- New menus by Chefs Brady Ishiwata Williams and Dell Valdez showcase destination-inspired cuisine with regional influences
- Updated premium wine selections are thoughtfully paired to complement each menu
- Hawai'i Chef Keaka Lee to design select Hawaiian Airlines domestic First Class flights menus
SEATTLE and HONOLULU, Oct. 15, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines this month unveiled refreshed international Suites menus on flights to Asia, Europe and Oceania, featuring regionally inspired dishes that immerse guests in the flavors of their destination before arrival.
As part of the updated Suites dining experience, the airlines are building on their collaborations with award-winning chefs Brady Ishiwata Williams and Dell Valdez, whose restaurant-quality menus showcase premium, locally sourced ingredients.
Guests will enjoy a multi-course dining experience from the moment they board. The seasonal menu update also introduces enhanced wine selections, thoughtfully chosen to complement the unique flavors and ingredients featured across each menu.
Starting next week, Hawaiian Airlines guests in international Business Class will enjoy the same expanded pre-select meal options that Alaska guests have come to expect. Suites guests will be able to pre-order from up to five entrée options on eligible domestic and international flights, giving them even more choice before they fly.
"Exceptional dining is an essential part of the premium travel experience and our fall menu brings together the talent and distinct culinary perspectives of chefs in Seattle and Honolulu, with thoughtfully crafted dishes that celebrate the flavors of our home communities while bringing a fresh perspective to dining at 35,000 feet," said Mark Krolick, Managing Director of Inflight Product and Experience at Alaska Airlines.
A world-class wine program to complement every meal
Whether dining on Hawaiian or Alaska, guests will enjoy a refreshed selection of premium wines this fall. Thoughtfully curated to complement the flavors and ingredients featured across both menus, the international Business Class wine program showcases acclaimed producers from around the world, including Paul Hobbs West Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir and Viña Cobos Cocodrilo Corte Red Blend from Argentina.
Local chefs help bring the flavors of Hawaiʻi onboard
Chef Dell Valdez, the Hawaiʻi-born culinary leader behind Vein in Kakaʻako, as well as Dell's Kitchen & Bakery and Mio PASTALOGY, is introducing a refreshed international Suites menu starting Oct. 21 with dishes inspired by Hawaiʻi and global flavors, including Ahi au Poivre with celery root purée, Huli Huli BBQ Chicken with kimchee fried rice, Grilled Pork Medallions with a soy-balsamic honey glaze, and Blackened Tofu with Brussels sprouts and orzo.
Valdez is also continuing to enhance Hawaiian's First Class dining experience closer to home. For guests traveling from the U.S. continent to Hawaiʻi, his thoughtfully crafted meals offer a first taste of the islands, featuring locally inspired dishes that celebrate Hawaiʻi's rich culinary heritage. Starting Oct. 21 on flights departing Hawaiʻi, longtime Hawaiian chef collaborator Chef Keaka Lee of Honolulu's Kapa Hale brings his signature island-inspired cuisine onboard, with standout offerings including a Loco Moco for breakfast, and Braised Beef with Roasted ʻUlu (breadfruit) for dinner. Together, the chefs create a seamless dining journey that reflects the diverse flavors, culture and hospitality of Hawaiʻi from departure to arrival.
Through its chef collaborations, Hawaiian brings a genuine taste of the islands onboard, using food as a way to deliver the warm hospitality that defines the Hawaiian experience. This commitment extends across every cabin and stage of the guest journey, with Valdez creating elevated First and Suites menus on inbound domestic and international routes; Chef Keaka Lee of Honolulu's Kapa Hale bringing beloved local dishes and island ingredients to First Class guests departing Hawaiʻi; and Chef Sheldon Simeon crafting exclusive pre-order meals for Main Cabin guests. Together, these new offerings allow Hawaiian to celebrate local ingredients, culinary talent and the diverse flavors of the islands, ensuring guests can experience an authentic taste of Hawaiʻi no matter where they are seated.
Award-winning chef elevates Alaska's international dining experience
Alaska is excited to expand its relationship with James Beard Award-winning Chef Brady Ishiwata Williams. The Seattle-based, self-taught chef, known for creating innovative dishes inspired by his Japanese American heritage, has elevated Alaska's inflight dining experience since 2025.
