Starting August 1, 30 new dishes – including appetizers, salads and entrées – debut on United Polaris international business class flights from world-renowned chefs brought together by Chef’s Table, the brand behind the Emmy Award-winning Netflix series
Each chef developed an inflight menu inspired by the United city they call home, including dishes like burrata with braised leeks from Chef Nancy Silverton, Brazilian shrimp stew from Chef Manu Buffara and poached scallop from Chef Tashi Gyamtso
United and Chef’s Table will also launch a collection of exclusive original branded content on inflight entertainment systems to give travelers a behind-the-scenes look at how these new menus came to life
CHICAGO, June 10, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — United serves up a new era of inflight dining on August 1 with the debut of new chef-curated meals from its collaboration with Chef’s Table, the brand behind the Emmy award-winning Netflix series.
United Polaris® international business class travelers flying on select long-haul routes will enjoy thoughtfully crafted, multi-course menus designed by 11 different globally recognized chefs from four continents, including culinary icons like Chef Nancy Silverton (Los Angeles), Chef Jenner Tomaska (Chicago), Chef Tomos Parry (London) and more.
The collaboration also includes exclusive, original branded content for United’s inflight entertainment that shows how the airline and world-renowned chefs produced the menus and meals.
“At its core, this collaboration with Chef’s Table is rooted in a shared ambition to redefine what inflight dining can be,” said Aaron McMillan, United’s Managing Director of Hospitality Programs. “Because our leading global network reaches into the world’s greatest food cities, we’re able to work hand-in-hand with world-class chefs and translate their points of view into dishes intentionally designed for the realities of travel and inspired by destinations we serve.”
This collection of dishes spans global influences, from seasonal California cooking and modern American fine dining to contemporary European technique and bold interpretations of Asian and Latin American cuisine. Each chef-curated meal experience features an appetizer, salad and entrée, reflecting the culinary identity of the chef’s home city.
“This collaboration is about fundamentally redefining inflight dining, bringing the culinary expertise of Chef’s Table to passengers,” said Justin Connor, President of Chef’s Table Projects. “In our collaboration with United, we are elevating the onboard experience. Our 11 featured chefs have crafted menus specifically engineered for 35,000 feet, ensuring ingredients and flavors remain exceptional despite the altitude. By pairing these signature dishes with exclusive behind-the-scenes content, passengers can discover the personal stories and creative journey behind their meal right as they are enjoying it. Our goal is for each meal to serve as an authentic reflection of the culinary culture of the city travelers are departing.”
First Taste: The Dishes Taking Off This Summer
The new menus represent United’s seven U.S. hub cities and key international gateways in London, São Paulo and Tokyo, including:
Los Angeles – Chef Nancy Silverton, Osteria Mozza
An American chef, baker, restaurateur and author, Chef Nancy Silverton won the James Beard Foundation’s Outstanding Chef Award in 2014 and is widely considered the patron saint of burrata in America. Her restaurants include award-winning Osteria Mozza, and she is the author of 11 cookbooks, including The Cooking That Changed My Life: And More Than 100 Other Classic Cakes, Cookies, Muffins and Pies That Will Change Yours.
- Appetizer: Burrata with braised leeks, mustard vinaigrette and breadcrumbs
- Salad: Shaved Brussels sprouts with mint, almonds and pecorino Romano
- Entrée: Beef brasato with garlic mash potatoes, salsa verde and horseradish gremolata
Newark – Chef Fariyal Abdullahi, Hav & Mar
Chef Fariyal Abdullahi serves as Chef Partner of Hav & Mar in New York, where she brings together her Ethiopian heritage and global travels through dishes that blend European culinary techniques with distinctive flavors.
- Appetizer: Chilled tomato soup with jumbo lump crab meat
- Salad: Baby gem, endive, berbere spiced pepitas, dried cranberries, pecorino Romano and creamy anchovy vinaigrette
- Entrée: Ethiopian-coffee glazed short ribs with purple mashed potatoes, sauteed Thumbelina carrots and charred scallions
Chicago – Chef Jenner Tomaska, Esmé, Petite Edith and The Alston
Chef Jenner Tomaska is a three-time James Beard nominee and co-owner of three acclaimed Chicago restaurants: Michelin-starred Esmé in Lincoln Park, where he combines classical French techniques with artistic presentation; Petite Edith, a French-Midwestern bistro in River North; and The Alston, a steakhouse in the Gold Coast.
- Appetizer: Braised leeks with citrus and charred scallion vinaigrette
- Salad: Arugula with endive and shaved radish
- Entrée: Halibut with sauce matelote, smoked onion and bacon lardons
Houston – Chef Justin Yu, Theodore Rex
Chef Justin Yu, a Houston native and James Beard Award winner, owns Theodore Rex, a relaxed fine dining restaurant in Houston that features French-inspired cuisine.
- Appetizer: Deviled eggs with white soy, aged cheddar and chives
- Salad: Chicory salad with spiced bacon, chickpeas, cucumber, onion and oregano mustard vinaigrette
- Entrée: Braised Texas short rib with ragout of mushrooms, red miso and black eyed peas
Denver – Chef Penelope Wong, Yuan Wonton
A Denver native, Chef Penelope Wong honors the diversity that has shaped Denver’s culinary landscape by bringing the flavors of her Asian American upbringing and family memories to life at her eatery, Yuan Wonton.
- Appetizer: Shokupan bread with smoked trout, lemongrass, Chinese celery and trout roe
- Salad: Kale salad with fresh cherries, golden beets, grana Padano cheese and honey ginger vinaigrette
- Entrée: Five-spice duck wontons with duck brodo, Swiss chard and chili oil
San Francisco – Chef David Barzelay, Lazy Bear, JouJou & True Laurel
Chef David Barzelay, a pioneer of approachable American fine dining, owns three San Francisco restaurants: the two-Michelin-starred Lazy Bear in the Mission District, JouJou in the Design District and True Laurel in the Mission.
