Rich pickings – Emirates to offer first-class vegan meals

In celebration of World Vegan Day on November 1, and to please members of the growing vegan community rich enough to travel first-class, Emirates Airlines now offers first-class vegan meals.

Unfortunately, the fanfare around plant-based meals will not be heard by ordinary passengers in a coach who will still have to order in advance or eat (or avoid) the mystery meat of airline goop.

The vegan project is a product of Emirates Flight Catering, the most extensive flight caterer in the world with chefs from 69 countries. The plant-based menu contains more than 180 recipes approved by international tasting panels of vegan and non-vegan chefs.

“Gourmet” vegan dishes are now offered in first and business classes while the economy-class menus remain rooted in blandness. The healthy meals for the privileged emphasise freshness and taste with vegetables and fruit taking centre stage.

Jackfruit, kohlrabi and cauliflower feature prominently in some dishes. Other core ingredients include tofu, mock meat products and varieties of nuts and beans.

Also on offer are dishes prepared with gluten-free chickpea flour, quinoa seeds, coconut-based dairy, vegan chocolate and cheese.

Passengers can expect to find thyme-scented mushroom stew, jackfruit biryani, cherry tomato tofu with edamame and roasted sesame.

Complementing meat-free savouries dishes are plant-based desserts including quinoa cakes; lemon tart and chocolate tofu cheesecake.

If you are unfortunate enough to be so poor as to travel economy class, you’ll have to stick with the airline’s standard plastic box of despair. Vegan options are only available on pre-order for economy travellers, so if you forget to order, the choice onboard remains the same as before: dead things or hunger.