Emirates’ Business Class Upgrade: New Dishes, Exclusive Champagne

Emirates Business Class Dining

Emirates’ Business Class passengers can anticipate an enhanced inflight experience this summer with the introduction of 18 new dishes. These dishes have been crafted by the Michelin-starred Head Chef of Moët & Chandon, Jean Michel Bardet, in collaboration with Emirates’ Vice President of Culinary Design, Doxis Bekris. Each dish is paired with an exclusive champagne, creating the pinnacle of culinary excellence in the sky.

Beginning in May 2025, 18 new appetizers and main dishes will debut on select flights, allowing Emirates’ Business Class passengers to enjoy a specially curated champagne and cuisine pairing in the air for the first time. This menu has been developing for over a year, crafted collaboratively by Emirates’ master chefs and the renowned Maison of Moët & Chandon in France. The award-winning chefs faced the challenge of designing sophisticated culinary creations using premium ingredients, all while ensuring scalability to meet the demands of the world’s largest international airline, which serves 149 meals every minute, totalling over 77 million meals annually.

New culinary creations in Emirates Business Class

The new paired dishes will feature starters such as poached scallops accompanied by green melon, blanched kumquat, lemon gel, and roasted almonds, artfully paired with Moët & Chandon Grand Vintage 2016. The lightly salted scallops enhance the flavours, showcasing the cuvée’s elegance. Green melon and kumquat elevate the champagne’s lively bouquet, while basil provides a contrasting final touch. The new offerings include vegan options like silken tofu, served with poached asparagus, soy emulsion blended with olive oil, lemon gel, and cashew cream, paired with Moët & Chandon Brut Impérial. Here, the tofu is marinated in lemon juice and soy sauce, highlighting Brut Imperial’s brightness and umami. Dill adds a vegetal contrast, and the cashew cream contributes a creamy finish, culminating in a harmonious dish.

The main courses promise to impress, featuring dishes such as roasted duck paired with braised aubergine, chickpeas in raz el hanout-spiced couscous-jus, and cherry tomatoes, all complemented by Moët & Chandon Rosé Impérial. Here, the vibrant flavours of couscous harmonize with the structure of the red wine, while spicy undertones add intrigue. The gentle acidity of the cherry tomatoes intertwines seamlessly with the dish and the Rosé Impérial. Another highlight is the tender roasted turkey, sliced and served with sage chicken jus, mashed potatoes, braised fennel, and almonds. This meal is perfectly paired with Moët & Chandon Grand Vintage 2016, where the light vegetal notes of fennel enrich the radiant bouquet, and the sage chicken jus brings an umami depth for an entirely harmonious pairing.

For seafood lovers, seared Chilean seabass, accompanied by Moët & Chandon Brut Impérial, served with artichoke purée, lemongrass sauce, and buttered sugar snap peas, will surely delight. The artichoke purée adds a smooth texture and subtle flavour that complements the elegance of the Moët & Chandon Brut Impérial. At the same time, the sugar snap peas contribute a crispy element that enhances the sparkling sensation. The lemongrass sauce introduces a refreshing note, brightening the Champagne’s character. Additionally, vegan options include braised lentils with coconut served alongside steamed basmati rice, spiced cauliflower with green peas, and naan, all paired with Moët & Chandon Rosé Impérial. The coral lentils offer a delightful texture that interacts beautifully with the Rosé Impérial’s elegant effervescence. At the same time, the curry seasoning enhances the fruity aroma with a gentle spice, and the coriander adds a delicate contrast.

Culinary excellence at 40,000 feet

Throughout the development year, chefs from France and Dubai worked together to craft the dishes. Chef Jean Michel faced the challenge of creatively pairing flavour profiles to enhance the unique notes of the exclusive Champagnes served on Emirates flights. Meanwhile, the Emirates team skillfully navigated the complexities of serving large numbers of customers travelling to diverse global destinations. The chefs collaborated to find ways to deliver premium restaurant-quality cuisine for the inflight experience, considering the effects of altitude, scalability, and food preparation before boarding the aircraft. They also needed to ensure that Emirates’ renowned cabin crew could effectively plate the meals onboard, guaranteeing that business-class customers enjoy an exceptional experience each time.