- Appetizer: Hashbrown, pickled relish, cured trout roe
- Salad: Peach panzanella with sourdough croutons, Vela dry jack cheese, wild arugula and Napa Cabernet vinaigrette
- Entrée: Black cod broiled in tomato tare with gold rice grits, smoky tomato raisins, peppers and basils
Washington, D.C. – Chefs Isabel Coss & Matt Conroy, Lutèce, Pascual and Maison Bar À Vins
Chefs Isabel Coss and Matt Conroy blend French culinary techniques with Mexican influences at Lutèce, Pascual and Maison Bar À Vins, crafting refined seasonal dishes that showcase bold flavors.
- Appetizer: Melon and burrata salad with chorizo vinaigrette and opal basil
- Salad: Quinoa salad with currants, butternut squash, kale and banyuls vinaigrette
- Entrée: Braised chicken breast in vadouvan coconut curry
São Paulo – Chef Manu Buffara, Manu
Chef Manu Buffara is the culinary force behind Manu in Curitiba, where she elevates the bold, vibrant flavors of Brazilian cuisine through a modern lens and responsible agricultural practices, cooking with a deep commitment to stewardship.
- Appetizer: Collard green roll filled with shrimp, fresh heart of palm and served with passion fruit citrus sauce
- Salad: White bean and celery salad with goat cheese, cheese bread croutons and orange segments
- Entrée: Brazilian shrimp stew with coconut rice, cashew nut farofa and sauteed okra
London – Chef Tomos Parry, Mountain & Brat
Chef Tomos Parry is the founder and co-owner of three open-fire restaurants in London, including Michelin-starred Mountain in Soho, Michelin-starred Brat in Shoreditch, and Brat x Climpson’s Arch in Hackney. Drawing from his Welsh and Celtic roots, he blends traditional techniques and cooking styles from northern Spain into his cuisine.
- Appetizer: Grilled beef fillet with thyme, beetroots, Caerphilly cheese and mustard
- Salad: Lobster with grilled peach, tomato and fennel herb
- Entrée: Slow-roasted lamb with smoked potatoes, grilled broccoli and green sauce
Tokyo – Chef Tashi Gyamtso, Jimgu, Enowa Yufuin
Chef Tashi Gyamtso is the acclaimed head chef of Jimgu, a farm-driven restaurant where menus are crafted entirely from what the land provides.
- Appetizer: Poached scallop with yuzu-ginger glaze and edamame puree
- Salad: Napa cabbage and mizuna crunch with shaved carrots, toasted sesame seeds and rice wine vinegar
- Entrée: Miso marinated sea bass with Koshihikari rice and shiitake mushrooms
These menus will be served onboard starting August 1 through September 2026, with a new lineup of dishes from these 11 chefs set to launch in October and rotate seasonally into 2027.
Connecting cuisine to place, each chef’s meal experience will be offered on flights serving lunch or dinner, departing from the chef’s home city that inspired the recipes. United Polaris international business class travelers will be able to exclusively pre-order meals curated by Chef’s Table chefs on United.com or in the United app. Customers can view and select Chef’s Table meals through pre-order starting five days before departure and up to 24 hours prior to departure, giving them a flexible window to explore the menu and choose their preferred meal ahead of their flight.
From Plate to Seatback Screen: Exclusive Storytelling
On August 1, United and Chef’s Table will debut a collection of exclusive, original branded content, offering passengers a unique look at how the airline and world-renowned chefs are elevating the inflight dining experience. The collection takes viewers on a global culinary journey, from bustling local markets to the airline’s test kitchens, revealing the artistry and regional inspiration behind the new United Polaris dishes. The content chronicles the collaboration between United and 11 culinary all-stars, documenting the creative process from initial menu concepts and ingredient sourcing to recipe testing and final preparation. The content also spotlights each chef’s personal story, exploring how their roots and regional traditions inspired the signature United Polaris dishes being served at 35,000 feet.
United will also bring a selection of video podcast episodes from Chef’s Table: Talks to inflight entertainment seatback screens beginning July 1. The podcast episodes feature host David Gelb, creator and director of the series, in conversation with chefs and celebrities about their favorite meals and food memories that altered the course of their creative life.
Chef’s Table is an Emmy Award-winning documentary series that spotlights the world’s most extraordinary chefs who are redefining the culinary landscape. The series is available only on Netflix. For more information, visit United.com/ChefsTable, and view visual assets here.
About United
At United, Good Leads The Way. With U.S. hubs in Chicago, Denver, Houston, Los Angeles, New York/Newark, San Francisco and Washington, D.C., United operates the most comprehensive global route network among North American carriers and is now the largest airline in the world as measured by available seat miles. For more about how to join the United team, please visit www.united.com/careers, and more information about the company is at www.united.com. United Airlines Holdings, Inc., the parent company of United Airlines, Inc., is traded on the Nasdaq under the symbol “UAL.”
About Chef’s Table
Chef’s Table premiered on Netflix in 2015 and has since become one of the defining documentary series of the streaming era. Created by David Gelb, the Emmy Award–winning production established a new standard for cinematic food storytelling, introducing global audiences to the artistry, discipline, and personal vision behind some of the world’s most influential chefs. Through intimate, visually immersive portraits, the series has built an enduring presence within contemporary food culture. Now in its second decade, Chef’s Table continues to evolve through strategic partnerships with industry-leading brands and the launch of Chef’s Table: Talks, a podcast hosted by creator, David Gelb. For more information, visit chefstable.com.
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SOURCE United Airlines
