No more butter chicken (and Neil Perry) please!

[exmc]

Butter chicken again tonight (the only hot option) in Mel J Lounge. Walked over to Emirates and they're offering a wide selection including some very nice Cape Grim beef. The chef also comes out and does his inspection of the food and address any concerns, very obvious they take food seriously at Emirates.

I like salt and pepper squid as much as the next person but its absurd Qantas hasn't dumped Neil Perry already. The catering across all classes is downright horrible compared to the competition. In Y, the portions are getting smaller and smaller every year, I think it might be bread only soon. In J, The food is awful (compared to other carriers) , plating is terrible and every couple of flights I get butter chicken (its not good). I know Neil Perry likes his asian fusion but it often comes out second best. One hilarious moment was flying back from Perth and having one hot dish in the lounge - butter chicken. Board the flight and get offered butter chicken again in J back to Syd.

One quick fix would be to cut the contract with Neil and get Dnata to copy the Emirates menu for QF. Surely this would be a good cost saving measure that AJ and QF can embrace.

 

[Auzzieflyer]

I think this issue is more likely to be Qantas and their budget more than Neil Perry… not that I’m a fan of his

 

[jase05]

Having flown with EK a number of times from experience I can say their meals are hit and miss in J although I think overall it’s often very good IMO.
Agree about the Lounge though. As someone who doesn’t eat seafood the QF F lounge has no real interest for me and the EK lounge in MEL is far better IMO.
Everyone is different though

 

[RooFlyer]

No more butter chicken - here, here! Lets be honest - in the lounge or on board it says "We are serving you bulk produced slop at the lowest cost we can get away with. Enjoy."

No more Neil Perry 'inspiration' - works for me. No amplification necessary.

 

[JessicaTam]

But butter chicken is one of the meals I look forward to!

 

[GoldCanyon340]

I feel this thread can go multiple ways.... yes let's (pleaze) have a new chef but also keep some food that actually tastes of something. If I have to have another "Neil's Salad" then I may consider flying Aeroflot.

Ultimately, butter chicken is awesome.

 

[RooFlyer]

Ultimately, butter chicken is awesome.

Do you mean that in the general sense, or the way it comes out in the Qantas lounges (or SYD J, at least)?

 

[GoldCanyon340]

Do you mean that in the general sense, or the way it comes out in the Qantas lounges (or SYD J, at least)?

Oh the general sense. SYD J, hmmmmm.... nope

 

[Princess Fiona]

I don’t think the food in the MEL J lounge is anything whatsoever to do with Neil Perry.
I’ve also never seen a chef in an EK outstation either but I digress.


I think QF has at least a couple of standards of Lounge and premium cabin food

Domestic J Lounges standard canteen issue except PER/BNE/MEL which each have a novelty food station. Nothing at SYD.

Domestic and TT J cabin what was served in Y in the noughties with a Lindt ball thrown in.

Int J lounges can’t comment on Australian sorry but Int depends on outstation. Some are good. Int F is excellent.

Int J cabin is Neil Perry inspired menus with variable plating and the dreaded salad

Int F cabin is basically the J menu with the caviar tartlet thing and better wine.

 

[33kft]

I am not sure toasted sandwiches are as big a part of Neil's repitoire as the lounges would have us believe.

 

[MrJetset]

I don’t think you’ve had much experience with EK. Their F catering is the worst of most F products.

The only reliable choices are the Caviar and Soup option. Everything else is bland and tasteless and has been since a sharp down turn around five years ago.

EK don’t advertise chefs on board or in their lounges. If one of the kitchen staff came out to inspect the food, it’s of their own initiative.

 

[Groundhog]

Funny……. i was about to author a similar thread last week.

In the last month i have had butter chicken in MEL, SYD, AKL, LAX and once on board. Did QF secure a massive order of Patak’s?
Don‘t get me wrong, i love a good curry, but it would be nice to see some variety NP!

 

[FlyingKangaroo]

If I have to have another "Neil's Salad" then I may consider flying Aeroflot.

Here are six leaves of rocket and a dull vinaigrette. Pay me royalties!

 

[Tropic]

If I got genuine friendly service and food/wine of good quality/quantity, I would happily accept all of QF's failings elsewhere... not going to happen sadly. Really, doesnt anyone in QF marketing feel even a little bit embarrassed serving up the slop they do?

 

[TheRealTMA]

I don’t think you’ve had much experience with EK. Their F catering is the worst of most F products.

The only reliable choices are the Caviar and Soup option. Everything else is bland and tasteless and has been since a sharp down turn around five years ago.

EK don’t advertise chefs on board or in their lounges. If one of the kitchen staff came out to inspect the food, it’s of their own initiative.

Yes agree, it used to be excellent but dropped off considerably some 5-6 years ago. Wines are still excellent and some of the best of any F carrier though.

 

[Auzzieflyer]

Yes agree, it used to be excellent but dropped off considerably some 5-6 years ago. Wines are still excellent and some of the best of any F carrier though.

… not recently

 

[exmc]

I don’t think you’ve had much experience with EK. Their F catering is the worst of most F products.

EK don’t advertise chefs on board or in their lounges. If one of the kitchen staff came out to inspect the food, it’s of their own initiative.

Can't comment on F, I was mainly focusing on J onboard (which most of us are relegated to). I will be very surprised if you think QF is superior here. Regarding the chefs in lounge, I was merely making the point they take their job seriously. I have spotted them in MEL and SIN recently. But of course QF F Lounge is the superior option for those able to enter.

The J lounge situation (Int and Dom) in Aus is pretty dire at the moment. Decor can't be fixed in the short term but at least they can try to fix the food. MEL is probably the standout in domestic (saved by the Spice Bar). I noticed AusBT has another favourable headline/writeup for Qantas and applauding how good SYD J Dom is. The only con - "Power points are relatively scarce".

I think this issue is more likely to be Qantas and their budget more than Neil Perry… not that I’m a fan of his

Fair point, sorry Neil - I take it back, you don't take all the blame here!

 

[MrJetset]

Can't comment on F, I was mainly focusing on J onboard (which most of us are relegated to). I will be very surprised if you think QF is superior here. Regarding the chefs in lounge, I was merely making the point they take their job seriously. I have spotted them in MEL and SIN recently. But of course QF F Lounge is the superior option for those able to enter.

The J lounge situation (Int and Dom) in Aus is pretty dire at the moment. Decor can't be fixed in the short term but at least they can try to fix the food. MEL is probably the standout in domestic (saved by the Spice Bar). I noticed AusBT has another favourable headline/writeup for Qantas and applauding how good SYD J Dom is. The only con - "Power points are relatively scarce".


Fair point, sorry Neil - I take it back, you don't take all the blame here!

QF catering, though smaller in portions (much like Australian cafe and restaurant culture vs the US), has taste and is well presented. It may not be as exciting, but taste is the ultimate decider and EK have absolutely failed in this area. When your signature Mezze has no taste, you know there's a serious problem.

I flew out of BNE and used the QF Intl J Lounge rather than EK's contract lounge. I was quite impressed with the single lounge concept, the F&B and service.

 

[TheRealTMA]

… not recently

What not recently? Is food back to quality?

 

[AIRwin]

Good news!

https://www.qantasnewsroom.com.au/media-releases/qantas-and-neil-perry-serve-up-a-celebration-of-25-years/