United’s Chef’s Table Partnership Drops Round Two of Polaris Menus

United Airlines announced the next menu rotation from its Chef’s Table collaboration. It includes 30 new dishes from 11 world-renowned chefs across 10 cities launching November 1. Initial customer scores came in nearly 20 points higher than United’s typical preordered meals.

United Airlines announced today the second rotation of menus from its ongoing collaboration with Chef’s Table, the brand behind the award-winning Netflix documentary series. Starting November 1, 2026, Polaris international business class customers will have access to 30 new dishes created by 11 chefs from across United’s hubs and key international gateways.

The timing isn’t unsurprising. It comes alongside Delta’s Delta One next-era refresh, Alaska and Hawaiian’s chef-curated menu program, and American’s broader Flagship Dining investments. Everyone is leveling up premium dining right now, and United is making sure they’re not left behind.

Image via United Newsroom

The Numbers Behind Round One

The reason this program is getting a second rotation is simple: it’s working.

Since the first menu launch on August 1, more than 60,000 United Polaris customers have enjoyed meals as part of the Chef’s Table collaboration. Customer satisfaction scores came in nearly 20 points higher than those for other preordered meals.

For United, this validates the investment ($150M+ invested in 2025 on dining experience improvements) and justifies continued program expansions. For passengers, it means United is going to keep leaning into this partnership with better onboard dining.

The Chefs and Their Dishes

Here’s the full roster for Round 2, organized by United’s hub cities and international gateways based off the newsroom release:

Los Angeles – Chef Nancy Silverton (Osteria Mozza)

James Beard Outstanding Chef Award winner, author of 11 cookbooks, and considered the “patron saint of burrata” in America. (side note - who knew that was a thing!)

• Spiral meat lasagna with passato and taleggio sauce

Newark – Chef Fariyal Abdullahi (Hav & Mar)

Chef Partner at Hav & Mar in New York, a reaturant that blends Ethiopian heritage with European techniques.

• Chermoula glazed chicken breast with cumin spiced rainbow carrots and preserved lemon pearl cous cous

Chicago – Chef Jenner Tomaska (Esmé, Petite Edith, The Alston)

Three-time James Beard nominee and co-owner of Michelin-starred Esmé.

• Roasted chicken breast stuffed with chicken and mushroom mousseline, morels, fava beans and burnt onion jus

Houston – Chef Justin Yu (Theodore Rex)

Houston native and another James Beard Award winner.

• Poached chicken breast with garlic, lemongrass, anchovy curry, coconut Carolina Gold rice and marinated cucumber

Denver – Chef Penelope Wong (Yuan Wonton)

James Beard Award winner and Denver native.

• Char siu pork with celeriac Yukon puree, anise glazed rainbow carrots, garlic ginger confit and pickled onion

San Francisco – Chef David Barzelay (Lazy Bear, JouJou, True Laurel)

The chef behind two-Michelin-starred Lazy Bear - widely considered as approachable American fine dining.

• Grilled rack of lamb with carrot barbecue sauce, cured carrots and chicories

Washington D.C. – Chefs Isabel Coss & Matt Conroy (Lutèce, Pascual, Maison Bar à Vins)

The chef behind my hub’s contribution blends French techniques with Mexican influences.

• Duck leg enchilada with queso Oaxaca, crema, roasted sweet potatoes and salsa roja

São Paulo – Chef Manu Buffara (Manu)

Brazilian cuisine with a modern take.

• Roasted beef with natural jus, bean pirao, sautéed collard greens and fresh herb cumari pepper relish

London – Chef Tomos Parry (Mountain, Brat)

The chef behind two Michelin-starred restaurants.

• Grilled halibut with parsley garlic potatoes, seaweed sauce, lemon spinach and crispy garlic and lemon oil

Tokyo – Chef Tashi Gyamtso (Jimgu, Enowa Yufuin)

Farm-driven cuisine frommenus entirely made up of local ingredients.

• Ginger soy glazed chicken with Japanese curry ratatouille and sesame crusted potatoes

How It Works

Chef’s Table meals are served specifically on flights departing from the chef’s home city. The general concept is a direct connection between place and plate.

For Polaris international business class travelers, pre-order starts five days before departure through the United app or United.com. The order window closes 24 hours before your flight.

Round 2 of these offerings will run from November 1 through December 31, 2026, with additional seasonal rotations continuing into 2027.

Beyond the Food

An (additional) nice touch: Chef’s Table content is available on United’s seatback screens for passengers to watch during their flights. These include behind-the-scenes content about the chef collaborations, culinary inspirations, and the stories behind the dishes. There will also be select episodes of the Chef’s Table: Talks podcast available for streaming.

Think of it as some extra passenger context for what they’re eating.

My Take

This is a pretty impressive example of how an airline can differentiate on soft product. What makes this effective is the authenticity behind the dishes. United is working with specific chefs tied to specific cities and using regional ingredients and techniques. That’s harder to do, and it shows.

Having just preordered my meal for an upcoming Flagship Business itinerary on American, I can’t help but be a little jealous. These are much more exciting than the sliders, greens and grains bowl, and beef shortrib available as preorder options on AA. While execution and delivery is still to be judged, United seems to have really knocked it out of the park with this collaboration.

Bottom Line

This is a second strong rotation from United’s Chef’s Table partnership. If you’re flying Polaris internationally in November or December 2026, be sure to check out - and consider pre-ordering the Chef’s Table options. The 20-point customer satisfaction advantage signal that the quality difference is real.

Keep an eye on this program through 2027. United has committed to continuing seasonal rotations, which means we’ll keep seeing new chef collaborations and new dishes to try.

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Source: United Airlines Newsroom

Related: Delta One’s Next Era Dining Refresh · Alaska & Hawaiian Join the Service Upgrade Race · AA Expands Flagship Dining Access