Qantas Unveils New Dishes in Singapore Lounges - Mirage News

From 1 July, Qantas’ First and Business lounges at Changi Airport began serving two iconic dishes – crispy spring rolls and “nuclear chicken” – saved from the century‑old Wing Seong Fatty’s restaurant that closed on 28 June. The move gives premium travellers a taste of the eatery that for decades was a rite of passage for Qantas pilots and cabin crew.

The addition is more than a culinary footnote. Wing Seong Fatty’s, founded in 1926 by Au Yuen and his son Au Chan Seng (“Fatty”), earned a reputation for feeding Australian servicemen and RAAF pilots during World War II, often at personal risk. After moving between Albert Street, Albert Complex and finally Burlington Square, the restaurant announced its closure after 100 years, citing a lack of successors. Qantas seized the moment to preserve two “signature” dishes, a decision framed by senior executives as a tribute to a shared history that stretches back to the late 1940s.

Media additions

Nick McGlynn, Qantas’ Executive Vice President for Asia, explained the partnership’s emotional weight: 

“Fatty’s has been more than just a restaurant. It’s been part of the Qantas story in Singapore for decades. Singapore has been one of our most important international bases since the late 1940s, and Fatty’s has been woven into that history from the early days.”

Nick McGlynn, Qantas Executive Vice President for Asia, via Mirage News

Chief Pilot Dick Tobiano echoed the sentiment, noting that the eatery “has been far more than a restaurant” for generations of crew. “We’re very grateful to the Au family and their friendship over the years, and on behalf of Qantas we wish them a well‑earned retirement,” he added.

These comments were made at a private farewell dinner on 19 June, where a group of about 20 pilots, led by Tobiano, presented the Au family with a scrapbook of photographs and messages. The event, captured by The Straits Times, also marked the hand‑over of the secret recipes to Qantas chefs. The recipes were taught by the third‑generation custodian, 75‑year‑old Skinny, and his brother Kelvin, who together with the restaurant team guided Qantas kitchen staff through the preparation of the dishes.

Both dishes retain their original monikers. The “crispy spring rolls” – described by CNA Lifestyle – appear in the First Lounge and are expected to stay on the menu for roughly three months. “Nuclear chicken,” a colloquial name for a clay‑pot curry chicken, lands in the Business Lounge for at least a month, with the possibility of an extended run if demand holds.

Timeline of key moments

• 1926 – Wing Seong Fatty’s founded on Albert Street, Singapore.
• 1987 – Relocates to Albert Complex.
• October 1999 – Moves to Burlington Square, Bencoolen.
• June 28 2026 – Restaurant closes after a century of operation.
• June 19 2026 – Private farewell dinner hosted by Qantas crew; recipes handed to airline chefs.
• July 1 2026 – Spring rolls debut in the Qantas First Lounge (estimated three‑month run).
• July 1 2026 – Nuclear chicken launches in the Business Lounge (minimum one‑month run).

What travellers get

Beyond the food, the partnership signals Qantas’ strategic push to localise its premium ground experience across hub airports. As Newsdirectory 3 reports, the airline is moving away from generic catering contracts toward “established local brands” to boost perceived value for its high‑spending clientele.

• Updates from the Au family, who plan a visit to Australia in November to meet Qantas crew.

For the crew who once queued for a table at the tiny Cantonese eatery, the dishes now arriving on polished lounge trays represent a bittersweet bridge between past and present. As one retired pilot told SMH, the recipes “aren’t shared with just anyone”; their arrival in the lounge marks the culmination of a shared legacy that began in the shadows of war and now sits in the bright, air‑conditioned comfort of Changi’s premium terminals.