Sneak Peek: How Emirates Flight Catering Serves 300,000 Meals For Dubai Airshow

When the Dubai Airshow opens its doors on November 17 for an incredible aircraft displays and billion-dollar deals, Emirates Flight Catering's (EKFC) will be on a culinary mission.

EKFC will prepare to serve over 300,000 meals to aviation and aerospace executives, government ministers, military delegations, industry professionals, guests and visitors from over 98 countries.

This requires building two complete central kitchens from scratch, deploying nearly 2,600 staff members, and catering to over 150 chalets, country pavilions and exhibition stands with cuisine as diverse as the global aviation and aerospace community itself.

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Over 35,000 meals have already been pre-booked for chalets and country pavilions, 74 interns have been recruited from prestigious hospitality institutions, and the required on-site infrastructure has been built in less than two weeks.

Shahreyar Nawabi, Chief Executive Officer of Emirates Flight Catering said: "Our skilled and experienced team of chefs don't just understand recipes, but also the cultural nuances and preferences of guests from nearly 100 countries.

"We've assembled a robust workforce of professionals and well-trained interns from top hospitality institutions and constructed two full-scale central kitchens on-site, supported by our Dubai World Central facility's 150,000-meal daily capacity. This combination of culinary talent, purpose-built infrastructure, and strategic investment is operational excellence ready to be tested and proven at an unprecedented scale.”

Building workforce capacity

EKFC has recruited 74 interns, including UAE nationals, from hospitality and tourism institutions. Interns have undergone a six-month programme with cultural training, and they will put their training to work, not only in hospitality, but also in finance, HR, and sales and events operations.

EKFC's workforce deployment has been a coordinated effort that leverages the full strength of the organisation. This includes 1,800 staff which form the core team, supplemented by 500 personnel from DWTC, 280 team members from Emirates' kitchens and lounges, and support from across all EKFC departments.

EKFC staff will wear a custom cobalt blue uniform designed exclusively for the Dubai Airshow, breaking from the company's red and black colour palette.

Building from the ground up

EKFC has completed the construction of two major central kitchens between the exhibition building and the chalets to ensure optimal service delivery across the massive event site. EKFC facilities at the Dubai Airshow feature cold rooms, dishwasher areas, dedicated storage, independent power supply, and specialised refrigerated zones for pastry, cold kitchen operations, and central kitchen production.

EKFC has also set up staff infrastructure including canteens, check-in facilities, welfare tents, uniform distribution centres, and rest areas. Everything has been built from the ground up, with construction commencing in late October and completed in approximately two weeks thanks to meticulous planning. One week before the airshow begins, the entire operation will be stress-tested with a dry run to ensure flawless execution.

The logistics between EKFC's DWC facility, located just behind the airshow site, and its Airshow site operations have been streamlined, with security scanners and airside access capabilities already in place to ensure secure and efficient operations throughout the event.

Global flavours, made to order

At the Dubai Airshow, EKFC will deliver authentic cuisine at scale with complete menu flexibility. EKFC chefs and culinary specialists will be matched to each pavilion's requirements.

And the culinary roster reads like a world tour: braised beef cheeks in black truffle sauce, elaborate Middle Eastern mezze spreads complementing lamb kofta kebab, Emirati tandoori lobster with saffron rice, Indian chicken pistachio kormas, Chinese dishes featuring wok cooking, and the list goes on.

Exhibition halls will get on-demand service with basket orders, fresh pastries, and bespoke catering that responds to real-time needs rather than predetermined menus.

With a focus on waste reduction and using resources more consciously, EKFC has eliminated plastic bottles across its operations at the Dubai Airshow, using glass instead with recycling systems in place.

Each day, leftover food will either be composted or donated to a food bank through Dubai Municipality, with EKFC committed to ensuring minimal waste throughout the event. EKFC also sources locally where possible, partnering with suppliers like Dibba oysters and Mai Dubai to support local businesses.

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