Today, Williams' signature beef entrée is a guest favorite on flights from Seattle to Tokyo, Seoul and London. Building on that success, the chef is introducing new dishes for international Suites guests, including Miso Glazed Black Cod with kimchi fried rice and traditional banchan on flights to Tokyo-Narita, and Galbi-Glazed Chicken with fried rice and banchan on flights to Seoul-Incheon. Williams' new menu is available now for pre-order.
Coming soon, one of Seattle's most acclaimed chefs, Renee Erickson, will bring her signature Pacific Northwest culinary style onboard Alaska Airlines. The airline is thrilled to be working with Chef Erickson to create seasonal menus for guests traveling in the Suites experience on flights between Seattle and London, as well as Athens and Paris when service launches in May 2027.
Chef Erickson, a James Beard Award winner who co-owns some of Seattle's most celebrated restaurants, will pair Pacific Northwest ingredients and techniques with flavors inspired by Alaska's European destinations, further elevating Alaska's end-to-end premium experience unveiled in September.
More choices, same signature hospitality
These new menus are just one way Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines bring their signature hospitality to the skies. Through the airline's convenient pre-order feature, guests can select their preferred meal from two weeks up to 20 hours before departure using the Alaska and Hawaiian mobile app. No matter where guests sit, Alaska and Hawaiian offer elevated food and beverage options designed to make every journey more special.
FAQs
What meals are available in Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines international Business Class?
Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines offer chef-curated, multi-course meals for guests traveling in international Suites. Current menu selections include dishes from James Beard Award-winning Chef Brady Ishiwata Williams and Hawaiʻi Chef Dell Valdez, with regionally inspired entrées such as Miso Glazed Black Cod, Galbi-Glazed Chicken, Ahi au Poivre and Huli Huli BBQ Chicken. Menu selections vary by route and are seasonally refreshed.
Can Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines guests pre-order their inflight meals?
Yes. Eligible Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines guests can pre-order their preferred meal beginning two weeks before departure and up to 20 hours before their flight using the Alaska and Hawaiian mobile app. Suites guests can choose from up to five entrée options on eligible domestic and international flights.
Which chefs create meals for Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines?
Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines partner with chefs from Seattle and Hawaiʻi to create inflight menus across their cabins. Current culinary partners include James Beard Award-winning chefs Brady Ishiwata Williams and Renee Erickson, and Hawaiʻi chefs Dell Valdez, Keaka Lee of Kapa Hale and Sheldon Simeon. Their menus draw inspiration from Pacific Northwest, Hawaiʻi and international flavors.
What wines are served in Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines international Business Class?
Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines offer a rotating selection of premium wines in international Business Class, curated to complement the flavors and ingredients of their seasonal menus. Current selections include Paul Hobbs West Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir and Viña Cobos Cocodrilo Corte Red Blend from Argentina.
About Alaska, Hawaiian and Horizon
Alaska Airlines, Hawaiian Airlines and Horizon Air are subsidiaries of Alaska Air Group, and McGee Air Services is a subsidiary of Alaska Airlines. We are a global airline with hubs in Seattle, Honolulu, Portland, Anchorage, Los Angeles, San Diego and San Francisco. We deliver remarkable care as we fly our guests to more than 140 destinations throughout North America, Latin America, Asia, the Pacific and Europe. Guests can book travel at alaskaair.com and hawaiianair.com. Alaska and Hawaiian are members of the oneworld© alliance. Members of our Atmos™ Rewards loyalty program can earn and redeem points with oneworld airlines and our additional global partners that serve over 1,100 worldwide destinations. Learn more about what's happening at Alaska and Hawaiian at news.alaskaair.com. Alaska Air Group is traded on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) as "ALK."
