Alaska Airlines launches 'Chef's Table' dining experience with West Coast chefs
SEATAC, Wash. - Alaska Airlines announced Wednesday that it is expanding its inflight dining service through collaborations with award-winning West Coast chefs.
The new ‘Chef’s (tray) Table' program will elevate inflight dining across select cross-country Alaska Airlines routes, starting with new menu items created by Southern-California native and James Beard award-winning chef, Brady Ishiwata Williams.
The backstory:
The ‘Chef’s (tray) Table' program was inspired by the success of a previous single partnership with San Francisco Chef Brandon Jew, that took flight last year.
The culinary partnership's success inspired the airline to grow their onboard dining experience through more West Coast-inspired meals and menus.
"Chef Williams and Chef Jew work tirelessly at their craft and remain deeply rooted in their communities, no matter how successful they become," said Todd Traynor-Corey, vice president of guest experiences at Alaska Airlines, in a statement. "They embody Alaska’s values of giving back, creating thoughtfully curated meals with high-quality ingredients and providing memorable guest experiences — making this a perfect partnership."
Chef Jew will be one of the first to join the lineup of rotating seasonal chefs that showcase their individual culinary styles on the tray tables of guests.
Mochi waffle breakfast meal featured on select flights in First Class cabins. (Photo courtesy of Alaska Airlines)
Dig deeper:
Chef Williams will bring his Japanese-American-inspired dishes to the skies for First Class passengers starting June 5, with preorders beginning Wednesday, May 28.
Williams opened his Seattle restaurant, Tomo, in 2021 in honor of his grandmother, Tomoko Ishiwata Bristol, who played a major part in his path to becoming a chef. Williams began his culinary career at his grandparents' diner before moving to Brooklyn as an executive sous chef at Michelin-rated restaurant, Blanca.
He made his way back to the West Coast to become the executive chef at the iconic Seattle restaurant Canlis, and earned the James Beard Award for Best Chef: Northwest in 2019.
After six years at Canlis, he launched Tomo, bringing his diverse Japanese-American flavors to White Center, and now to 30,000 feet in the air as the first featured chef.
"Every dish and ingredient carries a story, and I’m incredibly proud to partner with an airline that champions local business owners like me to bring elevated and culturally rooted cuisine to the skies," said Williams in a statement. "These are dishes I make in the kitchen, and thanks to Alaska, I now get to share them with guests in the sky."
Chef Brandon Jew (left) and Chef Brady Ishitawa Williams (right) (Photo courtesy of Alaska Airlines)
Which airports will feature the new program?
Chef Williams' inaugural dishes will be available exclusively in First Class on limited routes at the following airports:
- Seattle Tacoma International Airport (SEA)
- John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK)
- Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR)
- Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA)
What's on the menu?
Routes SEA to EWR/JFK/DCA and EWR/JFK/DCA to SEA:
Flights departing between 5 and 9:59 a.m. will feature a mochi waffle and fried chicken for breakfast. Guests can enjoy a rice flour bubble waffle topped with tempura fried chicken, served with apple miso butter and a tamari-maple syrup.
Routes SEA to EWR/JFK/DCA:
Flights departing between 10 a.m. and 11:59 p.m. will feature Klingemann Farms glazed short rib for dinner. The meal will include Central Washington-based Klingemann Farms Short Rib, glazed with a serrano jaew sauce, alongside soy and Shaoxing Wine stir-fried rice cakes, spinach, hon-shimeji mushrooms and baby bok choy, served with pickles and radishes.
Routes EWR/JFK/DCA to SEA:
Flights departing between 10 a.m. and 11:59 p.m. will feature buckwheat soba with ahi-tuna tataki for dinner. The dinner is made up of buckwheat soba noodles in a cold ponzu broth, topped with edamame, scallions, pickled seaweed, tofu, cucumbers and shiso alongside seared ahi-tuna tataki with a spicy chili crisp.
Buckwheat soba meal for dinner featured on select flights to SEA (Photo courtesy of Alaska Airlines)
Certain meal options may not be available on some flights where catering is not available or on redeyes.
For more information on Alaska Airlines' spring menu in all seating sections, visit their menu here.
The Source: Information in this article is from an Alaska Airlines press release.
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