From 1 February to 30 April 2017, the promotional menu will be served to First and Business Class passengers onboard selected Cathay Pacific flights departing from Hong Kong to a variety of long-haul destinations, including New Zealand, Australia, Canada, Europe, South Africa and the United States.

Culinary maestro Pino Lavarra of the award-winning Tosca has designed a delicious menu for Cathay Pacific with an inventive approach while staying true to the rustic Italian flavours at heart.

Dishes on the menu include octopus terrine, lemon and parsley salad, which will delight passengers with an interesting contrast of temperature and texture between the terrine and the seared octopus layered on top. The flavour profile is further highlighted by a hint of tanginess from the lemon mayo.

Beef short ribs, tomato Pizzaiola sauce and eggplant, meanwhile, is prepared using a traditional poaching technique under low heat for five hours. Succulent and tender, the short ribs are paired with palate-pleasing herbed tomato sauce and mashed potato.

Another dish that is sure to be a highlight is lobster, almonds, romaine and pink pepper dressing, which features imported tomatoes from Europe. The dressing, created specially by Chef Pino, adds considerable flavour to the salad, while the tomatoes provide a vibrant colour contrast and natural sweetness.

The airline has long understood the importance its passengers place on inflight dining and the Cathay Pacific Catering team goes to great lengths to source high-quality food and beverages to suit every palate. To that end, Hong Kong’s home airline has a celebrated history of working closely with renowned chefs, hotels and restaurants to introduce new and creative culinary options on a regular basis, with the new partnership with Tosca being the latest such example.

Cathay Pacific Head of Catering Aaron Claxton said:  “The food we serve on our flights is an integral part of our premium travel experience and our partnership with The Ritz-Carlton, Hong Kong optimises our menu options in providing quality cuisine that matches the high expectations of our passengers.”

Chef Pino added: “In the sky, there are no limits to your imagination. When working with Cathay Pacific, I was particularly intrigued by the concept of creating intense flavour pairings that can offset the effect that flying at high altitude can have on the sensitivity of our taste buds. Much thought has been put into adjusting the cooking process and recipes to replicate Tosca’s signature dishes as closely as possible, retaining the essence of Italian flavour, refined presentation and consistency of quality. I hope these dishes will enliven the gustatory senses of passengers, enabling them to enjoy something that’s uniquely delicious in the open skies.”

New inflight menu featuring Tosca dishes

First Class

Starter:

·        Fresh burrata, basil and gold

·        Octopus terrine, lemon and parsley salad

Soup:

·        Tomato soup with egg and truffle

Entrée:

·        Cannelloni, ricotta & spinach, pancetta and black truffle

·        Beetroot tortelli with roasted almonds and baby spinach

·        Lamb shoulder, mustard, herbs crust and roasted artichokes

·        Veal oyster blade, escarole "Alla Napoletana” and potato cake

Business Class

Starter:

·        Octopus terrine, lemon and parsley salad

·        Lobster, almonds, romaine and pink pepper dressing

Entrée:

·        Beef short rib, tomato Pizzaiola sauce, Neapolitan potato cake

·        Veal oyster blade, escarole "Alla Napoletana” and potato cake

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT:

Pauline Ray, Corporate Communication Manager, T: 09 3772 907 [email protected]

Michelle Burgess, Assistant Marketing Services Mgr, T: 09 3790 833 [email protected]