Virgin Blue Group of Airlines has launched a new premium quality on-board retail menu for Virgin Blue, Polynesian Blue and Pacific Blue guests, designed exclusively by leading Australian chef Luke Mangan.
Bringing style and taste to air travel from 2011, the airline also announced that Mangan – who owns and operates glass Brasserie at Hilton Sydney – has exclusively designed Virgin Blue’s first domestic business class menu, which will be launched on its new Airbus 330 aircraft in May 2011.
The new retail menu will offer guests a superior quality product, with delicious fresh meals and a totally reinvigorated snack and beverage menu focused on Australian-owned and made produce.
Virgin Blue Group of Airlines CEO and Managing Director John Borghetti said the new menu was about creating a first-rate in-flight experience for guests.
“We want to lead the way in providing a great range of quality in-flight food and beverages as we build on our strategy to be the airline of choice in Australia,” he said.
“Luke Mangan is renowned internationally for his expertise in food and we knew he was the right person to help us redefine onboard menus. Just because you are up in the air doesn’t mean that you can’t enjoy fresh, great tasting meals and snacks.
“Additionally, when we launch Virgin Blue domestic business class, guests can look forward to a food service of unrivalled quality, with a fresh seasonal menu that draws on Luke’s extensive experience,” Borghetti said.
Luke Mangan’s philosophy behind the new menu was to source the finest, freshest local and Australian ingredients and showcase them with a clean and contemporary twist. Renowned for his modern creations, the new designer menu across economy and business class also highlights his French classical training and Asian influences, married with simple, fresh and clean flavours.
As part of this strong retail collaboration with Virgin Blue, the leading Australian chef has introduced a range of Luke Mangan branded products on board – such as premium Luke Mangan Ice-cream sandwiches, fresh salads and paninis and Luke Mangan Gourmet Chunky Beef pies with tomato relish.
“The retail menus will feature a range of Luke Mangan branded products. This entire distinctive product range is a result of the unique close working partnerships between myself and leading boutique producers around Australia who have high quality produce,” Mangan said.
“When it comes to travelling economy, I wanted to make sure we selected high quality food that travellers actually wanted to buy such as fresh and delicious meals they could enjoy on board.”
The Virgin Blue partnership with Luke Mangan includes:
-A completely new, high quality choice of retail food on all Virgin Blue, Polynesian Blue and Pacific Blue flights with no direct impact on guest fares;
-Meal selections which bundle menu options; and
-Business Class food on V Australia and our new transcontinental Airbus 330s, exclusively designed by Luke Mangan.