United Airlines has revealed the first wave of its new Chef’s Table meals for Polaris business class, and the menu options sounds very, very good.
United Airlines Reveals New Chef’s Table Polaris Business Class Meals
Back in March, I wrote about United Airlines partnering with Chef’s Table, the brand behind the popular Netflix documentary series, to create a new lineup of meals for United Polaris international business class.
At the time, we knew the chef lineup and the concept: each chef would create a complete meal experience, including an appetizer, salad, and entrée, inspired by the city they represent.
Now we know what those meals will actually look like.
Beginning August 1, 2026, United will debut 30 new dishes on select longhaul international Polaris flights, with meals tied to the city of departure. The first set of menus will run through September 2026, then a new lineup from the same chefs will launch in October and rotate seasonally into 2027.
United says Polaris passengers will be able to pre-order these Chef’s Table meals on united.com or in the United app starting five days before departure and up to 24 hours before departure.
United Chef’s Table Polaris Menus
Here is the first round of Chef’s Table menus United will offer in Polaris business class, with photos below:
| Station | Chef | Appetizer | Salad | Main Course |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles | Nancy Silverton, Osteria Mozza | Burrata with braised leeks, mustard vinaigrette, and breadcrumbs | Shaved Brussels sprouts with mint, almonds, and pecorino Romano | Beef brasato with garlic mashed potatoes, salsa verde, and horseradish gremolata |
| Newark | Fariyal Abdullahi, Hav & Mar | Chilled tomato soup with jumbo lump crab meat | Baby gem, endive, berbere spiced pepitas, dried cranberries, pecorino Romano, and creamy anchovy vinaigrette | Ethiopian-coffee glazed short ribs with purple mashed potatoes, sautéed Thumbelina carrots, and charred scallions |
| Chicago | Jenner Tomaska, Esmé, Petite Edith, and The Alston | Braised leeks with citrus and charred scallion vinaigrette | Arugula with endive and shaved radish | Halibut with sauce matelote, smoked onion, and bacon lardons |
| Houston | Justin Yu, Theodore Rex | Deviled eggs with white soy, aged cheddar, and chives | Chicory salad with spiced bacon, chickpeas, cucumber, onion, and oregano mustard vinaigrette | Braised Texas short rib with ragout of mushrooms, red miso, and black-eyed peas |
| Denver | Penelope Wong, Yuan Wonton | Shokupan bread with smoked trout, lemongrass, Chinese celery, and trout roe | Kale salad with fresh cherries, golden beets, grana Padano cheese, and honey ginger vinaigrette | Five-spice duck wontons with duck brodo, Swiss chard, and chili oil |
| San Francisco | David Barzelay, Lazy Bear, JouJou, and True Laurel | Hashbrown, pickled relish, and cured trout roe | Peach panzanella with sourdough croutons, Vela dry jack cheese, wild arugula, and Napa Cabernet vinaigrette | Black cod broiled in tomato tare with gold rice grits, smoky tomato raisins, peppers, and basil |
| Washington, DC | Isabel Coss & Matt Conroy, Lutèce, Pascual, and Maison Bar À Vins | Melon and burrata salad with chorizo vinaigrette and opal basil | Quinoa salad with currants, butternut squash, kale, and banyuls vinaigrette | Braised chicken breast in vadouvan coconut curry |
| São Paulo | Manu Buffara, Manu | Collard green roll filled with shrimp and fresh heart of palm, served with passion fruit citrus sauce | White bean and celery salad with goat cheese, cheese bread croutons, and orange segments | Brazilian shrimp stew with coconut rice, cashew nut farofa, and sautéed okra |
| London | Tomos Parry, Mountain & Brat | Grilled beef fillet with thyme, beetroots, Caerphilly cheese, and mustard | Lobster with grilled peach, tomato, and fennel herb | Slow-roasted lamb with smoked potatoes, grilled broccoli, and green sauce |
| Tokyo | Tashi Gyamtso, Jimgu and Enowa Yufuin | Poached scallop with yuzu-ginger glaze and edamame purée | Napa cabbage and mizuna crunch with shaved carrots, toasted sesame seeds, and rice wine vinegar | Miso-marinated sea bass with Koshihikari rice and shiitake mushrooms |
And photos:
Los Angeles:
Newark:
Chicago:
Houston:
Denver:
San Francisco:
Washington, DC:
Sao Paulo:
London:
Tokyo:
Some Of These Actually Look Quite Good!
I am not naïve about airline food. A dish that sounds wonderful in a restaurant kitchen or press release can become rather depressing after it is chilled, transported, loaded onto an aircraft, reheated in a galley oven, and served at 35,000 feet.
But several of these dishes sound like they could work very well onboard. The Ethiopian-coffee glazed short ribs from Newark sound promising. So does the Brazilian shrimp stew from São Paulo and the braised Texas short rib from Houston. Most of all, London is calling (lamb is my favorite dish!).
These are dishes with bold flavors, sauces, and textures that may hold up better than the usual beef, fish, or chicken. United says these meals were designed specifically for inflight service, which is the critical point. All airlines should seek food that tastes good after being reheated in an aircraft galley…a far more important distinction than the Michelin affiliation of the chef. That’s why short ribs tend to work and filet mignon rarely does.
The pre-order element is key: passengers who want one should order in advance. I would not count on the exact dish you want being available onboard, especially if you are not seated in the first few rows of the Polaris cabin (though I hope United will board extras because these are the sort of dishes that I suspect many in the cabin would order by default).
Can United Pull This Off?
