Why Qatar Airways Refuses To Freeze Its In-Flight Food

After being awarded ‘The World’s Best Business Class’ for ten years running, you’d be safe to assume Qatar Airways serves a superior in-flight meal. After all, an airline’s F&B offering– particularly the options served in its lounges–remains one of business class’ biggest draws.

Yet, where Qatar Airways is concerned, its standards aren’t saved for those who upgrade.

“Every meal is freshly produced in all the kitchens we work with and nothing is frozen on-board,” says Shashank Bhardwaj, Qatar Airways’ vice president of catering services. “We work completely in contrast with the general perception of airline food being frozen. Every catering partner we work with has strict guidelines about sourcing the freshest ingredients in production.”

The dedication to maintaining premium standards extends beyond the prep kitchen, too; every member of Qatar Airways’ cabin crew undergoes rigorous training by world-class chefs to ensure meals are served at a sky-high standard. Literally.

“It’s a fine dining standard at 40,000 feet,” he continues.

The choice to avoid freezing meals is not merely a culinary preference, but a business strategy. Frozen meals often compromise on taste, texture, and nutritional value; factors that are crucial to Qatar Airways’ commitment to providing a premium in-flight dining experience.

By investing in fresh ingredients and meticulous preparation, the airline ensures that passengers not only receive a unique meal, but a reason to return.

“Our menus are also tailored to reflect the destinations that we fly to, based on customer demographics, and we have some of the best international chefs in the world working for us who help us to design our menus with their local cuisine front of mind,” says Bhardwaj.

Most recently, Qatar Airways announced a collaboration with renowned Qatari chef Noof al Marri, who brings her exceptional talent and passion for Qatari cuisine to the airline’s Business Class, and the airline regularly curates special menus during holidays (such as Eid and Chinese New Year).

Still, despite these considerations, Qatar Airways has faced unique challenges, like the mass quantity of quality ingredients it needs to source to support the world’s largest single standing unit in Doha. ““We pay close attention and monitor the small details, right down to where we source our ingredients and seasonings,” says Bhardwaj.

“Stringent quality audits are in place to ensure our customers are served with nothing but the best.”

The airline’s F&B offering is, in every sense of the word, an operation. One which Bhardwaj explains also takes great care in addressing food waste and sustainability.

As well as redistributing 200-300kg of surplus food and beverages to charities for re-use in Qatar every day, the airline develops menus which prioritize sustainable seafood, ethically-sourced meats, and plant- based options.

“Highlighting these choices can raise awareness among passengers about the airline’s commitment to sustainability,” says Bhardwaj. “We strive to adopt a comprehensive approach that considers sourcing, waste reduction, and community engagement.”

While this may seem like extraneous efforts to some (as evidenced by many airlines’ increasingly poor F&B offering), it may just be the secret to Qatar Airways’ continued success. In addition to its business class accolades (including its unbelievable business class lounges), it’s also been awarded World’s Best Airline three of the last five years.

The efforts gain significance during challenging times for the aviation industry, too. Today, the passenger experience has become a critical differentiator for airlines navigating economic uncertainties, fluctuating fuel prices, and global crises, and its these efforts – this commitment to excellence – which will leave companies poised to not only weather the storm, but soar above it.