Virgin America introduces new health-focused, gourmet menus

Virgin America announced the introduction of new menus that offer guests a selection of healthy and wholesome meal and snack options for the spring travel season. The new menus include an on-demand selection for guests in the Main Cabin and a new seasonal First Class menu designed by world-renowned Chef, Luke Mangan. Both menus are crafted using an assortment of nutritious ingredients, including fresh fruits and vegetables, premium meats and artisan breads and are designed to give travelers more healthy and satisfying options to choose from for their in-flight meals and snacks.

"Our goal at Virgin America is to revolutionize today’s travel experience by offering not only great service and entertainment features, but also healthy, satisfying menu selections," said Senior Vice President of People, In-flight and Guest Services Frances Fiorillo. "In an effort to continue to evolve our award winning first class guest experience we have partnered with Chef Luke Mangan, who is known the world over for using fresh and organic ingredients," continued Fiorillo.

Chef Mangan honed his skills at some of the world’s most prestigious restaurants, including the world-famous, three Michelin star Waterside Inn in Bray, Berkshire. Today, Chef Mangan owns four restaurants around the globe, including South Food + Wine Bar in San Francisco, Salt and World Wine Bar in Tokyo, and Glass Brasserie in Sydney.

"Virgin America is bringing a quality dining experience back to air travel with a new in-flight menu that uses fresh, seasonal ingredients to create an assortment of refreshing and nutritious meal and snack options," said Chef Mangan. "I believe in only using natural foods, cooked simply and naturally. Travelers have endured tasteless, high-calorie domestic airline menu options that are lacking in both nutrition and flavor long enough. With our new spring menu, Virgin America is offering a healthy, delicious and satisfying selection that will pioneer a new standard for in-flight dining."

Guests traveling in the First Class Cabin will be able to select from a variety of gourmet traditional and vegetarian dishes created exclusively for Virgin America by Chef Mangan. Selections featured on the new First Class menu will vary by route, but include:

BBQ Lamb Cutlets: French-cut seared lamb rib chops served with creamy whipped potatoes, sweet onion confit made with caramelized onions, honey white wine and balsamic vinegar and served with oven roasted Roma tomatoes and basil infused olive oil.

Moroccan Spiced Vegetable Pie: A Moroccan spiced dish of carrots, sweet potatoes, eggplant, zucchini, sun burst squash, okra, tomatoes and finished with fresh spinach, chick peas, currants and almonds. Topped with flaky puff pastry and served with couscous with cilantro, dates, onion and olive oil.

Braised Beef with Peas, Feta and Pine Nuts: Short rib of beef braised with carrots, ginger, chilies, sweet potato, chickpeas, dates, Moroccan spices and finished with feta cheese, green peas and pine nuts. Served with couscous with cilantro, dates, onion and olive oil.
Eggplant and Ricotta Cannelloni: Crispy pan fried eggplant slices rolled up with a creamy ricotta cheese and spinach filling served on tomato basil sauce and fresh mozzarella and garnished with a fried basil leaf.

Maple Roasted Chicken with Spiced Pumpkin and Broccolini: Roasted maple and herb marinated chicken breast served with whipped potatoes, oven roasted pumpkin with crispy bacon and onion, buttery broccolini and finished with a maple and herb demi glace.

Green Curry Vegetables with Braised Basmati Rice: A vegetarian curry dish of carrots, potatoes, yellow squash, eggplant, tomatoes, zucchini, sweet potatoes, red lentils, green beans, cauliflower, okra, green peas and spinach and finished with pickled papayas with mustard seeds. Served with Basmati rice garnished with, cashews, raisins, coconut, cucumber, red chilies and papadums

In the Main Cabin, guests can purchase options from the new spring menu at the touch of a button using Red(TM), the airline’s interactive seatback entertainment system. The on-demand ordering system is offered by Virgin America and is part of the airline’s standard, award-winning service. The new spring menu allows Main Cabin travelers to choose from an assortment of new meal and snack options.

