Qantas Business Class meals & menus

But they aren't mutually exclusive. Presentation doesn't (or shouldn't) affect the quality of the food - a tough steak through overcooking will still be tough and horrible even if presented wonderfully. To me a delicious meal, presented nicely, is a great experience as soon as it hits the table. Look, smell & taste. All part of a good dining experience.
I think in the case of steak - and perhaps some other proteins - more focus on the substance over the style would be better? Heating the steak in a ramekin with its sauce would be better than heating the individual components and plating them. Which can lead to more tough steaks than not.

But for some reason passengers seem to prefer the individual plating, and airpines are responding. I’d happily go back to domestic service of main in international. Meat isnt dry or tough there.
 
I don’t think the initial quality of the cut of beef is in question… it’s the reheating and overcooking.

Having the steak heating by its self, without any sauce, perhaps leads to a less juicy and tender piece of meat.
Done properly it works but not following the instructions is not unique to QF.

I often go for fish dishes and they’re usually perfect on QF. I’ve had shockers on QR - mushy tasteless white sludge.
Heating it in a ramekin together with the sauce we never had a problem!
Yep, curries and stews are usually a safe bet on any airline - especially down the back.
We’ll have to disagree on the ‘swoosh’. It doesn’t make it a better meal taste or quality wise. I’d go for substance over style any day!
We eat with our eyes!
Oh, for sure - I was (perhaps badly) illustrating that 'presentation' can make a meal more enjoyable.
I was joking! (Re turbulence).

The swoosh looks good and elevates the experience - just so long as it tastes good also.
 
I have always said “you eat with your eyes”. QF lack of care in the presentation of their food is a constant irritant for me.
To be fair, it’s not all bad on QF. I’ve had some very well plated dishes on QF J (that were also quite decent eating).

Yes, I’ve had some that didn’t look great but tasted ok. Plus some that failed on both counts. Again, not a unique thing. Anyone routinely flying transpac will know the other options are pretty average. Although, US carriers do seem to get a beef medallion on a plate medium rare more often than not!
 
I have always said “you eat with your eyes”. QF lack of care in the presentation of their food is a constant irritant for me.
I agree - fairly consistently the worst plating I've seen on any longhaul premium product (excluding those where the meal is clearly served in what it's cooked in, casserole dish style, in which case cabin crew plating is a non-issue).
In my experience, the crews who do seem to care more with the plating also seem to do a better job with the cooking and service overall - so while the plating is not the most important thing per se, it can be a good indicator for the care level of the crew.
 
Elevate your business spending to first-class rewards! Sign up today with code AFF10 and process over $10,000 in business expenses within your first 30 days to unlock 10,000 Bonus PayRewards Points.
Join 30,000+ savvy business owners who:

✅ Pay suppliers who don’t accept Amex
✅ Max out credit card rewards—even on government payments
✅ Earn & transfer PayRewards Points to 10+ airline & hotel partners

Start earning today!
- Pay suppliers who don’t take Amex
- Max out credit card rewards—even on government payments
- Earn & Transfer PayRewards Points to 8+ top airline & hotel partners

AFF Supporters can remove this and all advertisements

Become an AFF member!

Join Australian Frequent Flyer (AFF) for free and unlock insider tips, exclusive deals, and global meetups with 65,000+ frequent flyers.

AFF members can also access our Frequent Flyer Training courses, and upgrade to Fast-track your way to expert traveller status and unlock even more exclusive discounts!

AFF forum abbreviations

Wondering about Y, J or any of the other abbreviations used on our forum?

Check out our guide to common AFF acronyms & abbreviations.
Back
Top