Air Canada has announced that Canadian Chef David Hawksworth will design signature dishes exclusive to Air Canada flights in International Business Class, and in the airline’s Maple Leaf Lounges.
A native Vancouverite, who honed his talents in Europe working in Michelin-starred kitchens such as Le Manoir aux Quat’ Saisons, L’Escargot and The Square, David Hawksworth has emerged as one of Canada’s leading culinary talents. In 2008 Chef Hawksworth was named to Western Living’s ‘Top 40 under 40’ and became the youngest chef inductee in to the BC Restaurant Hall of Fame.
He opened his first restaurant in the heart of downtown Vancouver in 2011. At Hawksworth Restaurant, he serves contemporary Canadian cuisine; demonstrating his European-trained technical ability, while featuring local ingredients.
Chef Hawksworth will work with Air Canada’s flight caterers and Maple Leaf Lounge providers to create new seasonal dining options including appetisers, salads, main courses and desserts, which complement the airline’s current route-inspired menus on international flights.
Chef Hawksworth’s first dishes for Air Canada will feature on flights beginning October 1.
They are truly tempting. Have a look (click to enlarge):
- Yellowfin tuna tataki appetiser served with scallion ginger vinaigrette, passion fruit and puffed rice
- Tamari roasted sablefish main course served with bok choy, brown rice and chili miso vinaigrette
- Decadent dark chocolate fondant with blackberry compote
- International Maple Leaf Lounges will feature a Mediterranean quinoa salad with tomato, olive, cucumber, feta and arugula
“As a proud Canadian brand, we see the opportunity to showcase the very best of Canadian-influenced menus designed by one of Canada’s most respected and award-winning Chefs,” says Craig Landry, Vice President, Marketing at Air Canada. “We have a long history of showcasing the Canadian culinary scene through the annual Air Canada enRoute Canada’s Best New Restaurant Program.
“This culinary partnership complements our investments in our state-of-the-art International Business Class product and service enhancements being rolled out across our Boeing 777 and 787 Dreamliner fleets.”
For his part, Chef David Hawksworth says he is “relishing the unique challenge of developing dishes that can be enjoyed at 35,000 feet.”
“It’s an honour and a pleasure to be invited by Air Canada to share my concept of Canadian cuisine and to create compelling dishes for their passengers that will showcase the very best of our region. I look forward to giving passengers a small taste of my restaurant here in Vancouver and taking my personal culinary philosophy to new heights with Air Canada.”
Air Canada is also supporting the next generation of professional chef talent as the airline travel sponsor of the Hawksworth Young Chef Scholarship Foundation competition.