Starting this week, Delta customers on departure from Atlanta will enjoy Southern-inspired meals created by celebrated Chef Mashama Bailey, winner of the 2022 James Beard Foundation’s ‘Outstanding Chef Award.’
On Tuesday (August 30, 2022), Delta Air Lines announced that starting this week customers on departure from Atlanta will have the opportunity to enjoy Southern-inspired meals designed by celebrated Chef Mashama Bailey, winner of the 2022 James Beard Foundation’s ‘Outstanding American Chef’ award. Chef Bailey is also the Executive Chef and Co-Founder of The Grey, an award-winning Southern restaurant located in historic downtown Savannah, Georgia. Her meals will be served for lunch and dinner in domestic First Class on flights departing Atlanta where hot meals are served. Additionally, International Delta One guests departing Atlanta can pre-select unique menu items designed by Chef Bailey in advance of their flight.
In Tuesday’s announcment, Delta Air Lines’ SVP – Inflight Service, Kristen Manion, said,
“Delta’s roots in Georgia’s rich culture are a signature part of our own history, so partnering with the team at The Grey felt like the right fit from the start. The innovative, Southern culinary experience Chef Bailey has propelled into the spotlight is something our culinary teams have admired for some time, and we know our customers are going to be wowed by the menu she’ll be delivering on board.”
Also commenting on the culinary collaboration, Chef Mashama Bailey added,
“It's an honor to partner with Delta to bring the foods I grew up on in my mother and grandmother’s kitchen to the skies. At The Grey, we work to keep Southern, African-American food alive and well by melding those rich flavors with new techniques and cuisines from around the world. The menu for Delta customers takes local, in-season ingredients from the Low Country to new heights.”
Chef Bailey’s new menu builds on the carrier’s award-winning onboard dining experience which includes some of America’s most sought after restaurants and chefs such as Jon Shook and Vinny Dotolo, as well as Danny Meyer’s Union Square Events. Guests on select flights departing Atlanta can now enjoy Chef Bailey’s Port City Southern menu featuring dishes similar to those served at The Grey restaurant. Some selections include: a flounder and oyster dish with fumé blanc, green apple, potato, bok choy and turnips; short ribs with kanni sauce and smoked collard greens and vegan vegetable tagine with roasted sweet potato topped with a chermoula sauce. For dessert, guests will enjoy buttermilk cornmeal Tres Leches with candied kumquats and mandarin oranges.
Sample Menu Items Created by Celebrated Chef Mashama Bailey - Courtesy Delta Air Lines
The Grey restaurant has become a must-visit destination for foodies to sample Chef Baily and Managing Partner Johno Morisano’s take on Port City Southern food. Both Chef Bailey and Mr. Morisano serve on the airline’s newly formed Delta Culinary Council, where they help guide Delta’s culinary strategy alongside a collective of chefs and industry experts.
In addition to the new culinary experience available on departure from Atlanta, Delta is also rolling out refreshed seasonal menus across their network starting this week. First Class guests departing Los Angeles will enjoy a new vegan antipasti plate from Chefs Jon Shook and Vinny Dotolo with roasted broccoli, romesco dip, yellow squash, gigante beans, red onions and mushroom. Delta guests traveling from Boston or Detroit will also be treated to new menu items such as avocado toast with ricotta, figs and truffle honey, or prawn salad with cocktail sauce, hard boiled eggs and Kalamata olives, and a braised beef tart with potato mash, horseradish mousseline and Thyme jus.
On other routes, customers will enjoy other new menu items including a Korean-style Impossible® burger with mushroom and scallion bulgogi topping; chickpea potato and spinach chana marsala, roasted cauliflower with cilantro, basmati rice and naan. Desserts include a decadent chocolate chunk and sea salt cookies from Bell’s Cookie Co.
Atlanta-based Delta Air Lines (NYSE: DAL) is the global U.S. airline leader in safety, innovation, reliability and customer experience. The carrier operates over 4,000 daily flights across more than 275 destinations on six continents. Delta has over 75,000 team members and has served as many as 200 million customers annually. For the last decade, the carrier has led the industry in operational excellence, while maintaining their reputation for award-winning customer service.
Source: Delta Air Lines