Qatar Airways has teamed up with award-winning Australian chef Ross Lusted to launch a new First and Business Class menu, available on flights from Australia to Doha from 12 June 2025.
Known for his work at Sydney’s Woodcut and Melbourne’s Marmelo, Chef Ross has created a seasonal menu focused on clean, bold flavours using locally sourced Australian produce.
Also featuring on Virgin Australia codeshare flights with Qatar Airways, the new inflight dining experience will include a rotating series of dishes across four quarterly menus, with each plate designed to showcase the best of Australia’s sustainable seafood, meats and vegetables.
Karryon had the chance to taste the dishes recently at an intimate Sydney preview, and we can confirm: this is far from your typical inflight fare. Think Tasmanian black garlic bread, a Skull Island king prawn curry with macadamia nuts, a Rangers Valley centre cut fillet and puffed black rice with a dark chocolate sauce.
“It’s not every day that you get to partner with the world’s best airline to reimagine what fine-dining can look and feel like in the sky, and to do it in a way that reflects the highest standards no less,” Lusted, said.
“Collaborating with Qatar Airways has given me the opportunity to bring my Australian culinary ethos to a global audience and showcase our local produce we’re so proud of.”
“I wanted the menu to reflect the best of what Australia has to offer. Every dish is curated with care, drawing on my experience in high-end restaurants while adapting to the unique challenges of inflight dining. It’s an exciting challenge to translate fine dining to the inflight environment, and I’m proud to offer passengers something that feels both familiar and premium.”
The carrier says it’s all part of the airline’s wider commitment to raising the bar in premium air travel.
“We understand onboard dining plays a key role in defining the travel experience in the premium segment,” Qatar Airways’ Senior Vice President for Product Development and Design Xia Cai said.
“Thus, we are thrilled to collaborate with Chef Ross Lusted, whose passion and talent are reflected in every detail of this menu.
“We are proud to offer our Australian passengers a menu that celebrates Australian produce and culinary creativity, while maintaining the high standards Qatar Airways is known for as we provide world-class cuisine and thoughtful service onboard.”
The launch also marks another milestone for Qatar Airways’ partnership with Virgin Australia, which continues to strengthen the airline’s presence in the Australian market.
Qatar Airways has been named ‘World’s Best Business Class’ eleven times and ‘World’s Best Airline’ a record eight times by Skytrax. And the new menu is just the latest chapter in that story.
Sample of Qatar Airways and Chef Ross Lusted’s Woodcut Premium Menu:
Australia – Doha Menu
First Class Menu
Appetizer
- Fraser Island Spanner Crab Cakes – Warragal greens, smoked mayonnaise and parsley salad
Main Course
- Black Angus Beef Tenderloin – Green beans, tarragon butter, bread and butter pickles
Dessert
- Textures of Chocolate – Crisp rice and dark chocolate sauce
Business Class Menu
Appetizer
- Seared Cured Fish Plate – Soy and sesame oil dressing, cucumber and picked young ginger
Main Course
- Lamb Osso Buco Style – Heirloom carrots, parsley and lemon
Dessert
- Basque Cheesecake – Softened dry fruits, cinnamon, vanilla and walnuts
In May, Qatar Airways Group reported the strongest financial results in the carrier’s history for the 2024-25 fiscal year, achieving a record-breaking US$1.15 billion (around AU$3.3 billion) in profit, up US$500 million and 28 per cent on last year.
