INTERNATIONAL. Plaza Premium Lounges (PPL) has launched its ‘Your destination before departure’ campaign. Rolling out to 20 major airport lounges worldwide, it will offer an immersive sensory experience rooted in the heritage, gastronomy, art and hospitality of each locale.
“Discover the cultural crossroads at Plaza Premium Lounges with your five senses before reaching your destination,” a note from PPL said. “The initiative highlights authentic cultural expressions through warm welcomes from Lounge Ambassadors, signature dishes crafted by local chefs, curated wines and art from community artisans.”
A centrepiece of the campaign is the groundbreaking ‘Flavours in transit: From our roots to your plate’ Chef Series. It celebrates signature dishes created by over 200 PPL chefs from around the globe, showcasing authenticity through ingredients and recipes passed down through generations.
This will initially launch in PPL lounges at seven key airport lounge locations in Hong Kong, Macau, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Sydney, Dubai and Rome. Running from 18 August to 6 October, the series features diverse lounge food menus “where every bite tells a story”.
Highlights include Hong Kong Chef Ricky Tam’s Fish Ball Noodle Soup which took 100 bowls to reach perfection; and Sicilian Chef Gianni Cutuli’s Gnocchi alla Norma, a family recipe passed down from his grandmother.
Summarising the campaign, PPL said: “Purposeful collaborations with local partners ensure each lounge embodies our ‘Proudly Local’ ethos, blending tradition with contemporary hospitality.
“With aromas, artistry and stories woven into every dish, Plaza Premium Lounge’s campaign transforms airport lounges into cultural gateways – where authenticity, innovation and local flavour come together to create a truly world-class experience for travellers.”
Here are the dishes and descriptions for each Plaza Premium Lounge featured in the Chef Series campaign across the seven highlighted locations:
Hong Kong – Chef Ricky Tam: Fish Ball Noodle Soup
A comforting local favourite, this dish features springy fish balls in a light, flavourful broth with rice noodles, capturing the essence of Hong Kong’s street food culture. Complemented by the handmade XO sauce.
Macau – Chef Simon Chong: Macanese Style Portuguese Chicken
A fragrant and comforting classic, this dish features tender chicken braised in a creamy coconut and tomato-based sauce, infused with aromatic spices and herbs such as turmeric and bay leaves – a taste of Macau’s East-meets-West culinary heritage.
Singapore – Chef Chan Seong June: Singapore Prawn Laksa Noodle
This is a quintessential Singaporean favourite: rice noodles in a rich, spicy coconut curry broth, topped with succulent prawns and fresh herbs with Sambal Chili paste delivering bold flavours.
Kuala Lumpur – Chef Haward Lee: Chicken Satay
Marinated with an aromatic mix of galangal, garlic and lemongrass, the chicken skewers are grilled and served with a traditional peanut sauce, offering a taste of Malaysian street food culture in an elegant airport lounge setting.
Sydney – Chef Sanju Khadgi: Aussie Braised Beef Ragu Pappardelle
This dish infuses braised tender chunks of Australian beef with a savoury blend of tomatoes, red wine, garlic and aromatic herbs which is paired with broad pappardelle pasta and a savoury sauce – blending Italian technique with Aussie ingredients.
Rome – Chef Gianni Cutuli: Gnocchi alla Norma
The recipe is a classic dish that comes from Sicily, especially the city of Catania. It’s a twist on the Sicilian pasta alla Norma, made with eggplant, tomato sauce, ricotta salata cheese and fresh basil. This way of cooking highlights the rich flavours and traditions of Sicilian cuisine.
Dubai – Chef Subhash Chander: Butter Chicken Bowl
This dish is a luxurious, creamy curry with tender pieces of chicken which undergoes two types of marination with fenugreek leaves, mustard oil, chili powder and yoghurt. Simmered in fresh tomato sauce spiced with Garam Masala cashew nut paste – a modern airport take on a beloved Indian classic.
A culinary keepsake
As part of the PPL Chef Series experience, guests at selected locations will be invited to enjoy bite-sized tastings of the signature dishes and encouraged to follow Plaza Premium Lounge on social media to stay connected and continue the culinary journey beyond the lounge.
Guests who engage on PPL social media channels during these tasting sessions will receive a complimentary copy of the recipe booklet featuring all the secret recipes from the seven dishes highlighted above. 
Note: The Moodie Davitt Report publishes the FAB Newsletter, which features highlights of openings, events and campaigns from around the world of airport and travel dining.
Please email Kristyn@MoodieDavittReport.com for your complimentary subscription.