About Jean-Michel Bardet – Head chef, Moët & Chandon

To complement the excitement of a fine Moët & Chandon, Champagne aficionado Jean-Michel Bardet designs dishes based on six core principles: dialogue, colour, simplicity, saltiness, texture, and cooking. He utilizes his experience from Michelin-starred restaurants, luxury hotels, and private clubs to create this dialogue, drawing inspiration from French, Asian, and Anglo-Saxon cuisines wherever his skills lead. He began his culinary journey on the Côte d’Azur with a degree before moving to the prestigious Yacht Club de Monaco. He then travelled to a Vancouver Yacht Club and briefly stopped in London to refine his skills at Claridge’s, Flocon de Sel in Megève, Lapérouse in Paris, and Ma Langue Sourit in Luxembourg. Under the guidance of Guy Krenzer, a Meilleur Ouvrier de France, he honed his technique; with three-Michelin-star chef Emmanuel Renaut, he learned “to cook with the moment”; and at the Monegasque Métropole, he mastered luxury precision.

After nearly two years of teaching at the Le Cordon Bleu Culinary Arts Academy in Shanghai, he joined the double Michelin-starred chef Olivier Bellin, who launched a new restaurant in Hong Kong. Eighteen months later, having earned one Michelin star, Jean-Michel returned to France. His journey continued at Moulin de l’Abbaye in Perigord before he worked to revive the Domaine du Colombier in the heart of Drôme Provençale. Finally, a unique chance arose for this Champagne lover to join the Moët & Chandon Maison, crafting dishes that reflect its wines, symbols of French excellence and global openness.

About Doxis Bekris – Vice President of Culinary Design, Emirates

Starting in February 2025, Doxis Bekris will elevate the Emirates culinary teams as the new Vice President of Culinary Design. A creative and experienced chef, the Greek national is also a restaurateur, F&B consultant, author, and culinary arts lecturer. He has successfully launched and operated several acclaimed restaurants in Greece and beyond while contributing to food and beverage operations at luxury hospitality venues worldwide.

Doxis is passionate about crafting original recipes and is dedicated to sourcing the finest raw ingredients globally. He respects diverse cultures and their culinary practices and aims to integrate these influences into menu designs across the Emirates’ numerous destinations. Doxis began his journey with Emirates in 2019 as the Vice President of Culinary Shared Services & Concept Development, where he shaped Emirates’ celebrated inflight catering, overseeing regionally inspired meals served on 490 flights daily and managing 1400 chefs at Emirates Flight Catering Facility (EKFC), before assuming the role of Vice President of Culinary Design.

About Emirates’ champagne offering

Emirates and Moët Hennessy have enjoyed a 33-year partnership. Moët & Chandon champagnes are a hallmark of the Emirates experience, available in all Emirates Lounges and served complimentary in First and Business Class. They can also be purchased in Premium Economy and Economy Class. Upholding its ‘fly better’ promise, Emirates sources more champagne than any other airline globally.

The airline has exclusive rights to serve Dom Pérignon Vintage 2015, Dom Pérignon Vintage Rosé 2009, and Dom Pérignon Plénitude 2 2004 (transitioning to 2006 in July), along with Moët & Chandon Brut Imperial, Moët & Chandon Imperial Rosé, Moët & Chandon Grand Vintage Blanc 2016, Veuve Clicquot Yellow Label, and Veuve Clicquot Vintage Blanc 2015. Additionally, Emirates offers the Australian sparkling wine Chandon Vintage Brut 2018, which will change to the 2019 vintage in April, exclusively for Premium Economy customers.