Emirates has detailed the process behind its caviar service offered to First Class passengers, emphasizing the attention given to maintaining quality from sourcing to serving onboard. The airline has developed a specific ritual for presenting caviar, including storage and transportation measures designed to preserve the delicacy.
To ensure freshness, Emirates dispatches caviar individually for each flight and maintains a cold chain throughout transport. Approximately 165 trips are made daily for this purpose, with a dedicated chauffeur drive service used to move the product between aircraft.
Caviar is considered valuable due to its rarity and taste profile. On Emirates flights, First Class passengers can enjoy unlimited servings of caviar as part of a formal presentation. Cabin crew wear white gloves, prepare tables with linen cloths, and offer accompaniments such as melba toast, blinis, eggs, chives, onions, sour cream, and lemon. Passengers are invited to pair their caviar with Dom Pérignon champagne—an exclusive in-flight offering by Emirates. According to the airline: “Dom Pérignon’s complex notes of toasted brioche and almond are a sumptuous counterpoint to the salty, nutty, and briny flavours of the caviar, while the acidity and minerality of the champagne cuts through the creamy mouthfeel of caviar to form a perfect pairing.” Diners use Mother of Pearl spoons rather than metal utensils in line with tradition.
The caviar served comes from Acipenser baerii or Siberian sturgeon—a species native to Siberian rivers flowing into the Arctic Ocean. This fish is chosen for its suitability for aquaculture due to faster maturation compared to other sturgeon species; it typically produces eggs between five and seven years old. The roe is processed by rinsing with water, salting, chilling, vacuum packing in Dubai facilities, pasteurizing, cooling again, then storing until delivery.
Logistics involve three weekly deliveries by temperature-controlled vehicles from suppliers to Emirates Flight Catering Facility (EKFC) in Dubai. When ready for loading onto planes, caviar is moved by an Emirates chauffeur using special vehicles that maintain required temperatures below 5°C. For international routes beyond Dubai,official caterers also receive shipments from Emirates’ supplier so standards remain consistent worldwide.
Emirates operates 26,800 First Class seats weekly—the largest number among international airlines—and offers complimentary caviar service on all global routes for customers traveling in this cabin class.
