British Airways is to offer a series of new ‘Best of British Menus’ across all cabins in the coming months.
The initiative will begin with a British roast dinner in September for Club World and First customers, featuring 21-day aged British beef, served with roast potatoes, Yorkshire pudding, seasonal vegetables, horseradish cream and gravy (except for flights to the Indian subcontinent where passengers will be offered British roast chicken served with roast potatoes, seasonal vegetables, bread sauce and gravy).
Each month will also see a themed dessert, with September’s ‘All Things Botanical’ featuring an elderflower and white chocolate dessert with compressed apple and elderflower sorbet.
Other dishes which will feature on the menus include roast chicken, lamb hot pot, Welsh rarebit with chutney, British apple compote with vanilla custard and crumble, chicken pie with mash, pork pie with piccalilli, shepherd’s pie, sausage and mash, and chicken bacon leek and mushroom pie.
There will also be vegetarian options including squash gnocchi with blue cheese sauce and wild cavolo nero, and handmade ricotta mezzaluna with truffle cream and grilled asparagus.
British Airways has confirmed that while the roast dinners are only being offered in Club World and First, there will be “signature British dishes across all cabins”.
For September in World Traveller this will be chicken tikka masala and British berry crumble with custard, while World Traveller Plus customers will be offered the option of chicken, leek and mushroom pie.
The move follows the return of buy on board services for Euro Traveller passengers on short-haul flights, with the option to either ‘Buy Before you Fly’ or ‘Buy on Board’ by ordering through mobile devices inflight.
Buy on board returns for economy passengers on British Airways short-haul flights
Commenting on the news Sajida Ismail, head of inflight, said:
“As we look ahead to welcoming back customers who may not have flown for a while, we wanted to mark the occasion by offering a really special menu that celebrates the best of Britain.
“Working with our catering partners, DO & CO [at Heathrow] and Newrest [at Gatwick], we have created dishes using the best of British ingredients while they are in season.
“We are particularly excited to be offering a roast dinner on board. We know that Yorkshire puddings and crispy roast potatoes can be difficult to re-create at altitude, but our chefs have been working to make it happen, because we know that every British roast dinner should have them!”