New snack options include the following (prices range between $3 – $6 in Main Cabin, and options are complimentary in Main Cabin Select):

New Grab and Go Food Cube: The Grab and Go Food Cube contains great, high-quality shelf stable products from Go Picnic, including Justin’s Maple Almond Butter, Bonne Maman strawberry jam, LJ crackers, Seneca apple chips, Dan D cashews, Sweet Perry apple sauce and a Swiss Delacado chocolate bar.

sweetriot All-Natural Dark Chocolate: Antioxidant packed 65% dark chocolate with crunchy cacao nibs low in calories, low in sugar, dairy-free, gluten-free, and high in flavor. Virgin America is the first to offer sweetriot’s brand new product, the unBar, as part of an effort to bring passengers the coolest new products before anyone else.

Hippie Chips – Jalapeno Flavor: These ultra-light, low fat chips are only 90 calories and made with all-natural, gluten-free ingredients for a superlative taste and exceptional texture. Guests who purchase a bag of Haight-AshBerry Jalapeno Hippie Chips have a chance to win a free roundtrip on Virgin America.

In addition to the new snack additions, guests traveling in the Main Cabin will also have the opportunity to choose from a variety of delicious options within Virgin America’s new seasonal Fresh Menu, including the following (prices range between $7 – $10 in Main Cabin, and options are complimentary in Main Cabin Select):

Fruit and Cheese: Hand-cut imported brie, pepper Monterey Jack and aged cheddar paired with clusters of sweet red seedless grapes, sun-dried cranberries, pecans and crisp multigrain crackers.

Spring Spinach Salad: Young spinach leaves and Romaine lettuce loaded with crisp julienne carrots, red, green and yellow bell peppers, sweet strawberries, feta cheese, grape tomatoes and long stem artichokes served with a balsamic vinaigrette.

Hummus and Pita Chips: A healthy selection of Mediterranean hummus and baba ganoush served with crisp fresh carrot batons, broccoli and cauliflower florets, sweet red bell pepper, cucumbers, red radish, sugar snap peas and a stuffed grape leaf, served with Stacy’s Pita Chips.

Wild Berry Parfait: A light yogurt parfait layered with vanilla yogurt, raspberries, blueberries and blackberries, served with a crunchy chocolate granola.

Mandarin Chicken Hand Roll: An exciting play on the popular Asian hand roll, this wrap includes grilled chicken breast, crisp cucumber, mandarin orange sections and cream cheese, along with green leaf and frisee lettuce, red radish and yellow bell peppers all rolled within a savory mandarin orange tortilla. Served with a Thai noodle salad and a Toblerone chocolate for dessert.

Napa Valley Chicken Salad Hand Roll: Diced chicken breast tossed with apples, currants, crisp vegetables and mayonnaise rolled within a savory garden spinach tortilla wrap, with red bell peppers, green leaf and frisee lettuces, carrot sticks and cream cheese. Served with a Italian pasta salad and a Toblerone chocolate for dessert.

The Italian: Freshly baked artisan herb and cheese focaccia flat bread piled high with cured ham, shaved prosciutto, Genoa salami, provolone cheese, pickled sweet red onion, Kalamata olives, banana peppers, crisp lettuce and ripened Roma tomatoes. Served with a Toblerone chocolate for dessert.

Flat Iron Steak Sandwich: The perfect steak sandwich of seasoned, seared and thinly sliced flat iron steak served on a freshly baked artisan ciabatta roll with roasted red peppers, red onions, yellow roasted tomatoes, fresh mozzarella cheese, frisee lettuce and a tangy basil pesto sauce. Served with a Toblerone chocolate for dessert.

In addition to an updated food menu, new beverages and cocktails are also available for purchase starting today. Guests can always order drinks, like Illy iced cappuccinos and eco-friendly cocktails made with VeeV Acai Spirit from their seatback, and watch as they are mixed on-demand.