Emirates Flight Catering builds two on-site kitchens to serve 300,000 meals at Dubai Airshow
November 16, 2025
When the Dubai Airshow opens on November 17, the aircraft displays and multi-billion-dollar announcements will be accompanied by a logistical operation of equal ambition: keeping everyone fed.
As the official caterer for Dubai Airshow 2025, Emirates Flight Catering (EKFC) will prepare and serve more than 300,000 meals over the five-day event. Visitors representing over 98 countries are expected to attend, each with diverse culinary needs and preferences. The airline caterer has developed a plan to satisfy all those palates.
Ahead of the opening, EKFC has built an end-to-end, self-contained culinary ecosystem on the airshow grounds. The company constructed two fully operational central kitchens, deploying nearly 2,600 staff, as it prepares to deliver food and beverage services for more than 150 country pavilions, chalets, and exhibition stands. So far, chalets and national pavilions have pre-booked more than 35,000 meals.
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A pop-up catering city custom-built in Dubai
To meet the scale of demand, EKFC built two full central kitchens between the exhibition halls and chalet rows, equipped with cold rooms, dishwashing areas, storage facilities, and independent power supplies. They have dedicated zones for pastry, cold kitchen production, and large-scale cooking. The company also constructed staff infrastructure—including canteens, welfare tents, uniform distribution points and rest areas.
The build-out began in late October and was completed in less than two weeks, followed by an operational dry run a week before opening day. EKFC’s main Dubai World Central facility, which can produce 150,000 meals per day, sits directly behind the airshow site and supports the operation with streamlined logistics, airside access, and on-site security scanning.
EKFC’s operational excellence will be tested at scale
Shahreyar Nawabi, Chief Executive Officer of Emirates Flight Catering, said the Dubai Airshow is an opportunity to demonstrate the company’s combined airline-catering expertise and event-scale execution.
“At the upcoming Dubai Airshow 2025, EKFC’s focus will be showcasing what’s possible when you combine airline catering expertise with event-scale execution,” he said. “Our diversity of culinary talent means we can authentically deliver any cuisine, from French, Middle Eastern and Indian to Russian, Chinese and Japanese dishes, among a multitude of others. 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.”
Serving Airshow attendees global cuisine on demand
EKFC is bringing a wide range of culinary offerings to the event, matching chefs and specialists to the requirements of each pavilion. Menus range from braised beef cheeks in black truffle sauce to Emirati tandoori lobster with saffron rice, Indian chicken pistachio korma, Chinese wok-prepared dishes, and expansive Middle Eastern mezze.
In the exhibition halls, EKFC will offer flexible on-demand catering—including basket orders, fresh pastries, and short-notice menu changes—reflecting the company’s airline-catering approach to cultural, dietary and timing preferences.
Seven branded culinary concepts will be available across the site, including:
- Origami (Japanese cuisine)
- Onda (premium coffee)
- Yann Couvreur Pastry & Barista Experience
- Dibba Oyster Bar, showcasing Fujairah’s local producers
- EKFC’s in-house salmon and caviar lounge
- Bustanica Salad Bar with poke-style options
- A Middle Eastern and Persian BBQ station
Emirates Leisure Retail will operate Costa Coffee outlets and a SkyView food truck village.
Building workforce capacity ahead of Dubai Airshow
To staff the operation, EKFC has recruited 74 interns, including UAE Nationals, from leading global and regional hospitality institutions such as GLION Switzerland, EHL Lausanne, Swiss Education Group, Bukhara State University, Dubai College of Tourism, Les Roches Abu Dhabi, Zayed University and Ajman University.
Interns underwent a six-month programme that included cultural training and rotations across hospitality, finance, HR and events.
In total, EKFC’s workforce for the event includes:
- 1,800 core EKFC staff
- 500 personnel from DWTC
- 280 team members from Emirates’ kitchens and lounges
- Additional support from departments across EKFC
Staff will wear a bespoke cobalt blue uniform created exclusively for the 2025 event.
A focus on waste reduction and sustainable sourcing
For this year’s airshow, EKFC has removed plastic bottles from its operations and installed glass recycling systems. Leftover food will be composted or donated to a food bank through the Dubai Municipality.
The company is also sourcing locally where possible, including partnerships with Dibba oysters and Mai Dubai.
Featured Image: Dubai Airshow
