised leeks, mustard vinaigrette and breadcrumbs
Salad: Shaved Brussels sprouts with mint, almonds and pecorino Romano
Entrée: Beef brasato with garlic mash potatoes, salsa verde and horseradish gremolata
Newark – Chef Fariyal Abdullahi, Hav & Mar
Chef Fariyal Abdullahi serves as Chef Partner of Hav & Mar in New York, where she brings together her Ethiopian heritage and global travels through dishes that blend European culinary techniques with distinctive flavors.
Appetizer: Chilled tomato soup with jumbo lump crab meat
Salad: Baby gem, endive, berbere spiced pepitas, dried cranberries, pecorino Romano and creamy anchovy vinaigrette
Entrée: Ethiopian-coffee glazed short ribs with purple mashed potatoes, sauteed Thumbelina carrots and charred scallions
Chicago – Chef Jenner Tomaska, Esmé, Petite Edith and The Alston
Chef Jenner Tomaska is a three-time James Beard nominee and co-owner of three acclaimed Chicago restaurants: Michelin-starred Esmé in Lincoln Park, where he combines classical French techniques with artistic presentation; Petite Edith, a French-Midwestern bistro in River North; and The Alston, a steakhouse in the Gold Coast.
Appetizer: Braised leeks with citrus and charred scallion vinaigrette
Salad: Arugula with endive and shaved radish
Entrée: Halibut with sauce matelote, smoked onion and bacon lardons
Houston – Chef Justin Yu, Theodore Rex
Chef Justin Yu, a Houston native and James Beard Award winner, owns Theodore Rex, a relaxed fine dining restaurant in Houston that features French-inspired cuisine.
Appetizer: Deviled eggs with white soy, aged cheddar and chives
Salad: Chicory salad with spiced bacon, chickpeas, cucumber, onion and oregano mustard vinaigrette
Entrée: Braised Texas short rib with ragout of mushrooms, red miso and black-eyed peas
Denver – Chef Penelope Wong, Yuan Wonton
A Denver native, Chef Penelope Wong honors the diversity that has shaped Denver's culinary landscape by bringing the flavors of her Asian American upbringing and family memories to life at her eatery, Yuan Wonton.
Appetizer: Shokupan bread with smoked trout, lemongrass, Chinese celery and trout roe
Salad: Kale salad with fresh cherries, golden beets, grana Padano cheese and honey ginger vinaigrette
Entrée: Five-spice duck wontons with duck brodo, Swiss chard and chili oil
San Francisco – Chef David Barzelay, Lazy Bear, JouJou & True Laurel
Chef David Barzelay, a pioneer of approachable American fine dining, owns three San Francisco restaurants: the two-Michelin-starred Lazy Bear in the Mission District, JouJou in the Design District and True Laurel in the Mission.
Appetizer: Hashbrown, pickled relish, cured trout roe
Salad: Peach panzanella with sourdough croutons, Vela dry jack cheese, wild arugula and Napa Cabernet vinaigrette
Entrée: Black cod broiled in tomato tare with gold rice grits, smoky tomato raisins, peppers and basils
Washington, D.C. – Chefs Isabel Coss & Matt Conroy, Lutèce, Pascual and Maison Bar À Vins
Chefs Isabel Coss and Matt Conroy blend French culinary techniques with Mexican influences at Lutèce, Pascual and Maison Bar À Vins, crafting refined seasonal dishes that showcase bold flavors.
Appetizer: Melon and burrata salad with chorizo vinaigrette and opal basil
Salad: Quinoa salad with currants, butternut squash, kale and banyuls vinaigrette
Entrée: Braised chicken breast in vadouvan coconut curry
São Paulo – Chef Manu Buffara, Manu
Chef Manu Buffara is the culinary force behind Manu in Curitiba, where she elevates the bold, vibrant flavors of Brazilian cuisine through a modern lens and responsible agricultural practices, cooking with a deep commitment to stewardship.
Appetizer: Collard green roll filled with shrimp, fresh heart of palm and served with passion fruit citrus sauce
Salad: White bean and celery salad with goat cheese, cheese bread croutons and orange segments
Entrée: Brazilian shrimp stew with coconut rice, cashew nut farofa and sauteed okra
Photo provided by United
London – Chef Tomos Parry, Mountain & Brat
Chef Tomos Parry is the founder and co-owner of three open-fire restaurants in London, including Michelin-starred Mountain in Soho, Michelin-starred Brat in Shoreditch, and Brat x Climpson’s Arch in Hackney. Drawing from his Welsh and Celtic roots, he blends traditional techniques and cooking styles from northern Spain into his cuisine.
Appetizer: Grilled beef fillet with thyme, beetroots, Caerphilly cheese and mustard
Salad: Lobster with grilled peach, tomato and fennel herb
Entrée: Slow-roasted lamb with smoked potatoes, grilled broccoli and green sauce
Tokyo – Chef Tashi Gyamtso, Jimgu, Enowa Yufuin
Chef Tashi Gyamtso is the acclaimed head chef of Jimgu, a farm-driven restaurant where menus are crafted entirely from what the land provides.
Appetizer: Poached scallop with yuzu-ginger glaze and edamame puree
Salad: Napa cabbage and mizuna crunch with shaved carrots, toasted sesame seeds and rice wine vinegar
Entrée: Miso marinated sea bass with Koshihikari rice and shiitake mushrooms
United Polaris passengers will be able to pre-order meals curated by Chef’s Table chefs on United.com or in the United app. Customers can view and select Chef's Table meals through pre-order starting five days before departure and up to 24 hours prior to departure, giving them a flexible window to explore the menu and choose their preferred meal ahead of their flight.
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