Renowned celebrity chef Lorna Maseko has taken charge of inflight menus at South African Airways (SAA) for 2025, bringing a fresh and culturally rich dining experience to the national carrier’s passengers.
Maseko announced her partnership with SAA on social media, expressing her excitement about curating the airline’s premium menu.
“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.
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A Menu Rooted in South African Heritage
Maseko has designed a selection of inflight dishes deeply inspired by South African culture and heritage. Her culinary expertise follows in the footsteps of esteemed chefs such as Reuben Riffel and Benny Masekwameng, who have previously crafted signature inflight meals for SAA.
Taking to Instagram, Maseko reflected on the intricate process of designing meals suited for air travel.
“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,” she said.
Collaboration with Air Chefs Catering Division
Maseko’s menu will be exclusively available to business class passengers on SAA’s long-haul and domestic flights. She worked closely with SAA’s catering division, Air Chefs, to perfect a selection of over 30 unique dishes.
According to Gauteng News, the team spent two days refining the menu, ensuring each dish met the highest culinary standards. Every meal underwent several rounds of tasting to strike the perfect balance of flavor and presentation.
- Advertisement -“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,” Maseko told Cape Town Etc.
Lorna Maseko’s Culinary Influence
Maseko’s appointment as SAA’s executive chef further cements her status as a leading figure in the culinary world. Her career has been marked by significant achievements both locally and internationally.
Having been a familiar face on South African television for years, Maseko gained widespread recognition as a host on SABC 3’s lifestyle program Top Billing since 2010. In December 2024, she showcased her culinary talents as a judge on Food Network’s Beat Bobby Flay Holiday Throwdown.
Her partnership with SAA highlights her commitment to celebrating South African cuisine on a global stage, ensuring that passengers experience the best of the country’s culinary excellence even while traveling. SAA recently partnered with Marine Tourism for Africa’s Premier Coastal and Maritime Tourism Trade Event which will be hosted at Nelson Mandela Bay on the 15th – 16th April 2025. More information can be found at https://marinetourism.co.za.