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Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines to introduce new chef-curated menus and premium wine program for international Suites guests
New "DISCOVER" Channel Connects Global Shoppers with Curated Brands and Distinctive Products from China
SINGAPORE, Oct. 15, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Taobao Tmall World ("Taobao") today announced a comprehensive upgrade to its cross-border shopping experience, expanding direct access worldwide to curated stores and products from China known for their quality, distinctiveness, and originality. Taobao has identified a trend in cross-border demand for Chinese goods, from seeking "low prices" to prioritizing "distinctiveness" and "quality." To meet this evolving need, Taobao is leveraging its catalog of over 3 billion products available for cross-border purchase and its trusted official logistics network. On the supply side, Taobao is combining AI with human curation through a four-criteria selection framework – Quality, Distinctiveness, Price Competitiveness, and Service – to establish the "Taobao Curated Supply System", which systematically identifies distinctive, well-made stores and products and recommends them to cross-border shoppers on an ongoing basis. At the same time, the app is refining its recommendation algorithms, enhancing AI shopping assistants, and launching the new "DISCOVER" channel to spotlight distinctive brands.
Kicking off with the Double 11 Festival, Taobao is partnering with popular actor Zhang Linghe to promote to cross-border shoppers worldwide the six refreshed experiences of the "Everything and Anything" brand following its comprehensive upgrade: QUALITY, TASTE, LIFESTYLE, TRENDY, SMART, and SURPRISE. This move leads cross-border e-commerce from traditional "shelf-based search" into a new era of "discovery-driven shopping."
Global Demand for Original Chinese Brands Keeps Heating Up
Riding the "Quality and Distinctiveness" Wave, Taobao Unveils Six Refreshed User Experiences
In recent years, original Chinese products and content, including designer toys, dramas, animation, and games, have captivated global audiences. Many international travelers use the Taobao app the moment they arrive in China, ordering unique finds and having them delivered directly to their hotels. This growing demand for discovering distinctive "original Chinese brands and products" that are hard to find locally continues to gain momentum in many different ways. Taobao has also observed a clear shift in cross-border shopping preferences: from price-driven purchases to those centered on quality, distinctiveness, and personal taste. During the 2025 Double 11 Festival, the number of cross-border users choosing higher-priced items increased significantly, with high-value shoppers (spending over RMB 500 per order) growing by 10% year-on-year. The data shows that cross-border consumers are moving beyond basic availability and affordability toward a higher standard: "buying quality and buying distinctive."
Ye Tian, General Manager of Taobao Tmall World, said: "The core value of Taobao is anchored in a cross-border catalog of over 3 billion products offering quality at competitive prices, reinforced by trusted cross-border logistics and localized services we have been building in individual markets over time. This ecosystem empowers cross-border users to fulfill diverse lifestyle needs and express personal style through shopping. Responding to users' increasingly evolving expectations, we have launched an upgrade across six refreshed user experiences this year—spanning a curated supply system built on the four criteria of quality, distinctiveness, price competitiveness, and service, in-app feature enhancements, the new DISCOVER channel, advanced AI shopping assistants, a redesigned user interface for cross-border shoppers, and upgraded cross-border logistics. Every critical touchpoint in the cross-border shopping journey has been refreshed. We invite users everywhere to open the Taobao app now and experience the joy of discovery-driven shopping on 'Everything and Anything' firsthand."
Responding to the global trend, Taobao strengthens the "Everything and Anything" brand value globally, meeting users' needs in each market for more personalized, more joyful everyday exploration and discovery. The six refreshed user experiences are defined as follows:
- QUALITY: Enjoy Trusted Quality on Taobao.
- TASTE: Shop Stylish Designs on Taobao.
- LIFESTYLE: Embrace Diverse Lifestyle on Taobao.
- TRENDY: Catch the Viral Trends on Taobao.
- SMART: Upgrade to a Smarter Life on Taobao.
- SURPRISE: Discover Unexpected Finds on Taobao.
More than Choice, Value and Local Service: Discover Exclusive Products on Taobao
New Curated Supply System Brings China's Signature Stores to the World
Taobao's strength in product selection is powered by China's comprehensive and agile manufacturing supply chain and its vibrant merchant ecosystem. Cross-border users can already buy over 3 billion products on Taobao, spanning apparel and accessories, home and furniture, smart electronics, pet supplies, designer toys, sports and outdoor products, and more – meeting everyday needs while serving niche interests and fast-moving trends. This delivers Taobao's signature "Everything and Anything" promise: whatever you need, always within reach.
