Emirates has introduced a new Business Class menu with dishes designed to pair perfectly with its Möet & Chandon champagnes.
The 18 new dishes will be offered on most medium to long-haul flights globally. Passengers can check their menu in advance to see which dish is paired with an exclusive Champagne. The new dishes that are part of the pairing menu are marked with a crown icon.
New Emirates Menu Designed In Collaboration With Moët & Chandon’s Head Chef
Moët & Chandon’s Head Chef of Michelin star renown, Jean Michel Bardet collaborated with Emirates’ Vice President of Culinary Design, Doxis Bekris to create the new menu. Each of the new dishes has been perfectly paired with an exclusive champagne. This offers the ultimate culinary collaboration in the sky.
18 New Starters & Main Dishes Introduced In Business Class
The 18 new starters and main courses allow Emirates’ Business Class customers to enjoy an expertly curated champagne pairing. This pairing is available for the first time in the air. Emirates master chefs collaborated on this menu with the Maison of Moët & Chandon in France for more than a year. The award-winning chefs were challenged to create refined dishes of culinary excellence with premium ingredients. These dishes also needed to be produced in volume to meet the demands of the world’s largest international airline. Emirates serves 149 meals every minute and totals more than 77 million meals every year.
New Starters With Champagne Pairings
The airline’s new paired starters include poached scallops served with green melon, blanched kumquat, lemon gel and roasted almonds. It is paired with Moët & Chandon Grand Vintage 2016. The delicately salted scallops complement the flavors and reveal the elegance of the cuvée. Green melon and kumquat enhance the radiant bouquet of the champagne, while basil adds a final contrasting touch.
The new creations include vegan dishes too. These include silken tofu, sliced and served with poached asparagus, soy emulsion with olive oil, lemon gel and cashew cream. This pairs with Moët & Chandon Brut Impérial. The tofu is marinated in lemon juice and soy sauce. This reveals the brightness and umami dimension of Brut Imperial. Dill introduces a green contrast, while cashew cream adds a final creamy touch, bringing the dish to a harmonious finish.
Mains Designed To Suit Champagne
Main courses are set to impress with pairings like roasted duck served with braised aubergine and chickpeas. It features raz el hanout-spiced couscous-jus and cherry tomatoes. This dish is paired with Moët & Chandon Rosé Impérial. The symphony of couscous flavors dances with the structure of red wine, and spicy notes add a touch of intrigue. The delicate acidity of cherry tomatoes weaves through the dish, complemented by Rosé Impérial.
The roasted turkey is another main course to look forward to. It is succulent and sliced. The turkey is served with sage chicken jus, mashed potato, braised fennel, and almonds. This dish is paired with Moët & Chandon Grand Vintage 2016. The radiant bouquet is highlighted by the delicate notes of fennel. The sage chicken just imparts a sense of umami. This culminates in a harmonious pairing.
Seared Chilean Seabass will delight seafood aficionados. It pairs with Moët & Chandon Brut Impérial. The dish is served with artichoke puree, lemon grass sauce and buttered sugar snap peas. Artichoke puree brings smooth texture and subtle taste harmonizing with the Moët & Chandon Brut Impérial. Sugar snap peas add a crisp element enhancing the sparkling texture. Finally, lemongrass sauce provides a fresh connection, amplifying the Champagne’s brightness.
There are also vegan dishes. You can enjoy braised lentils with coconut served with steamed basmati rice. Another choice is spiced cauliflower with green peas and naan. This dish pairs with Moët & Chandon Rosé Impérial. Coral lentils have a beautiful texture that plays with the elegant effervescence of the Rosé Impérial. Curry seasoning complements the fruity bouquet with a soft spiciness. Coriander creates a delicate contrast.
A Year-Long Quest To Pair Gourmet Dishes & Bubbly
Over the year of development, the chefs collaborated and connected between France and Dubai, to create the dishes together. Chef Jean Michel paired the flavor profiles of dishes in a creative way. He had to bring out the notes of the exclusive Champagnes onboard Emirates.
Meanwhile, the Emirates team managed the issues of scale adeptly. They made sure the dishes can be prepared for the large number of customers onboard. These customers were traveling to a myriad of global destinations. The chefs brainstormed together to recreate premium restaurant quality cuisine for the in-flight experience. They considered altitude, scale, and pre-preparation of food before loading onto the plane. The chefs had to make certain that Emirates’ cabin crew can plate the food onboard. This way, the Business Class customer would have an outstanding experience every time.
Emirates’ Champagne Offering
As part of the ‘fly better’ promise, Emirates purchases more champagne than any other airline in the world.
Emirates has had a longstanding partnership with Moët Hennessy for 33 years. Moët & Chandon champagnes are a signature part of the Emirates experience. They are available in all Emirates Lounges. Emirates also serves these on a complimentary basis onboard First and Business Class. They are available to buy in Premium Economy and Economy Class.
Emirates has exclusive rights to serve Dom Pérignon Vintage 2015, Dom Pérignon Vintage Rosé 2009, Dom Pérignon Plénitude 2 2004 moving to 2006 as of July, Moët & Chandon Brut Imperial, Moët & Chandon Imperial Rosé, Moët & Chandon Grand Vintage Blanc 2016, Veuve Clicquot Yellow Label and Veuve Clicquot Vintage Blanc 2015. Emirates also serves Australian sparkling wine, Chandon Vintage Brut 2019 onboard as a global exclusive to customers in Premium Economy.
