Guest Column: dnata's Robin Padgett talks catering for Chinese carriers
This is a special feature from the March 2025 Special Meals/Pre-WTCE digital issue of PAX International, on page 20.
Robin Padgett, Divisional Senior Vice President, dnata Catering & Retail
Until recently, Westerners have often viewed Asian food through a narrow lens, with "Chinese food" seen as a monolithic cuisine—characterized by sweet-and-sour chicken, fried rice and fortune cookies. In reality, China’s culinary landscape is vast and intricate, shaped by an incredibly diverse range of regional flavours and traditions. Understanding Chinese cuisine in its entirety would take a lifetime, as the country’s climates, from the tropical south to the subarctic northeast, affect everything from ingredients to taste profiles.
China boasts eight distinct regional cuisines: Shandong, Jiangsu, Cantonese, Sichuan, Anhui, Zhejiang, Fujian and Hunan. Each one represents a different province and offers something unique. For example, Sichuan cuisine is rich and spicy, while Cantonese cuisine is light and fragrant. Even the types of rice used can vary dramatically across these regions.
The demand for authentic Chinese food on airlines has grown exponentially, driven not only by Chinese passengers seeking a taste of home but also by Western travellers eager for a true culinary experience. This creates an exciting opportunity for the airline catering industry to step up and offer more than just a simplified version of Chinese food.
dnata’s drunken corn-fed chicken, daikon salad with spring onion and ginger oil, fried barramundi infused with rice wine pickle juice and baby fava beans
Serving authentic Chinese cuisine at 30,000 feet requires skill and creativity. Dishes such as bao (steamed buns) are integral to Chinese culture, but the delicate pastry does not hold up well to the rigours of being cooked, chilled and reheated in an aircraft galley. To overcome this, dnata’s development team in Australia, including native Chinese chefs, spent months perfecting a technique to preserve the bao’s delicate texture, ensuring it remains light and flaky. The same care goes into dishes such as congee, a savoury rice porridge, which, when done right, can be a favourite among Chinese passengers.
Cooking methods also play a crucial role in maintaining authenticity. A stir-fry made in a Western frying pan will not capture the same heat and flavour as one prepared in a traditional Asian wok. That is why dnata’s new catering facilities include specialized kitchens for Western, Halal and Asian cuisine, each equipped with the right tools and techniques for the respective styles. Paying attention to all these small details, such as using Chinese cleavers instead of Western knives, makes a big difference in ensuring the food remains true to its roots.
dnata goes beyond the traditional ‘supplier relationship,’ working with its airline customers to educate them on Western cuisine and the best way to serve the dishes
Airlines know the local cuisine. To serve food that is culturally authentic, it is essential to go beyond the typical supplier-client relationship and foster a genuine partnership with airlines. Understanding their culinary preferences and working alongside their internal teams ensures we can capture the subtleties of each cuisine. This collaborative approach helps us perfect dishes that might not be reflected in tender documents alone.
To form such a partnership, we also educate an airline about Western cuisine and the best way to serve our own dishes.
Creating truly authentic Chinese meals requires investment, creativity and a willingness to innovate. However, the effort pays off. Chinese travellers appreciate meals that remind them of home, prepared with the same care and attention their mothers and grandmothers would give, rather than dulled down to suit Western tastes. Respect for China’s culinary traditions goes a long way in earning the loyalty of this growing and valuable market.
