Those breaking their two-year European travel fast with a Qantas flight to Italy now have double the reason to celebrate. 

Forget waiting until clearing the gates at Fiumicino to indulge in silky strands of pasta, orbs of mozzarella and fine Italian wine. To celebrate the launch of Qantas’s new direct Perth to Rome services, the Flying Kangaroo has curated an Italian greatest hits menu to get passengers into the Roman holiday swing even earlier. Because the only non-stop link between Australia and continental Europe is kind of a big deal.

Neil Perry’s la dolce vita-themed menu will be available across select Qantas lounges and Business Class flights, with Aussie-grown Italian wine varietals to match; you can now clink Vermentinos or Montepulcianos while indulging in all your favourite in-flight entertainment. 

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Feast on butter-soft salumi with bocconcini, semi dried tomatoes and pecorino-crushed peas; or buffalo mozzarella with heirloom tomatoes, at selected Qantas First and Business lounges this month. Build up to spaghettini tangled with garlic and chilli prawns, slow-roasted cherry tomatoes and pangrattato on board Business Class flights, then cap it all off with a tiramisu.

Perry, who is Qantas’ Creative Director of Food, Beverage and Service, first travelled to Italy in 1984 and immediately understood why it’s one of the most loved cuisines in Australia.

“Italian food is so much more than pizza and pasta,” says Perry, “although they do both brilliantly, but they celebrate the hero ingredients of their country including citrus, olives, fresh seafood and tomatoes.”

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“Italians live and breathe seasonality and freshness, so it was important when designing these menu items that we respected and celebrated the traditions of the cuisine and Rome’s deep history.”

Other menu highlights include warm focaccia teamed with buffalo mozzarella, salumi, anchovy and artichokes, while a fettucine Bolognese with Parmigiano Reggiano is guaranteed to please the masses. Travellers who opt for the plant-based menu can expect caramelised potato gratin with peas, mushrooms and roasted fennel, among other seasonally-led dishes.

Launching on June 25, the new Qantas Perth to Rome route will run three times a week until October 2022.

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