Singapore Airlines launches Golden Door wellness cuisine on ultra-long-range flights

After three years working with Canyon Ranch for its wellness cuisine and in-flight well being programmes on ultra-long-haul services, last year Singapore Airlines announced a new partnership with high-end U.S. spa retreat Golden Door.

While a one-week stay at the Golden Door resort near San Marcos in California will currently set you back US$10,450 plus tax, SIA passengers will now get a taste of the spa’s wellness menus included in the price of their Business Class or Premium Economy ticket on selected routes.

This sees a new range of catering offered in premium cabins on the airline’s non-stop flights between the USA and Singapore, as part of a “farm-to-plane” initiative, plus a range of hydration, exercise and sleep tips, all designed to make flights of up to 19 hours long spanning 12 time zones more bearable.

Rest assured that if wellness cuisine doesn’t particularly excite you, regular in-flight menu and ‘Book the Cook’ options are still available alongside these new options.

Which flights?

The first Golden Door menus were originally scheduled to be introduced from January 2022 on Los Angeles to Singapore flights (SQ37), however the launch was postponed and it’s the daily non-stops from New York (JFK) and Newark that have become the first to experience the new selections, since 1st April 2022.

These two flights are currently the longest non-stop passenger services in the world, with JFK – Singapore just pipping the Newark route to the accolade at 5km further, with 5 minutes extra flight time built in to accommodate.

Non-stop flights from Los Angeles, San Francisco and Seattle to Singapore will progressively be added to the list of services featuring these Golden Door options, as outlined below.

Singapore Airlines Current or Confirmed Golden Door Wellness Menu Routes
Route	Flight Numbers	Aircraft Type
Newark – Singapore 18 hours 45 minutes	SQ21	A350 ULR
New York (JFK) – Singapore 18 hours 50 minutes	SQ23	A350 ULR
Los Angeles – Singapore 17 hours 10 minutes	SQ37^	A350 Long Haul

^ Golden Door menu commences 1st May 2022

Singapore Airlines Future Golden Door Wellness Menu Routes (Dates TBC)
Route	Flight Numbers	Aircraft Type
Los Angeles – Singapore 17 hours 10 minutes	SQ35	A350 Long Haul
San Francisco – Singapore 16 hours 40 minutes	SQ31 SQ33	A350 Long Haul A350 ULR
Seattle – Singapore* 16 hours 10 minutes	SQ27	A350 Long Haul

* Non-stop Seattle – Singapore services resume on 2nd June 2022

Even though many of Singapore Airlines’ non-stop flights from the USA to Singapore use three-class Airbus A350 Long Haul aircraft, including all services from Los Angeles, the new Golden Door meal options will only be available to passengers travelling in Business Class and Premium Economy.

The Golden Door menu items are exclusive to non-stop services, and therefore won’t be offered on the following Singapore Airlines flights from the USA:

• Houston – Manchester – Singapore
• Los Angeles – Tokyo – Singapore
• New York (JFK) – Frankfurt – Singapore

Remember these Golden Door wellness options are only available in the USA to Singapore direction, with only regular menus alongside SIA’s ‘Book the Cook’ service offered for those departing from Changi.

‘Book the Cook’ is also now available for Business Class passengers departing from Los Angeles, New York (JFK) and Seattle, and for Premium Economy Class passengers departing from Los Angeles and Seattle, but has not yet been restored for flights departing from other U.S. airports.

Current offerings

On both the SQ21 Newark – Singapore and SQ23 New York (JFK) – Singapore flights, each of which departs daily, the Golden Door wellness menu options are now featured in Business Class on the in-flight menu at the second meal service, called “Midflight Onwards”.

This is designed to be consumed any time from midway through the flight through to two hours before landing in Singapore, and follows the initial “Lunch” service from Newark at 10.25am (SQ21) or the “After Take Off” service from JFK at 10.30pm (SQ23).

The “Midflight Onwards” offering is currently identical on both flights.

In Premium Economy Class, passengers can also make a Golden Door selection.

This time the two New York – Singapore flights are slightly different, with passengers departing from JFK on SQ23 seeing their option at the after take-off “Supper” service.

Premium Economy passengers departing from Newark on the daytime SQ21 service will see the Golden Door wellness option on their “Dinner” menu, served prior to landing in Singapore.

You can view the in-flight menu for any Singapore Airlines flight in any class of service for departures over the next eight days at the In-flight Menu portal (printed menus are no longer provided on board).

