Culinary Partnership between Air Canada and Chef David Hawksworth Celebrated with World’s Best Business Class Lounge Dining Award from Syktrax

Global travellers choose Air Canada and Chef Hawksworth’s cuisine as world’s best in 2019 Skytrax World Airline Awards

Air Canada is recognized as providing its customers with the World’s Best Business Class Lounge Dining in the 2019 Skytrax World Airline Awards. Held on June 18, 2019 at the International Paris Air Show, the highly-coveted award acknowledges Air Canada’s Signature Suite at Toronto Pearson International Airport for providing eligible Signature Class travellers with a sophisticated pre-boarding experience. The Signature Suite features menus by renowned Canadian chef, David Hawksworth, offering elevated and ingredient-driven menus, including à la carte dining and a self-service buffet menu.


An internationally acclaimed benchmark, the Skytrax World Airline Awards represent the thoughts and opinions of more than 21 million global travellers voting in the world’s largest airline passenger satisfaction survey. Air Canada was also awarded Best Airline in North America for the eighth time in the past ten years; as well as receiving Best Business Class in North America for the second straight year, where Chef Hawksworth’s partnership also extends to developing in-flight business class menus and select dishes in Maple Leaf lounges across Canada.


“Congratulations to our friends at Air Canada for this important recognition at the 2019 Skytrax World Airline Awards,” says Chef David Hawksworth. “Four years into our partnership we continue to be honoured to provide Air Canada passengers with our take on contemporary Canadian cuisine in both the lounges and up to 35,000 feet.”


“We’re overjoyed to have Air Canada’s Signature Suite awarded World’s Best Business Class Lounge Dining by Skytrax,” says Andrew Yiu, Vice-President, Product at Air Canada. “This award is a true testament to our continued commitment enhancing all aspects of our travel experience. We would like to thank Chef David Hawksworth and his culinary team for their valued contribution; we are proud of this partnership and look forward to continuing our collaboration.”


Located in Terminal 1 of Toronto Pearson International Airport, Air Canada’s Signature Suite launched in 2017 to help elevate the travel experience for select customers booked in International Signature Class. With many travellers expressing the desire to enjoy a proper meal prior to their international or overnight flight, Air Canada partnered with Chef Hawksworth to boost its culinary offerings with seasonally-inspired menu designs exclusive to the Signature Suite, International Business Class flights and select Maple Leaf Lounges. 

Air Canada Debuts Exclusive Air Canada Signature Suite for Premium International Customers at its Toronto Global Hub (CNW Group/Air Canada)

Chef Hawksworth, alongside Development Chef, Stephanie Noel, continues to collaborate with and guide Air Canada’s in-flight caterers and Maple Leaf Lounge providers to create a selection of engaging dining options that represent the regional flavours of Canada. Air Canada remains a valued sponsor of the Hawksworth Young Chef Scholarship Foundation which enables Canada’s most established Chefs to mentor, recognize and inspire young chefs working in professional kitchens across the country, while elevating Canada’s culinary reputation on the world stage.

To discover Air Canada’s range of tools, services, news, offers, and exclusive advantages for business travellers, visit www.aircanada.com/business-travel.

For more information about Hawksworth Restaurant Group visit www.hawksworthgroup.com or sign up for e-news at www.hawksworthrestaurant.com/subscribe/.