Emirates serves crew-designed First Class dish
Tofu Royale contains chicken, mushrooms and (naturally) tofu
Beginning this April, guests flying Emirates First Class on the airline's Dubai-Seoul route will get a taste of a contest-winning dish, created by one of the airline's own cabin crew members.
A contest was held for employees to mark the launch of the Emirates Food Channel on ice, its inflight entertainment system. After sampling the entries, Jeeye Kang was named the Emirates' "Biggest Foodie" for her Tofu Royale recipe. Her dish will be served on board during April, August and December of this year.
Contest winner Jeeye Kang and Chef Wang De Xiang, Emirates’ Executive Sous Chef
According to a press release from Emirates, Tofu Royale pays homage to Korea, Kang's home country. “I thought entering the competition would be a great opportunity to showcase my country’s traditional cuisine and my passion for cooking," she told the airline. "I was excited to hear that my dish was chosen by the panel of judges and I’m so honored and thrilled to have my dish served on board. This dish was specially prepared for the monarchs of the Joseon dynasty. My grandmother made a similar dish whenever we had a family reunion and I later found out this dish was served to royalty more than 500 years ago, which is why I called it Tofu Royale.
“It is a great privilege to have had the chance to be recognized for my culinary talents and to share my passion for food. Cuisine and appreciation for great food is a way of bringing people of all cultures together and I am pleased to contribute a dish that can be enjoyed by fellow Koreans and non-Koreans alike. Emirates has one of the largest and most awarded flight catering operations in the world, so to me, this is a badge of honor. I am grateful to have the opportunity to contribute to enriching our regionally-inspired menu on the route and the customer experience."
The dish's ingredients include tofu, chicken and morel mushrooms with boiled egg yolk for topping, pine nuts as garnish, and a drizzle of sesame and truffle oils. Tofu Royale will also be served with dakjuk (chicken congee), a popular Korean porridge.
