Toyo Eatery and its sky-high collaboration
Mata sa langit, paa sa lupa” takes on a whole new meaning for Toyo Eatery’s Jordy and May Navarra, as the highly regarded Michelin-star Filipino restaurant lifts off into the business class cabins of Qatar Airways. Exclusively available for passengers traveling on the Manila to Doha route, and eventually from Doha to Manila in July 2026, the Navarras’ first-of-its-kind foray into in-flight catering marks another new evolution of a brand that certainly knows how to play to its strengths.
Having designed tasting menus that make your taste buds take off, their five-course fine dining experience—featuring an appetizer of seared chilled scallops, braised beef short ribs tiyula itum as the main, a light pansit noodle ensalada, a purée of arroz caldo for breakfast, and sans rival cake for dessert—is a reminder of Toyo Eatery’s unique brand of hospitality. One that meets their guests wherever they are, even at 30,000 feet in the air.
It is, as Jordy mentions, also a collaboration that felt very natural and meaningful right from the start. “I’ve been flying with Qatar Airways for several years now, so being considered for something like this felt especially meaningful,” he says.
In an interview with Lifestyle.INQ, Jordy shares how they translated the Toyo Eatery experience into the open skies and their approach to developing the menu.
Was it challenging to translate the Toyo Eatery experience into an in-flight context?
There are always technical considerations to think about, but I wouldn’t say it was challenging in a negative way. While planning this out, we needed to think about being thoughtful and intentional. Toyo Eatery’s cuisine is rooted in Filipino culture, seasonality, and a deep respect for ingredients, so the question was how to translate our core into a different setting, without losing its essence.
What was the menu development approach like?
The approach was very focused but also very collaborative. Working closely with the Qatar Airways culinary team, we learned a lot and gained a deeper respect for what they do and for the realities of in-flight dining. We refined each dish so it would reheat well, hold its texture, and still deliver balanced flavors at 30,000 feet. Taking acidity, umami, and aroma into account became especially important.
One of the limitations was pork, which was challenging since Filipino cuisine is very pork-heavy. But in a good way, it pushed us to explore more southern Filipino dishes and ideas that don’t rely on pork, which ended up being really exciting creatively. We also wanted to highlight local ingredients, and Qatar was very supportive of that from the start.
Did you test these new dishes in the skies aboard Qatar Airways?
We spent a lot of time with the Qatar Airways culinary team—tasting and tweaking each dish to make sure it worked perfectly for the cabin. One example was the ice cream. We made multiple trial versions, testing how each would react to different temperatures and consistencies. We also had to consider how it would be stored on the plane, how it would hold up over time, and still taste just right. It was a lot of trial and error, but with the Qatar culinary team guiding us, it was much easier to get the menu spot-on.
Years ago, celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay once said he can’t stand airplane food. Do you believe in-flight catering has come a long way now?
Believe it or not, I actually look forward to in-flight food, and it’s come a long way. Newer planes can hold a bit more humidity, which might not sound like much, but it really helps the flavors come through at so high up. Add in the care and expertise of the airline’s culinary team and flight attendants, and you can definitely enjoy a meal in the air that feels thoughtful and memorable.
Lastly, what do you eat when you fly?
Honestly, it depends on the flight, but I usually keep it simple. I try to enjoy whatever’s on the menu and focus on tasting the flavors. Flying gives you a chance to slow down a bit and appreciate the food in a different way, so I don’t overthink it. I just enjoy the experience. But I also do enjoy a good ice cream, and we’re super happy that Qatar let us do one for this menu.