Los Angeles joins from 1st May

SQ37 flights from Los Angeles to Singapore, originally slated to be the first to receive Golden Door menu options earlier this year, will start to see these dishes in Business Class from 1st May 2022.

Here’s how the initial menu looks, once again at the second meal service, called “Midflight Onwards”.

There are no Golden Door dishes listed for Premium Economy travellers on SQ37, nor any passengers on SQ35 Los Angeles – Singapore flights, at the time of writing.

Full Golden Door selection

Here’s a selection of further planned Golden Door wellness menu items, which will appear on non-stop USA to Singapore menus listed above in rotation, so hopefully regular travellers on these routes will see a good variety offered through the year.

Main Courses

• Portobello meatballs, risotto heirloom tomato sauce with wilted greens
• Lemon-roasted Cornish hen, farm verde, asparagus, roasted eggplant fricassee
• Scallops or tofu with cauliflower sauce, wild rice and beurre noisette
• Citrus salmon over pumpkin dal, basmati rice and cilantro ghee

Salads and Soups

• Citrus grilled shrimp salad with honey glazed mushrooms, blackberries, sourdough croutons, balsamic ginger dressing
• Hearty vegetable black bean chilli with cornbread croutons, avocado cream and cilantro
• Cauliflower chowder with cheddar cheese and chilli oil
• Orange-braised baby beet salad with endive, cherry tomatoes and pine nuts

Breakfast

• Power-packed oatmeal with goji berries, blueberries, quinoa, almonds and honey drizzle
• Sourdough French toast with ginger maple syrup and vanilla berries
• Smoked salmon with crisp Lavash and lemon crema
• Cocoa granola with cinnamon hazelnut milk

Desserts

• Vegan coconut ice cream with mango
• Avocado chocolate ganache
• Persimmon pudding cake
• Spiced apple cake
• Baked seasonal fruit crumble

Golden Door dishes are designed to reduce insulin spikes and indigestion, while helping passengers feel fuller for longer.

It’s not just about food

SIA’s partnership with Golden Door also extends beyond the wellness menu items.

There are also specially designed beverages (of the non-alcoholic variety, obviously!), designed to “promote a sense of relaxation and rejuvenation”.

In-flight-specific exercises and stretches have also been developed, which can be accessed via the IFE system. The content can also be viewed on the Singapore Airlines app, up to 30 days after you arrive.

About Golden Door

With its five-figure price tag for a week-long retreat, Golden Door is renowned as one of the world’s leading spas, frequented by billionaires and celebrities including Oprah Winfrey and Nicole Kidman.

Even the resort’s website directions page has a section for “if you are arriving by private jet…”, so you probably get the picture – this place is way out of the league for most of us!

“With more than 60 years as a favourite among the world’s most discerning spa clients, Golden Door is recognised as one of the most pre-eminent brands in wellness. SIA and Golden Door have been regularly named as the leading international airline and the number one destination spa respectively in the world’s top travel publications.

“It is fitting that we come together to find new ways to give our customers tools to further enhance their well-being and comfort on board our flights.”

Betty Wong, VP of Inflight Services and Design, Singapore Airlines

Golden Door was voted “World’s Number One Spa” in 2019 by Condé Nast traveller.

Como Shambhala wellness cuisine

While SIA’s new Golden Door collaboration replaces a former partnership with Canyon Ranch for non-stop USA services, the airline continues to offer Como Shambhala wellness dishes on its ‘Book the Cook’ menu for selected flights departing from Changi.

That means on many routes you can still make a healthier or more wholesome dining selection when flying in Business Class.

Singapore Airlines passengers in Business Class and Premium Economy on non-stop flights from the USA to Changi will progressively see these new wellness cuisine options appearing on the in-flight menu alongside the regular items, which provide a healthier alternative on these very long journeys.

Non-stop Newark and New York (JFK) to Singapore flights are the first to benefit, but Los Angeles, San Francisco and Seattle will follow.

The concept is by top-end spa Golden Door, which has taken over from Canyon Ranch who previously took care of the wellness menus from 2018 to 2021.

In-flight exercises and stretches, alongside healthy teas and detox juices are also part of the scheme, which all combined hopefully allow you to touch down back in Singapore feeling as refreshed as possible, despite the long flight across multiple time zones.

(Cover Photo: Singapore Airlines)