As Lufthansa marks 100 years of connecting the world, the airline is using the moment not just to celebrate heritage, but to sharpen what comes next. Its Future Onboard Experience (FOX) initiative, rolling out from 2026, is designed to make long-haul travel feel more personal, more premium, and more distinctly Lufthansa across every cabin class.
gategroup is playing an important role in that evolution, working closely with Lufthansa’s culinary, product, and inflight service teams to elevate the long-haul dining experience. Over the past year, the collaboration has taken shape through hands-on culinary workshops, tasting sessions, and operational planning, all aimed at building a dining concept that holds up in the air and still feels curated on the plate.
In First Class, FOX introduces a refined culinary approach built around minimalist but intense flavour profiles. Dishes are designed with a small number of carefully chosen components, letting ingredient quality do the talking. Classic fine dining technique is the backbone, with subtle global influences woven in, and presentation that feels elegant and restrained, surprising through balance rather than complexity.
The onboard rhythm is equally considered. Guests will experience a sequence of smaller courses, including a trilogy of amuse-bouche, a starter, and dessert. For the main course, the concept offers flexibility without losing its sense of occasion, with a choice between a signature dish or smaller-portion selections. It’s a format that feels premium, but also modern, giving guests more freedom to shape the meal around their appetite and timing.
Behind each First Class menu cycle is a deliberate development process. Max Herzog, Executive Chef at Studio 508, has led a series of joint culinary development workshops to create dishes specifically for Lufthansa. These concepts are refined through tastings and collaborative iteration before being presented to a dedicated jury, which ultimately selects the dishes served onboard, ensuring every menu reflects Lufthansa’s premium ambition and FOX philosophy.
Business Class is where the Johann Lafer x gategroup partnership really takes the spotlight. After proving itself on short- and medium-haul, the Lafer concept is now being scaled to long-haul, with gategroup translating a chef-led idea into something that works beautifully at altitude, and consistently, flight after flight. The result is a dining experience built around control and comfort: with FOX, guests decide what they want to eat, and when.
At the center is Sky Selection, a fully customizable second meal designed to match different appetites, time zones, and sleep plans. Expect a broad mix of sweet and savory options, from bowls and snack plates to cakes and regional favorites. And for those who like to settle in properly, breakfast can be pre-selected before sleep, with choices spanning smoothies, egg dishes, and freshly baked bread rolls.
Upgrades extend well beyond the premium cabins. Premium Economy moves closer to Business Class with enhanced appetizers, three main-course choices, new tableware, and an expanded tray presentation. In Economy Class, long-haul guests will, for the first time, be offered a choice of three main dishes, making individuality part of the standard experience, not an exception.
For gategroup, the work is both creative and operational. Alongside menu development, trend insight, and culinary craftsmanship, the partnership leans heavily on execution at scale, refining dishes for inflight conditions and building the production and quality-control systems needed to deliver consistency across the network.
As Olaf Mauthe, Head of Inflight Service at Lufthansa, notes, FOX is a key element of Lufthansa’s ambition to develop its onboard experience holistically, and the close partnership with gategroup is a critical success factor in bringing new culinary concepts into operation.
Herman Anbeek, President Europe gategroup, echoes that sentiment, congratulating Lufthansa and its employees on the centenary milestone and underscoring the shared focus on innovation, culinary quality, and consistency. With FOX set for launch across all long-haul cabins this year, the collaboration is less about a single menu change and more about a broader shift, towards an onboard experience that feels thoughtfully designed, distinctly Lufthansa, and genuinely more personal at altitude.
About gategroup
gategroup is the global leader in airline catering, retail-on-board and hospitality products and services. gategroup provides passengers with superior culinary and retail experiences, leveraging innovation and advanced technology solutions. Headquartered in Zurich, Switzerland, gategroup delivers operational excellence through the most extensive catering network in the aviation industry, serving passengers from over 200 operating units in over 60 countries/territories across all continents. For further information, please visit: www.gategroup.com
