On March 20, Air Astana officially announced a collaboration with Sandyk, a restaurant serving authentic Kazakh cuisine, unveiling a new in-flight menu dedicated to the Nauryz holiday.
Among the guests at the event, hosted by actor Sanjar Madi in Almaty, were prominent Kazakh journalists Aigul Mukei and Dina Tolepbergen; popular bloggers Aizhuldyz Adaibekova and her husband, Saken Kagarov; Artur Askaruly; and interviewer Timur Balymbetov and his wife, among others.
Guests were welcomed by Air Astana CEO Peter Foster and Ibrahim Canliel, who will assume the role of the group’s CEO on April 1. A key highlight of the evening was a tasting of the new menu, which is already available on flights longer than three hours, with some items varying by class of service.
The menu featured the «Sandyk» salad with a signature ginger-based dressing, a beetroot salad and a green apple salad. Guests also sampled signature interpretations of traditional dishes such as beshbarmak, simmered beef with vegetables (bukpa) and lamb ribs simmered in kumis (kymyz kabyrga). The dishes stood out for their tenderness and rich flavors.
Attendees also tried the «Nomad Kozhe» soup, a lighter and more refined version of the traditional Nauryz kozhe made with grains and kazy.
The highlight of the evening was the presentation of the exclusive «Ashik Aspan» dessert, which guests were the first to try. The dessert featured a delicate blue base reminiscent of mochi or ice cream, topped with a «cloud» of caramelized sugar, a golden airplane and the restaurant’s logo.
In addition, the airline will offer all passengers traditional Kazakh sweets during the holiday period.
Air Astana representatives also announced plans to expand the airline’s route network, including a new route between Almaty and Shanghai in the near future.
