Celebrity chef Lorna Maseko has taken charge of inflight menus at SAA for this year.
She has been appointed as the executive chef at South African Airways for the 2025 fiscal year.
Maseko announced her new partnership with SAA on her social media.
“I’m so proud and excited to announce that I’ve partnered with our national carrier, South African Airways, to create a menu for this fiscal year,” Maseko said.
The chef revealed that she had designed the airline’s premium menu, which features a selection of dishes rooted in South African culture and heritage.
Chef Lorna Maseko has brought new offerings and flavours to SAA’s inflight menus.
Maseko follows in the footsteps of other renowned South African chefs including Reuben Riffel and Benny Masekwameng, who have created signature inflight dishes that could be served with pride in any top restaurant.
Maseko shared in a video on Instagram, saying that the preparation process was indeed a learning experience. It also deepened her understanding of how food is created and presented in flight.
“There are so many intricate details that go into menus that are on a flight, and it’s quite an interesting process. I learnt so much through all of this, I can’t wait for you guys to experience this,” Maseko said.
The menu includes a range of delicious and culturally rich dishes inspired by the country’s diverse culinary traditions.
Her menus will be available to those flying in business class on SAA’s long-haul and domestic flights.
The celebrity chef worked alongside teams at SAA’s catering division, Air Chefs.
Creating a menu for an airline is not an easy task.
Gauteng News reports that Maseko and the team spent two days designing over 30 different dishes for SAA.
Each dish underwent several rounds of tasting, with the team working together to perfect the intricate flavours and presentation.
The final menu includes a range of delicious and culturally rich dishes inspired by the country’s diverse culinary traditions.
“There were a lot of dishes to create, and Chef Mandla and the team are absolutely amazing. I wanted to create a menu that was proudly South African and grounded in my heritage and culture.” She said, per Cape Town Etc.
LORNA MASEKO
Maseko’s appointment as SAA’s executive chef is thus a testament to her skill and influence in the culinary space.
Her work is widely respected, and she continues to gain recognition on both national and international stages.
Maseko is indeed well-known in South Africa. She has featured on South African television for a number of years. In addition, she hosted SABC 3’s lifestyle programme, Top Billing, since 2010.
In December 2024, Maseko also showcased her culinary talents as a judge on the popular Food Network show Beat Bobby Flay Holiday Throwdown.
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