Ethiopian-Origin Chef Fariyal Abdullahi to Create Inflight Meals for United Airlines

EBR_News Mar 16, 2026

Chef Fariyal Abdullahi, an acclaimed culinary talent of Ethiopian ancestry, has been selected to create exclusive inflight meals for United Airlines’ international business-class passengers, according to a March 12 announcement by the airline.

Fariyal, the Executive Chef of the renowned New York restaurant Hav & Mar, is one of 11 world-renowned chefs from four continents chosen to curate regionally inspired dishes for United’s Polaris business class. Her cooking at Hav & Mar is described as a convergence of her travels and Ethiopian ancestry, brought to life with an infusion of European technique and unique flavors.

The collaboration between United and the brand behind the award-winning Netflix series “Chef’s Table” will introduce 10 new meal experiences starting August 1. Each chef will create complete meals including appetizer, salad, and entrée for flights departing from their home city.Fariyal’s creations will be featured on flights departing from New York/Newark, representing the culinary spirit of that global gateway.

The initiative underscores how United’s network spans culinary capitals worldwide, allowing the airline to bring together acclaimed chefs to deliver what it describes as “restaurant-quality moments in the sky.” For Fariyal, the partnership offers a platform to share her unique culinary perspective shaped by her heritage and training with millions of international travelers at 35,000 feet.