United has not exactly been known for consistently great Polaris catering in recent years. There have been some very good meals, but also too many forgettable ones. That is why I liked the idea of this partnership when it was first announced, because United is at least acknowledging that food matters in business class and that the current baseline can be improved.
United introduced hub-specific “Signatures Dishes” in 2024 and this expands on it: I do like the concept of having a “local” dish out of each station.
Of course, execution will be everything. The dish descriptions are lovely, but what matters is what shows up on the tray. Will the short ribs be tender? Will the fish be moist? Will flight attendants be trained on what they are serving and plate it correctly?
We will soon see.
CONCLUSION
United Airlines has revealed the first round of Chef’s Table meals coming to Polaris business class starting August 1, 2026. The menus include 30 new dishes from 11 chefs, with each meal tied to a United hub or key international gateway.
It’s nice to see the actual dishes, and some of them sound quite promising. I remain cautious because airline catering is difficult, but I am looking forward to trying these meals firsthand. If United can consistently execute these dishes onboard, this would be a big improvement to Polaris dining. We’ll see if this PR fluff or delicious food soon enough…
I recognize that the French consider deviled eggs (œuf mimosa) a proper entrée (first course), but really? Elegant airplane food??
Agreed. One of the only things on the entire menu that I would not touch.
Nice theory for sure although the halibut is a bit of a head scratcher since Chicago doesn’t abut the Pacific Ocean.
(Meh, they didn’t say “fresh” halibut…)
I’m not sure I’d go for a seafood special in Tulsa either. Would you indulge in oysters in Oklahoma?
Sorry, but as a born-and-bred-and-resident Chicagoan of a certain age, I would not come within fifteen feet of any fish caught locally. And I don’t see halibut swimming around Lake Michigan.
Still, slightly better than the Cuyahoga River in 1969… (only caught fire like 13x)
“though I hope United will board extras because these are the sort of dishes that I suspect many in the cabin would order by default”
No, we know why you are hoping they will board extras 😉
@ Aaron . Ha. Do you know him or what?
I wish premium economy got this attention.
Would be cool, but at least unlike AF we don’t get economy class meals in premium economy.
I mean generally. It’s always felt like “economy with better seats”
That just isn’t true. They need to preserve enough of a gap to encourage people to buy Polaris, but United offers plenty for PP passengers. The larger screen, upgraded headphones, more orivate cabin, amenities bag, and elevated appetizer, drinks, and plating strike the correct balance IMO.
O just needs its own lav, then it would be the perfect middle cabin
@P, you get what you pay for.
UNITED rising
Without a doubt!
It will be interesting to see if reality matches the marketing. Personally, I am doubtful based on the original Polaris rollout, but I’d be happy to be wrong.
I’m skeptical.
I used to ride lax- Sydney a lot, in all classes. I can say that the United meatloaf out of lax was the last meatloaf I will ever eat.
The food quantity and quality on Qantas is better in business. You want coffee? Qantas brings a French Press with excellent coffee with China and nice presentation (which I did not expect). United just has galley coffee, quite good, but Qantas has the edge is all.
True, but United has Wi-Fi!
Qantas does not have ice cream sundaes FWIW
If you’re a grown-up, this doesn’t matter
Another strike! 😉
wow… ORD and SFO really got screwed with the main plate on this one…
but I also can’t do cooked fish on planes…
Leave those FIB’s behind and come to EWR where the “Ethiopian-coffee glazed short ribs” will fill you up!
@1990
I always love that you remember that reference. lol
it was Matthew’s Ripon, WI article where it came up, right?
but I’m with you 100% on IAH and EWR dishes. Yum!
I’d say Denver did, but different strokes for different folks! 😉
I mean… you’re not wrong 🙂
But I’d still take a weird Duck dish over fish on a plane. I just can’t do it… it’s a visceral gut reaction. I think it’s the gooeyness of cooked fish coupled with the altitude.
A seared tuna steak? I’m here for it. But cooked fish… ugh
Now Houston & Newark…? I mean…. hello? are you taking dinner guests?!
Don’t Eat The Fish – lesson learned from the movie Airplane.
lol
Hey hey, my my, kudos to UA!
And all (or some) of these meals deserve to be paired with Laurent-Perrier Cuvée Rosé Champagne! Cheers!
For aviation enthusiasts & foodies → The cover image of this news article features chefs posing in front of UA’s newest A321neo (“Coastliner”) aircraft. The company unveiled its new Polaris Business Class menus, created in collaboration with “Chef’s Table,” in front of this aircraft to both highlight the launch period of these new narrow-body premium jets and to symbolize the modernized flight experience.
I’ve found United’s catering (at least in Polaris) much better this year, than last. Of course, last year was literally the worst year ever, so it’s a bit of damning with faint praise.
United just always has awful catering. The absolute worst and even these new dishes don’t look great on promo pics. So in reality I would not expect much.
I understand your skepticism, but these dishes do sound good.
All sounds good in theory and presentation but the UA reality will be inedible just like their current Polaris food. Was just on UA43 from FRA-EWR last week and the food was simply abysmal! I would love to be proven wrong!
I think all this food looks and sounds delicious. But United does not have a good track record in turning an idea into an actual airplane meal. And, surprisingly, the average American, even in business class, tends to be very limited in their dietary choices. They don’t want to try anything spicy or garlicky or different than what they normally eat: short ribs, mashed potatoes and carrots – yes; words and foods they’re not familiar with – no. Also, I’m a little concerned about the aroma from deviled eggs (which I’m seeing on a lot of restaurant menus lately) and garlic. Also, a significant portion of the populace does not eat pork so those items are always unpopular.