Alaska Airlines unveils exciting First Class, Main Cabin options and sets stage for next culinary chapter
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Summary
Chef Brandon Jew’s Cantonese-inspired dishes expand to more First Class routes, continuing Alaska’s award-winning culinary partnership.
Alaska debuts a bold new plant-based grain bowl in Main Cabin, crafted with Evergreens™ and available for pre-order on select flights starting April 30.
Alaska Airlines is soaring to new heights this spring with chef-curated meals that bring the flavors of an award-winning restaurant straight to your tray table.
Culinary journey continues with award-winning chef
Building on the success of its exclusive First Class menu, Alaska is proud to continue its partnership with acclaimed chef Brandon Jew, owner of San Francisco’s Michelin-starred Mister Jiu’s. Last fall, the airline teamed up with the James Beard Award-winning chef to launch three high-quality meals, setting a new standard for inflight dining.
Now, First Class guests flying between San Francisco and New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport can once again indulge in Chef Jew’s expertly crafted dishes, bringing a modern twist to Cantonese cuisine in the skies. New this year, Alaska is expanding the guest experience by adding Chef Jew’s dishes to First Class menus on flights from San Francisco to Boston, Washington D.C. (Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport and Washington Dulles International Airport) and Orlando.
“I’m grateful to Alaska Airlines for partnering with me in honoring my roots and continuing to bring Chinese food to guests traveling from coast to coast. As I developed my first menu cycle, I learned to rely on sauces that are delicious on their own and to create dishes that evoke a sense of place – whether that’s reminding guests of home or getting them excited to visit San Francisco’s Chinatown where my restaurant is located.”
Photos by Alaska Airlines
Chef Jew’s new spring menu puts a cultural twist on familiar favorites still steeped in classic Chinese Food, featuring dishes like the new Hong Kong French Toast and Tea-Smoked Soy Chicken.
“With this new menu, I’m featuring local ingredients like Wycen Foods’ Lap Cheong, a traditional cured meat made by a specialty San Francisco Chinatown shop; and Stemple Creek, a ranch dedicated to sustainable practices,” said Jew. “These ingredients bring incredible flavor and showcase the Bay Area’s culinary heritage. The partnership with Alaska is an exciting opportunity, and I can’t wait to see how Alaska will continue to elevate their menus with what’s cooking behind the scenes.”
“Chef Jew’s innovative approach and ability to craft dishes that appeal to a wide range of tastes make him the ideal partner – and this is just the beginning.”
A new chapter awaits
It all began with Chef Jew. Now Alaska is working on its next culinary chapter that will take its already elevated meals to new heights.
“Later this spring, we’ll be revealing what’s next on the horizon and exclusive to our First Class guests,” hinted Traynor-Corey. “Get ready for more innovation, more flavor and more culinary artistry at 35,000 feet.”
With more menu innovations on the way, Alaska continues to build on the dining excellence that earned it top honors from Business Traveler in 2024.
Plant-based perfection lands this spring
No matter where our guests sit, Alaska delivers a premium dining experience with a variety of chef-curated cuisine. That includes our Main Cabin.
Starting April 30, Alaska Airlines is excited to unveil a 100% plant-based and gluten-free dish in partnership with longtime collaborator Evergreens™, the Seattle-based fast-casual restaurant known for its bold, customizable salads, wraps, and bowls.
The Best Laid Plants grain bowl—created in collaboration with Evergreens’ culinary team—features Chimichurri Tofu, avocado, quinoa, and a side of Mango Habanero Dressing. This chef-crafted option brings Evergreens’ signature flavors to the skies, offering guests a craveable and satisfying plant-based meal. The Best Laid Plants grain bowl will be available to Main Cabin guests for pre-order on most flights over 1,100* miles.
“This fresh, flavorful dish is not only a healthy choice — it’s good for the planet. We created the Best Laid Plants grain bowl to prove plant-based food doesn’t have to be bland. After extensive taste testing with employees and focus groups — even the most dedicated carnivores agree: it’s a winner.”
For the full spring menu available in First Class, Premium Class and Main Cabin, click here. Fueled by Alaska’s industry leading pre-order program, the airline continues to offer more inflight dining choices than any other U.S. carrier. Guests can now choose from up to five chef-curated dishes, including at least one hot meal option on flights over 1,100* miles. In addition to Alaska’s freshly prepared selections—like the guest-favorite Signature Fruit & Cheese Platter—fresh meals are available exclusively through pre-order purchase.
“We’re thrilled to partner with Alaska Airlines to bring one of our most craveable, plant-based bowls to the skies,” said David Kairis, head chef at Evergreens™. “This is about proving that healthy food can be bold, satisfying and something travelers will actually look forward to.”
Full First Class Chef Brandon Jew Curated Spring Menu
Route: SFO to BOS, DCA, EWR, JFK, IAD, MCO and EWR/JFK to SFO
Breakfast: Hong Kong French Toast
Description: Toasted brioche bread soaked in a spiced cream mixture, topped with a rose-water & strawberry compote. Served with a coconut-cashew butter sauce and traditional Wycen Chinese Lap Cheong sausage.
Route: SFO to JFK/EWR
Lunch/Dinner: Stemple Creek Ranch Braised Short Ribs
Description: Tender short rib braised in a traditional shio koji marinade, served with broccolini and Chow-Fun rice noodles with roasted butternut squash.
Route: JFK/EWR to SFO and SFO to BOS, DCA, IAD, MCO
Lunch/Dinner: Tea-smoked Soy Chicken
Description: Soy-marinated crispy chicken thigh smoked with traditional tea leaves, served alongside lightly pickled lotus root and a sticky lotus leaf rice with traditional Wycen Chinese Lap Cheong sausage.
For our media kit, click here.
*Certain meal options may not be available on some flights, including redeye flights or where catering is not available
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