Air Culinaire Worldwide has launched its New York Lifestyle Menu, the first regionally-focused menu in the United States. “We developed the menu to showcase the diverse culinary styles within the Tri-State area,” says Teterboro-based executive chef Salvatore Lano. “The area is known for its mélange of cuisines, and we took the best of what is available by working with local farmers, fresh ingredients, bright flavorus and a variety of styles. We took inspired dishes and elevated them to have that New York Lifestyle feeling at 30,000 ft.”

The menu features four lifestyles inspired by the city that the company has labelled Powerful, Adventurous, Fashionable and Cultured, with over 60 new menus items such as Red Velvet Pancakes, Za'atar-Fried Cauliflower, Forage Mushroom Salad, Olive Oil-Poached Asparagus and Northeast Seafood Boil.

With the local focus of the menu, the in-flight caterer has sourced fresh ingredients from local farms such as Lively Run Dairy Farm, Red Head Berry Farms and Double Brook Farm. In addition, the menu features exclusive partnerships with Petrossian Caviar, Leonidas Belgian Chocolates, KonaElite Coffee and O.Vine Wine Essence Water.

“Everyone is looking for either a new experience or an elevated experience when it comes to in-flight dining. The evolution of this menu is a result of that demand and blends international cuisine with small local farms and purveyors in the New York region,” adds co-founder and senior vice president of sales and marketing Paul Schweitzer. “The Black Angus and Foie Sliders and the Forage Mushroom Salad are two menu items that are wildly popular, created with products from Hudson Valley.”

To celebrate the launch, Air Culinaire Worldwide hosted Premiere Plate, a charitable fundraiser with a celebrity silent auction benefitting Share Our Strength - No Kid Hungry and a post-modern and modern art exhibition featuring works from Salvador Dali, Pablo Picasso and other greats, benefitting Heavenly Harvest and the Wendy English Breast Cancer Research Foundation. A selection of historical aviation artefacts was on display courtesy of the Aviation Hall of Fame.

Some of Air Culinaire Worldwide's top chefs from the United States, United Kingdom and France were joined by celebrity chefs John Doherty and Todd English to give the event's VIP guests an exclusive tasting and live culinary demonstrations, to preview new creations from the New York Lifestyle Menu. Doherty is the chef-owner of Black Barn Restaurant, who previously was the executive chef at the Waldorf Astoria New York for over two decades where he cooked for more presidents, royalty and heads-of state than any other chef in the country. English is a James Beard Award-winning chef, owner of Todd English Enterprises which includes over 20 restaurants including Todd English at The Plaza.

Air Culinaire Worldwide's New York Lifestyle Menu is available as a PDF or as part of the ACW Menu app which is available for download for Apple or Android devices.