Current Qantas First Lounge Menu (SYD/MEL) and relevant topics

[markis10]

Qantas used to have a wine selection panel of winemakes curating the wines in the lounges. This was disbanded around mid 2015 and wine selection handed over to Neil Perry's company.

Who moved out around COVID, Accor is responsible since then

 

[SYD]

Who moved out around COVID, Accor is responsible since then

Pretty sure the SYD F lounge was managed by Sofitel for a while (including NP menu). Is it just a generic Accor management now?

The staff name tags don’t say - they used to have “Sofitel” if my memory serves me correctly.

 

[markis10]

It’s been branded Qantas Lounges by Accor since they signed a 7 year contract in 2021, headed by #qantaslounges #qantas #accor | Andrew Tomkinson | 10 comments

 

[SYD]

It’s been branded Qantas Lounges by Accor since they signed a 7 year contract in 2021

As above, pretty sure it was a contract with “Sofitel” prior (and had been for a while).

They’d never let a left handed person work tables!


Meanwhile, the “Coastal Margarita” is quite delicious.


The Gao bao was crispy fresh

Decent serve of squid and apparently the duck in SYD wasn’t tough.





Lamb was tender and tasty but a bit dry - needed more sauce (or juices).


Cheesecake nice but the plums a bit tart.


Apple terrine was good - I was told.

 

[Captain Halliday]

the “Coastal Margarita” is quite delicious.

Complete with Neil’s signature Sydney Harbour algae.

 

[markis10]

As above, pretty sure it was a contract with “Sofitel” prior (and had been for a while).

It’s always been Accor, of course Sofitel was the leading brand in that stable for most of the early 2000s

Accor began managing the Qantas lounges in 2007 when the airline opened its flagship International First lounges in Australia, followed by the Domestic Business lounges, Chairmans Lounges and Qantas Club in 2013.
The announcement coincides with Qantas’ plans to fast-track the reopening of its award-winning First lounges in Australia in line with the launch of the two-way trans-Tasman travel bubble on 19 April 2021.

https://www.qantasnewsroom.com.au/m...-accor-re-opens-international-lounges?print=1

 

[QFFHntrGthr]

A CSM told me that the in flight wine selection is not by NP's company. Similarly, I had been told only the international kitchen is run by NP's company. The domestic kitchen is not. Things may have changed.

The quality of the wine at a NP restaurant would not compare like for like with a QF lounge. Budget, mark up, who pays for that wine offering. Restaurant markups are substantial but the diner pays the final price. QF would have a budget for the wine offering. NP's company would pick the wine and I'd expect put their markup on it then charges QF for the selection resulting in a lower quality selection possibilty. I don't expect NP would pass the wine at cost price to QF. Management fee would not suffice for a truly profitable operation.

I thought Sofitel is contracted for the front of house services in the lounge. NP's company is contracted for the back of house food and beverage procurement/production.

 

[Berlin]

I thought Sofitel is contracted for the front of house services in the lounge. NP's company is contracted for the back of house food and beverage procurement/production.

I would have thought they have contracted “cheapest bidder” for the front of houses and “cheapest bidder” for the back of house too tbh. Admittedly, that might very well include Accor, the biggest cheapskates in the hotel and catering industry ever.

 

[QFFHntrGthr]

This brings back memory of my first moonlighting job at a chinese restaurant during my uni days in the 70s. I was setting the chopsticks facing the wrong way and nobody corrected me on it until a diner complained.

 

[SYD]

Complete with Neil’s signature Sydney Harbour algae.

Hopefully not from SA nor anywhere near a Sydney deep ocean outfall…!

But it did provide the allure of a coastal beverage.

 

[vhojm]

Autumn breakfast menu in Melbourne, eggs benedict always tasty.

 

[Pushka]

Autumn breakfast menu in Melbourne, eggs benedict always tasty.

Thankyou. First one I've seen. In Sydney tomorrow for breakfast.

 

[Kangol]

Autumn breakfast menu in Melbourne, eggs benedict always tasty.

Open omelette looks like a welcome addition! Thanks for posting

 

[mad_atta]

I passed through the SYD lounge Thursday last week, around 4.30pm, and both the entire airport terminal and the F lounge were quieter than I've ever seen them.

The Lallier brut slipped down well as usual, though a bit irritating to ask the server whether they had any other champagnes available (whether other brands or the Lallier rose) and be told no, only to notice Taittinger in a bucket on the bar when I went up there later.


The chicken bao was small and simple but delicious, I thought. An excellent starter.


The steak was was a bit disappointing though - clearly a cheap cut of meat, and pretty small. The $18 Monday night steak special at Foresters in Surry Hills is vastly better. The Margaret River cabernet was perfect steak wine, though.


Per my usual tradition, I had to get the pavlova (with dessert wine). Both very good. I would have preferred the rhubarb based version on the MEL menu, as I'm obsessed with rhubarb, but no complaints here.


I then went to meet friends in the temp biz lounge which, despite the generally very quiet airport, seemed pretty busy to me - and was a good reminder that however much I might complain about the F Lounge wine list, it's still a big upgrade on the J lounge...