Cabin culture

Gastrophysics has shown that at typical cruising altitudes of about 35,000ft, the passenger’s body undergoes a lot while flying. The air is considerably deprived of humidity; cabin pressure is low compared to being at sea level; those of a nervous disposition would also likely be more anxious and stressed out than usual; there are also higher levels of background noise — from a bawling baby to the endless hum of the engines — to deal with. It is also no secret that these factors can make even the most delicious meal on the ground taste decidedly underwhelming in the air.

Some airlines work hard to give their passengers a pleasantly memorable experience, making high-altitude mealtimes something to not just fend off hunger pangs but eagerly anticipate. In this aspect, Singapore’s national carrier has always been at the top of its game. Its signature “Book the Cook” service, launched in the early 2000s, gives premium passengers something to look forward to from the minute they secure their flights.

See also: Judgement day

This includes a restaurant-class menu designed by a world-class chef — august names include Yoshihiro Murata, third-generation scion of his family’s renowned century-old ryōtei Kikunoi, which holds three Michelin stars in the geisha district of Gion, Kyoto, and who himself has been nicknamed the “king of kaiseki”; Georges Blanc, whose eponymous restaurant in Vonnas, France, has held three stars since 1981; and Samoan-born, London-based celebrity chef Monica Galetti — matched with the best ingredients, from Bresse chicken to lobster and scallops, and, naturally, paired with a stellar wine and spirits selection.

The unique pre-order service is made available to passengers travelling in suites, first class, business class and premium economy class on most flights departing Changi Airport, as well as on flights into Singapore from 33 destinations. Additionally, on flights departing the US, there is a Farm to Plane programme, which works with producers such as Hudson Valley Fisheries, AeroFarms and Rogue Creamery to serve their aquaculture-raised steelhead trout, nutrient-enriched microgreens and artisanal cheeses respectively. Meanwhile, passengers flying out of Changi Airport can tuck into local favourites by popular hawkers such as Boon Tong Kee chicken rice, Kok Kee wantan noodle and Song Fa bak kut teh.

See also: Head chef of two-star Shoukouwa, Kazumine Nishida

As 2026 marks 20 years of Singapore Airlines’ Barcelona-Singapore service, the milestone called for a fitting celebration. What better way to mark the occasion than by appointing Nandu Jubany as the first Catalan guest chef to join its star-studded culinary line-up? Hailing from Calldetenes, home to his flagship restaurant Can Jubany, the acclaimed chef is as much a celebrity figure as he is a savvy entrepreneur in Catalunya. His expansive portfolio spans restaurants, retail, research and development, events, brand partnerships and gastronomic consultancy. His pre-cooked meals — including his famed cannelloni and chorizo paella croquetas — are sold in supermarkets across Spain, as well as through M&S Foodhalls and online in the UK.

For those willing to venture beyond Barcelona’s city limits, Can Jubany is well worth the one-hour drive. Although it earned — and has retained — its first Michelin star in 1998, just three years after opening, Jubany has preserved the charm of the traditional Catalan farmhouse setting, albeit with a major renovation in 2010.

Guests are encouraged to arrive early to wander through the beautiful gardens, where neat plots of aubergines, peppers, peas, carrots and tomatoes flourish alongside an on-site hen house, ensuring the freshest produce and eggs make their way into the kitchen before diners are seated.

The cuisine at Can Jubany strikes a balance between the classic and the cutting-edge — a sensibility mirrored in the restaurant’s rustic-contemporary interiors. While there are several distinct dining spaces to choose from, seasoned diners know to request the chef’s table, set right in the heart of the dessert kitchen.

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The tasting menus are the best way to experience the breadth of local flavours and Catalan culinary traditions, from Arbequina olives — named after the nearby town of Arbeca — and rovellons (highly prized wild saffron milk cap mushrooms) to Catalan-style spinach meringue. A standout dish is the dry rice with espardenyes (Mediterranean sea cucumbers), gently simmered in langoustine broth; delicately prepared, its flavour and texture bear little resemblance to the versions commonly found in Asian restaurants.

But back to the subject of Jubany’s debut with Singapore Airlines, we are reminded that subtlety has little place six miles above sea level. Scientific research has shown that low cabin pressure can reduce taste bud sensitivity by up to 30%, dulling perceptions of saltiness and sweetness while amplifying umami, or savouriness.

“I did think about all these factors and it is not as if you can just add salt,” laughs the chef. “I wanted complex flavours. And we have to think of what works well when reheated. Plating is also a potential problem, especially if there is turbulence. Our client demands, and those of Singapore Airlines also, are very high. But this is good for me, as it is always about excellence.”

Kevin Lee, general manager — Spain and Portugal for Singapore Airlines, says: “Barcelona is an important market; so, it made sense to work with one of Catalunya’s top chefs. Catalunya is such a great region with high gastronomic standards and excellent produce, and we want to welcome customers on board with refined Catalan cuisine alongside Singapore Airlines’ hallmark hospitality.”

Business class passengers aboard SQ387 on May 1 were the first in the world to be served Jubany’s new three-course menu. As it happens, the aircraft was an Airbus A350-900 — also the sixth A350 to join Singapore Airlines’ fleet and the 10,000th aircraft produced by Airbus.

Before boarding, some passengers were seen enthusiastically photographing its special livery, which featured a prominent commemorative decal across the centre fuselage.

Once onboard, guests were served hand-rolled zucchini filled with crab and Sriracha mayonnaise, topped with tomato salsa, radish and beans, followed by Catalan-style bacallà (salted cod in tomato sauce) with raisins, toasted pine nuts, roasted red peppers and hard-boiled egg. Part of Jubany’s curated May/June spring menu, the dishes were developed in collaboration with Singapore Airlines’ catering team and its Barcelona-based partner Gate Gourmet.

For dessert, there was Spain’s famed pastís de formatge (baked cheesecake), prepared according to Jubany’s closely guarded recipe. Even for those who did not pre-order the special menu, the airline offered a range of Spanish-inspired dishes, from escalivada with marinated tuna belly and Catalan fricandó — a slow-braised beef stew — to Serrano ham sandwiches as a snack, and Spanish omelettes with pan-fried Iberico pork sausages served for breakfast before landing in Singapore.

In today’s era of globetrotting gourmets, Spain is increasingly seen as rivalling Japan as a destination for Michelin-starred dining, driven by a strong commitment to local, seasonal ingredients. For visitors to Barcelona who have long dreamt of dining at iconic restaurants led by names such as Ferran Adrià of El Bulli; the Roca brothers Jordi, Joan and Josep of El Celler de Can Roca; or twins Sergio and Javier Torres of Cocina Hermanos Torres; it is reassuring to know that Singapore Airlines continues to offer travellers a taste of why Catalunya holds such a formidable culinary reputation.

With the airline’s recent announcement of new five-times-weekly services to Madrid via Barcelona from this October, exploring Spain — whether by bottle, table or even tray table — has never been easier.