Cathay Pacific was delighted to host a special tasting event on 28 May, presenting its new “Chinese Classics” dining offerings inspired by the Eight Great Cuisines of China for its Business class customers. Complementing the airline’s “Hong Kong Flavours” and “International Favourites” offerings, the new “Chinese Classics” menu seeks to provide a diverse culinary experience for customers, while showcasing Cathay Pacific’s leadership and innovation in inflight dining.

With a profound appreciation for China’s rich culinary heritage, Cathay Pacific masterfully incorporates the essence of China’s eight great regional cuisines into its inflight dining, connecting the world to Chinese culinary culture through its global network.

Showcasing the allure of Chinese culture through culinary delights

As the cornerstone of Chinese culinary culture, the Eight Great Cuisines of China embody the diversity and storied traditions of Chinese food. The “Chinese Classics” menu encompasses dishes from Sichuan, Fujian, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Shandong, Guangdong, Anhui and Hunan, redefining inflight dining with innovative concepts and exceptional quality.

To meet the unique demands of inflight catering, Cathay’s culinary team conducted thorough research on the flavour profiles, ingredients, cooking techniques and cultural heritage of these regional cuisines. The team carefully curated the ingredients and refined cooking methods to ensure that the dishes retain their authentic flavours and visual appeal at high altitudes.

The new menu adheres to rigorous quality control standards and embodies the wisdom of Chinese culinary traditions, providing customers from all over the world with an immersive experience that fosters a deeper understanding of Chinese culture.

Cathay Director Customer Travel Erica Peng said: “Our ‘Chinese Classics’ menu complements our already popular ‘Hong Kong Flavours’ and ‘International Favourites’ options, showcasing rich Chinese cultural heritage to all our customers. These dining offerings are meticulously crafted, vibrant in both flavour and presentation. We hope that these iconic dishes can offer our customers a taste of home and warm their hearts whenever, wherever they fly with us.”

Elevating service quality through culinary culture

From April 2025, Cathay Pacific has progressively introduced its “Chinese Classics” offerings in its Business class cabin, debuting on selected outbound flights from Hong Kong to the Chinese Mainland. The menu features a new dish each month, bringing fresh and authentic Chinese flavours to customers from around the world. The airline plans to introduce dishes from Sichuan, Fujian, Jiangsu and Zhejiang this year, with a complete rollout of the eight regional cuisines expected in 2026.

Additionally, the offerings will be progressively extended to other routes and cabins. To promote cultural exchange, Cathay Pacific will be releasing a three-part documentary series in July, enabling customers to better understand the heritage and craftsmanship of Chinese culinary culture by exploring the design concepts, cultural roots and creative process behind the dishes.

Meanwhile, the “Hong Kong Flavours” menu has been introduced across all Cathay Pacific cabins and in selected lounges, with special Chinese wines and teas also available inflight to create a multi-layered experience. In addition to showcasing international culinary delights, the airline also continues to enhance its services and products, as part of its efforts to reinforce its inflight dining expertise through innovation and become the world’s best premium airline.

Enhancing products and services to create a world-leading customer experience

Cathay has committed over HK$100 billion in investments into its fleet, cabin products, lounges and digital innovations. To expand its global network, the Group is focused on reaching 100 passenger destinations worldwide within the first half of the year. On the ground, The Bridge at Hong Kong International Airport has recently reopened its doors with a redesigned lounge experience, while a flagship lounge in Beijing is set to open this summer. Cathay Pacific’s first dedicated lounge at New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport will be unveiled in 2026.

From August 2025, Cathay Pacific will offer both 100% seatback inflight entertainment and 100% high-speed inflight Wi-Fi connectivity across its fleet, providing customers with a smooth and seamless experience during their flights.

Looking ahead, Cathay Pacific will continue to refine its “Chinese Classics” offerings, focusing on quality dining options while showcasing the unique charm of Chinese culture on the international stage.

For more information on Cathay Pacific’s inflight dining offerings, please visit www.cathaypacific.com.