With this brand experience upgrade, Taobao is further strengthening its supply of distinctive stores and products, making it easier for cross-border users to discover well-made and well-designed stores from China. Building on existing breadth, efficiency and price advantage, Taobao has applied its four criteria - quality, distinctiveness, price competitiveness, and service – and integrated AI-driven selection with human expertise to build a systematic curation framework. From the vast catalog, it has unearthed over 4,000 original-brand stores and 6 million curated products, creating a distinctive selection of products for cross-border shoppers. Through dynamic updates and always-on recommendations, users need only open the Taobao app to instantly find quality goods, new trends, and distinctive items rarely seen in their local markets.
From Shelf-Based Search to the Joy of Discovery
Taobao "DISCOVER" Channel Is Live — Curated Finds, Premium Quality, Endless Joy
The all-new DISCOVER channel is now live. Built on the Taobao Curated Supply System, it organizes distinctive stores and products into 15 themed categories – women's fashion, women's footwear, menswear, furniture, toys, stationery, pet supplies, fitness, and automotive accessories, among others – tailored to the categories, interests and lifestyles cross-border users love most. Powered by an upgraded personalization algorithm, the channel surfaces stores and curated items upon entry. Users can explore brands' signature aesthetics, hero products, and brand story, effortlessly finding pieces that match their personal style and taste.
Note: The DISCOVER feature is only available on the Chinese version of the Taobao app. The multilingual version does not support this function.
Taobao is also continuing to refine its AI shopping assistant suite, including AI Try-On, AI Virtual Makeup, AR Room Placement for furniture, Voice-Search-by-Hold, and AI Pet Care Guides. These tools help users judge sizing, how pieces coordinate, and how large furniture will look in their space, removing friction from buying certain categories online. Taobao will also roll out more than 30 AI Lifestyle Experts covering topics such as styling and baking. Through in-depth conversation, these AI experts help users pinpoint their true needs and cut through choice overload, helping them find products that better meet their needs amidst a vast catalog.
Regarding localized content, the Taobao app regularly publishes local topic series such as "Taobao NowWear," "Taobao Trend," and local rankings, weaving product discovery into the topics local shoppers are already buzzing about and bringing the shopping experience closer to everyday needs.
Taobao Official Logistics: A Comprehensive Upgrade for Seamless Global Delivery
On-Time Delivery with Loss/Damage Compensation • Flat-Rate Shipping for Bulky Items • Easier Local Return Experience
Since 2016, Taobao has continuously invested in cross-border infrastructure, culminating in a direct-shipping network covering 20 markets by 2025, with free shipping introduced in select markets. This year, Taobao Official Logistics takes another step up, elevating the user experience through three core pillars - GUARANTEE, CONVENIENCE, and ASSURANCE – to deliver a trustworthy and highly predictable journey for cross-border users.
- GUARANTEE: Taobao's official logistics guarantees cross-border users both transparent costs and stable delivery times — a dual certainty. Depending on market conditions, Taobao offers tiered delivery commitments such as 1-, 3- and 6-day options, so Taobao's specialty goods arrive on the scheduled date at the agreed shipping cost.
- CONVENIENCE: Simpler, within-reach cross-border logistics — one-tap direct shipping, end-to-end parcel tracking, and flat-rate direct shipping for bulky items across 10 markets worldwide. And Taobao Official Logistics now offers door-to-door delivery and installation in Hong Kong, China. Singapore has already reached a milestone of free shipping on large furniture, significantly lowering the barrier to using cross-border logistics.
- ASSURANCE: Taobao promises compensation for any lost or damaged parcel, backed by one-stop platform customer service that assists users throughout the process. The Local Returns service is further upgraded in 13 markets, so more cross-border users can return items conveniently nearby.
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Taobao Upgrades 6 Refreshed Experiences for Cross-Border Users
Taobao Upgrades 6 Refreshed Experiences for Cross-Border Users
Taobao Upgrades 6 Refreshed Experiences for Cross-Border Users
