Air New Zealand’s Newest Chef Shares the Secret to Creating a Menu of True Kiwi Flavors at 35,000 Feet
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- Air New Zealand taps Michelin-starred Kiwi chef Josh Emett as culinary ambassador, unveiling a new premium-cabin menu showcasing New Zealand flavors on long-haul routes from Auckland and North America.
- Designing for muted taste buds at 35,000 feet, Emett leans on acidity, seasoning and texture — think Pinot-braised chicken and miso dressings — to keep dishes vivid in the air.
- From Fiordland venison with kawakawa-spiced beetroot to alpine salmon and Anzac biscuit mousse, the menu aims to bottle New Zealand terroir and hospitality for travelers’ first taste of Aotearoa.
For a lot of travelers, the flight to New Zealand is their first encounter with the country — hours over the Pacific before they ever see it out the window. Up until now, that introduction didn’t have much to say about what New Zealand actually tastes like. But that will all change when chef Josh Emett’s new menu starts appearing in Air New Zealand’s premium cabins.
The airline has brought on Emett — one of New Zealand’s most recognized chefs and the only New Zealander to have earned Michelin stars at three restaurants in London, New York, and Los Angeles — as its new Culinary Ambassador. From October 2026, his dishes will be served on long-haul flights out of Auckland and select routes from North America.
The Science of High-Altitude Flavor
Emett has thought seriously about what altitude does to food and how to design around it. He says the palate works differently at cruising height: saltiness and sweetness both get muted, which means a dish that tasted balanced on the ground can fall flat by the time someone’s enjoying it over the Pacific.
“Acidity, seasoning and texture all play a bigger role onboard,” he told LA Times Studios Travel and in email interview. Ingredients must be chosen that hold up across a long flight with enough depth built in that a dish still has something to say when it arrives at the tray table.
Despite the effects of altitude, Emett doesn’t buy the idea that flight cooking and restaurant cooking are fundamentally different pursuits. “Whether in a restaurant or at 35,000 feet, the goal is still the same: to create a world-class dining experience that reflects the quality, creativity and character of New Zealand cuisine,” he says. The logistics of pulling it off here are trickier (galley kitchens, reheating at scale, and consistency across hundreds of passengers), but the standard remains the same.
Those choices show up on the menu. A Pinot-braised chicken is there for the richness that holds at altitude. A miso dressing brings enough intensity to cut through. “It’s about making sure every dish still delivers at 35,000 feet,” he says.
Translating Terroir to the Tray Table
Emett says his approach to representing New Zealand on the plate was to start with the produce and build from there, rather than reaching for anything too on-the-nose. “Representing New Zealand starts with showcasing the quality of NZ produce rather than creating something overly themed or literal,” he says. “New Zealand has incredible seafood, lamb, dairy, and more, so the focus has been on letting those ingredients speak for themselves through thoughtful cooking.”
Seared Fiordland wild venison comes with golden kumara chutney, kawakawa-spiced beetroot, and toasted pinenuts. A lamb rump is served with smoked aubergine, spring peas, harissa, and labneh. Alpine salmon pairs with saffron, chilli, sweetcorn, and pickled karengo. Dessert is a vanilla mousse with kiwifruit compote, Anzac biscuit, and basil — a distinctly New Zealand combination that avoids heavy-handedness.
“I started with the ingredients I love, like New Zealand lamb and venison, and built from there with seasonal vegetables and flavours that travel well at altitude,” Emett says. “The result is food that feels elegant, refined and distinctly Kiwi.”
Reimagining the In-Flight Standard
Having done wonders with menus on the ground, Emett believes he knows exactly what it takes to deliver prime dining experience in the air. “The best onboard meals create a sense of comfort and occasion at the same time,” he says. “They give you something to genuinely look forward to during the journey rather than simply filling time between departure and arrival.”
He also points to the crew, saying the warmth of service around a meal matters as much as what’s on the plate — a key factor that he says drew him to Air New Zealand in the first place.
Emett has a simple test for whether his mission has been a success: “If guests step off an Air New Zealand flight feeling they experienced great local produce alongside the hospitality New Zealand is known for,” he says, “then we’ve achieved what we set out to do.”
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