American Airlines has joined forces with the James Beard Foundation to bring new levels of dining to its premium cabins and lounges.

The exclusive partnership with one of the most powerful voices in the culinary industry sees American Airlines destinated as the official airline partner of the James Beard Foundation.

A series of menus designed by James Beard Foundation’s portfolio of established and up-and-coming chefs will begin with the culinary creations of Top Chef alum Sarah Grueneberg of Monteverde Restaurant & Pastificio.

“A premier culinary partner like the James Beard Foundation provides unique and delicious offerings for our customers,” says Janelle Anderson, vice president of Marketing for American. “We’re honoured to work with their roster of award-winning chefs who embody diversity, modernism and sustainable practices in the culinary world today.”

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Customers will see new items in Flagship First Dining and Flagship Lounges as well as in Flagship First and Flagship Business cabins on flights between the United States to Europe, and the US and South America, as well as domestic transcontinental flights between John F. Kennedy International Airport and Los Angeles or San Francisco.

The new menu items will be available for pre-order on aa.com up to 30 days before a booked flight or up to 24 hours before departure.

For the airline’s Flagship First dining rooms, chef Grueneberg has created grilled Roman-style artichokes with black truffle, fontina fonduta, and fresh lemon; mushroom Bolognese with fusilli pasta, cremini and porcini mushrooms; and a dark chocolate budino, with candied citrus, mandarin olive oil, feuilletine chocolate crunch, and fresh whipped cream.

Roman-style artichokes

Guests in the airline’s Flagship Lounges will be able to sample a Tuscan kale salad with beets, apples, goat cheese, a spiced sesame, sunflower, and pumpkin seed medley, and a tahini dressing.

Passengers in Flagship First and Flagship Business on applicable routes will be able to order artichoke ravioli with blistered cherry tomato sauce and a green olive pistachio pesto; and spinach and ricotta Rotolo pasta with a Pomodoro sauce, basil pesto, and pine nuts.

“The ability to provide Flagship travellers with a small taste of Monteverde is an extraordinary opportunity, and I’m truly humbled to be the first chef chosen to bring this collaboration between the James Beard Foundation and American Airlines to life,” says Chef Grueneberg, who received her James Beard Award in 2017. “The dishes created channel the classic Italian approach to cooking by focusing on simplicity, great flavours and quality ingredients that we believe will resonate deeply with guests.”

Mushroom Bolognese

The chef’s Monteverde Restaurant & Pastificio in Chicago’s West Loop has received countless accolades, including one of Food & Wine’s America’s Best Restaurants, a top 50 finalist in Bon Appetit’s Best New Restaurants list, and Eater’s 21 Best New Restaurants in America.

Chef Grueneberg was chosen, in part, because she embodies the James Beard Foundation’s Good Food For Good mission, which aims to create a more sustainable food system through education, advocacy and thought leadership.

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Throughout the year, American will be involved in the Foundation’s marquee programs, including Taste America, a culinary pop-up series featuring unforgettable dining experiences in 20 cities across the US, as well as the James Beard Awards annual gala in Chicago and events at the iconic James Beard House in New York City.

The James Beard Foundation partnership complements American’s overall experience with existing premium brands such as Casper, Bang & Olufsen and American’s exclusive Five Star Service options that include The Private Suite and BLADE private helicopters.

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