The Hong Kong five-star hotel chefs creating menus for long-haul flights

When Cathay Pacific was planning to launch Hong Kong-Madrid flights in June this year, the Langham Hong Kong jumped at the opportunity to have its executive chef, Pedro Samper, design the menu for the airline’s business class passengers.

The San Sebastian native was thrilled to showcase his country’s cuisine on the airline that had never before had a focus on serving Spanish food.

“For the menu I chose slow-cooked dishes for longevity and taste. I wanted to use real Spanish products, and traditionally inspired recipes that people can recognise easily. I didn’t want to lose the quality and colour,” he says.

One of the dishes is Iberico pork cheek, cooked according to a recipe by Samper’s grandmother. The pork cheek is first sautéed, then placed in a casserole with carrots, onion and garlic, before adding Spanish brandy and tempranillo wine along with rosemary and thyme.

The ingredients are cooked slowly to gradually reduce the wine before adding pork stock. The dish is served with potato purée and thinly sliced black truffle.

Other items on the Spanish-themed menu are gazpacho, salad with Iberico ham and roasted vegetables, cod with green sauce, green beans and clams, and chicken slow-cooked with compote.