Aeromexico brought the flavors of Mexico to the stage at IFSA Global EXPO 2026 in Dallas, showing how the airline adapts traditional Mexican dishes for service at 35,000 feet. During a live Chef Demo, Chef Adriana Noriega prepared three dishes from the airline’s menus while the Aeromexico team explained how years of testing have helped bring their flavors and presentation from the ground into the cabin. That work now gives passengers up to nine dishes to choose from through pre-selection on eligible flights, including seasonal options tied to Mexican history and culture.
Bringing the Flavors of Mexico to the Stage
At IFSA Global EXPO, Noriega prepared and plated dishes from Aeromexico’s menus while Food and Beverage Manager Jorge Luis Rodríguez Nava walked the audience through their ingredients, preparation, and history. Noriega joined Aeromexico as a chef consultant in 2024 and has since helped develop its Premier menus for short- and medium-haul flights and Premier One menus for long-haul flights from Mexico City.
Aeromexico Director of Onboard Product and VIP Lounges Christian Romero opened the demonstration by explaining how the airline uses food to represent Mexico. “Today I’d like to share how we bring Mexico onboard our flights,” Romero said. “We represent Mexico as a country, as a culture.”
Noriega and Rodríguez Nava started with shrimp with tequila sauce, one of Aeromexico’s signature long-haul dishes. Noriega prepared the shrimp with cilantro rice, plantain, grilled lemon, and a tamarind and tequila sauce.
Aeromexico flambés the tequila to remove the alcohol while keeping its agave flavor. The sauce combines with the sweetness of the plantain and freshness of the cilantro to bring several Mexican flavors together in one dish.
“This has become our signature dish on our long-haul flights, and it’s actually something that gives you a different experience onboard,” Rodríguez Nava said.
The demonstration then moved to chiles en nogada, a seasonal dish made with a poblano pepper filled with meat, fruit, and spices and covered with a creamy walnut sauce and pomegranate seeds. Its green, white, and red colors represent the Mexican flag, connecting the dish to the country’s history.
Aeromexico offers chiles en nogada through its pre-select service during September, when walnuts and pomegranates are in season. The limited availability connects the menu with Mexican Independence Day and gives travelers the chance to try a dish traditionally served across Mexico during the same time of year.
For Rodríguez Nava, that connection plays a larger role in how Aeromexico develops its menus. “What we do onboard is we’re actually trying to communicate the whole Mexico, or the modern Mexico culture, to our passengers,” he said.
Noriega finished the demonstration with a crepe centered around cajeta, a Mexican caramel traditionally made with goat’s milk. She paired the cajeta with banana and nuts for a dessert designed around Aeromexico’s fall menu.
Bringing Restaurant-Inspired Dining to 35,000 Feet
Creating those dishes for an aircraft requires more than developing recipes on the ground. Before Aeromexico adds a meal to its menu, Noriega and the airline test how different ingredients hold up through preparation, cooling, reheating, and inflight service.
Not every ingredient that works in a restaurant works as well on an aircraft. Noriega and the Aeromexico team test proteins, fruits, vegetables, sauces, and preparation methods to find combinations that maintain their flavor and texture throughout the process.
“We have to produce it, cool it, and reheat it,” Rodríguez Nava said. “Not every protein, fruit, or vegetable will hold through that process.”
That testing has helped Aeromexico expand the choices available before departure. While the airline typically carries three meal choices onboard, passengers on eligible flights can select from up to nine dishes through pre-selection.
Presentation plays a role in that process as well. Aeromexico introduced new tableware this year, and Noriega considers how each dish will look and fit on the tableware while developing the menu. Rodríguez Nava said the team wants Noriega’s dishes to translate well from the ground to the aircraft, so passengers can experience the same flavors onboard.
On long-haul flights, Aeromexico uses the additional time to give Premier One passengers a more restaurant-style dining experience. Rather than serving the entire meal at once, the crew serves the starter, main course, and dessert separately. The cajeta crepe, for example, can come with ice cream as the final course.
For Noriega, the menu gives Aeromexico another way to share Mexico with travelers throughout their journey. “Every day we have the opportunity to share the flavors of Mexico with our passengers,” she said.
