Qatar Airways will introduce an Australian-inspired premium dining menu developed with chef Ross Lusted on flights departing Australia in 2027. First Class and Business Class passengers can experience the refreshed selection from February through July.
Unveiled in Sydney on 8 October 2026, the menu features tiger prawns, slow-cooked lamb shoulder and caramel-roasted apple. It continues the airline’s culinary collaboration with Lusted, which began in 2025.
The programme brings Australian restaurant influences into international aviation, connecting premium onboard hospitality with the departure destination’s food culture. For eligible travelers, it adds a new dining dimension to journeys from Australia.
Ross Lusted Shapes the Premium Experience
Lusted is associated with Woodcut in Sydney and Marmelo in Melbourne. His involvement draws on contemporary Australian cooking while incorporating ingredients and influences from other culinary traditions.
The forthcoming selection builds on an established partnership rather than introducing the chef’s work onboard for the first time. Its February launch represents a refreshed chapter in Qatar Airways’ Australian dining programme.
The collaboration focuses on meals served during the journey. It does not introduce a new aircraft cabin or announce changes to seating.
For passengers comparing premium flights, however, food remains part of the broader hospitality experience. The selection gives travelers specific dishes to consider alongside comfort, schedules and connection arrangements.
Business Class Features Lamb and Australian Ingredients
Business Class passengers will receive a selection that combines meat, vegetables, nuts and fruit across several courses.
An announced starter features Woodcut white-cut chicken with macadamia nut dressing, corn and shiitake mushrooms. The combination places contrasting ingredients within a single preparation.
The main-course selection includes Woodcut slow-cooked lamb shoulder, served with softened lentils, young spinach and puffed quinoa. These accompaniments bring vegetables, legumes and texture to the dish.
For dessert, caramel-roasted apple comes with pastry crust, vanilla cream and verbena. The fruit-based preparation completes the previewed Business Class offering.
Together, these dishes outline the menu’s direction without representing every meal passengers might encounter during the six-month programme.
First Class Highlights Seafood
The First Class selection places seafood prominently within the refreshed dining experience.
Woodcut tiger prawns will arrive with harissa oil, pickled carrot, spice crunch and mint leaves. The preparation combines spiced, pickled and herbal elements.
Another announced dish features roasted fish fillet with seafood orzo broth, young fennel, green olive and saffron oil.
These combinations reflect a contemporary approach to Australian-inspired dining. They incorporate international flavours while maintaining seafood as a central ingredient.
The differing cabin selections also give the programme distinct identities. Travelers should check their flight’s available menu rather than assume both cabins offer identical dishes.
Culinary Tourism Extends Into the Journey
The partnership creates a connection between Australia’s restaurant scene and the international travel experience.
For overseas visitors returning home, the menu can extend the culinary element of their stay beyond the airport. Australian residents traveling abroad can encounter familiar ingredients interpreted through Lusted’s cooking.
This gives destination-linked food another setting in which to reach international travelers. Sydney and Melbourne’s restaurant connections form part of that story.
However, the announcement does not quantify benefits for Australian tourism businesses or food producers. It also does not establish increased bookings or visitor spending.
Its immediate tourism relevance lies in presenting Australian culinary influences within a premium international journey.
Drinks and Amenities Broaden the Offering
The Sydney showcase also highlighted a cocktail and mocktail collection developed by Italian mixologist Lorenzo Antinori, associated with Hong Kong’s Bar Leone.
Named creations include Rising To The Sky, Tokyo 75 and Golden Delilah.
The drinks collection was described as available on departures from Australia and New Zealand traveling to or through Doha. Additional selections feature in the A380 onboard lounge.
Its timing differs from the new food programme, which begins in February 2027.
Qatar Airways also highlighted Starlink inflight connectivity and Diptyque amenity kits within its wider premium offering. Travelers should confirm availability for their aircraft and itinerary.
What Passengers Should Check Before Booking
The announced Qatar Airways Australian menu applies to First Class and Business Class departures from Australia between February and July 2027.
Passengers connecting through Doha should not assume the same dishes will appear on subsequent flights. The announcement does not extend the refreshed selection across every departure market.
Travelers with dietary requirements should follow the airline’s special-meal procedures and check suitable options before departure.
Individual dish availability may vary, making the flight-specific selection more useful than the showcase menu alone.
For eligible passengers, the refreshed programme offers another opportunity to experience Australian-inspired hospitality while traveling internationally. Its practical value will rest on the meals and service delivered onboard.
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