Xiamen Airlines has introduced a new season of the "A Starred Journey" in-flight dining program, collaborating with David Lai, chef-owner of the Hong Kong Michelin-starred restaurant Neighborhood, to design the latest menu.
The menu, themed "Symphony No 6: Resonance", draws on Lai's long-standing interest in the relationship between music and cooking. According to the airline, the concept aims to translate musical structure and rhythm into a multicourse dining experience served on long-haul flights.
Neighborhood has held a Michelin one-star rating in Hong Kong over many years and has been listed multiple times among Asia's 50 Best Restaurants. Known for its informal and personal style, the restaurant has established Lai as one of Hong Kong's prominent contemporary chefs. In recent years, he has also gained wider publicity through appearances on reality cooking shows.
During the development process, Xiamen Airlines' culinary team worked closely with Lai to adapt his ideas to the operational conditions of in-flight service. The menu reflects his belief that food should be approachable and satisfying, while following a structured progression inspired by the movements of a symphony.
The first course is designed as a casual "in-flight picnic", featuring a local prawn tart, organic vegetables and a Wagyu beef sandwich, intended to create a relaxed start to the meal.
This is followed by a bouillabaisse made with locally sourced wild-caught fish, simmered in a concentrated broth and finished with saffron. Passengers are encouraged to pair the soup with bread, allowing the flavors to develop gradually.
The main course is Lai's signature chicken rice, adapted for onboard service in collaboration with the airline's chefs. The dish combines Hetian chicken and morel mushrooms with rice cooked in chicken fat and spices, marking the first time the chef's signature dish is served on Xiamen Airlines flights.
Xiamen Airlines said the new menu continues its efforts to expand collaborations with established chefs and bring Michelin-level concepts into the cabin environment, while adjusting them to the constraints of in-flight dining.
