Emirates Flight Catering prepares 300,000 meals

Emirates Flight Catering Company has completed its preparations to provide its services during the Dubai Airshow, which opens its doors on November 17th, where behind the amazing spectacle of aircraft and billion-dollar deals will be an operational process no less amazing, which is the mission of “Emirates Flight Catering” to combine greatness and precision in performance.

As the official catering provider at the Dubai Airshow 2025, Emirates Flight Catering is preparing to serve more than 300,000 meals to a diverse audience that includes senior executives in the aviation and space sectors, ministers and military delegations, industry experts, and guests and visitors from more than 98 countries.

This mission requires establishing two integrated central kitchens from scratch, allocating about 2,600 employees, and providing catering services to more than 150 national pavilions with cuisine that reflects the global cultural diversity of the aviation and space sectors.

More than 35,000 meals were pre-booked for the suites and chalets, and the company also attracted 74 trainees from prestigious international hospitality institutions, while the entire field infrastructure was completed in less than two weeks, which reflects the exceptional scale of operations, but the scale of operations is only one side of the story. Thanks to its complete internal management of catering operations, Emirates Flight Catering ensures consistent quality and high flexibility in meeting any special request quickly and efficiently.

Shahriar Nawabi, CEO of Emirates Flight Catering, said: “Our focus at the Dubai Airshow 2025 is to showcase what can be achieved when airline catering expertise combines with large-scale execution capabilities. We have an exceptional diversity of talent and chefs that enable us to provide authentic international cuisine, including French, Arabic, Indian, Russian, Chinese, Japanese and more. Our team of professional chefs not only masters recipes, but also understands cultural differences.” And the tastes of guests from about 100 countries.”

He added: “We have prepared an integrated team of professionals and trainees from the most prominent hospitality institutions, and built two integrated central kitchens at the exhibition site, supported by the ability of our facility at Al Maktoum Airport to produce 150,000 meals per day. This system of talent, infrastructure, and strategic investment represents a true model of operational excellence that will be tested on an unprecedented scale.”

Emirates Flight Catering Company has completed the construction of two main central kitchens in strategic locations between the exhibition building and the chalets, to ensure the best level of service throughout the huge event.

The new facilities include cooling and laundry rooms, independent storage areas, special power sources, and refrigerated areas designated for sweets, cold kitchens, and central production.

The company also prepared an integrated infrastructure for employees, including internal restaurants, attendance facilities, rest tents, uniform distribution centers, and rest areas. Construction began in late October and was completed within two weeks thanks to careful planning. A week before the exhibition begins, a comprehensive test run will be conducted to ensure efficient performance in every detail.

Logistics between the Emirates Flight Catering facility at Al Maktoum International Airport and the exhibition site have been completely streamlined, with security screening devices and direct access points to the aviation apron to ensure safe and smooth operations throughout the event.

At the Dubai Airshow, Emirates Flight Catering will offer a world-class culinary experience on a grand scale with complete flexibility in menu design. A team of chefs and experts will be assigned to each suite according to its specific requirements.

The display tents will provide immediate services upon request, including meal baskets, fresh pastries, and customized catering services prepared according to immediate needs, and not according to fixed menus, inspired by their flexibility from Emirates Long-haul Catering’s experience in catering to airlines, where understanding diverse food tastes and preferences form the basis of daily operations.

Emirates Flight Catering also cooperates with a number of prestigious brands to provide seven distinct dining experiences to attendees, including: Origami (Japanese food), Onda (gourmet coffee), a sweets and coffee experience from Yann Couvreur, a Dibba oyster corner produced by local farms in Fujairah, a salmon and caviar corner, Bustanik with “poke” style formations, and an oriental and Persian grilling station.

Emirates Entertainment and Retail Company, a subsidiary of the Emirates Group, will also operate Costa Coffee and a food truck village in the SkyView area within the exhibition.

Emirates Flight Catering attracted 74 trainees from international hospitality and tourism institutions, including Emirati citizens, representing prestigious universities such as GLION, EHL Lausanne, Swiss Education Group, Les Roches Abu Dhabi, Zayed University, Dubai College of Tourism, Ajman University, Nest Emirates College, Bukhara University (Uzbekistan), and others.

The trainees underwent an intensive six-month training program covering cultural and operational aspects, and will apply their skills in multiple fields including hospitality, finance, human resources, sales and event organisation.

The work team includes about 1,800 core employees, supported by an additional force of 500 employees from the Dubai World Trade Center, and 280 chefs from Emirates Airlines and its lounges, in addition to cadres from various departments of Emirates Flight Catering. The company’s employees will wear a special blue uniform designed exclusively for the Dubai Airshow, in a distinct departure from the company’s traditional red and black colors.

As part of its commitment to sustainability, Emirates Flight Catering has eliminated the use of plastic containers in its operations within the exhibition and replaced them with glass containers with an integrated recycling system. The remaining food will also be recycled or donated daily through Dubai Municipality, to ensure that waste is reduced to a minimum. The company seeks to support local products in cooperation with Emirati suppliers such as Dibba Oysters and Mai Dubai.