Air France has introduced a rotating Business Class menu created by Michelin-starred chef Mory Sacko on its Nairobi–Paris route, the airline said in a statement dated May 4, 2026 in Nairobi.

According to the press release, the airline will roll out 12 new dishes over the coming months for customers flying from Nairobi, with options spanning vegetarian, fish, red meat and poultry selections. Air France said some dishes are already available, including “gnocchi with corn cream” and a seafood dish featuring “sea bass and prawns in a spicy bouillabaisse-style broth served with poached vegetables.”

The move is part of Air France’s broader strategy to differentiate its long-haul product on African routes as competition intensifies among international carriers serving key hubs such as Nairobi’s Jomo Kenyatta International Airport. The Nairobi–Paris route is an important link for business and leisure travel between Kenya and Europe, supporting tourism, trade and connectivity for multinational firms and regional organisations with operations in Nairobi.

Chef Sacko, who the airline said has Senegalese and Malian heritage, is known for combining French and West African influences. Air France noted that his Paris restaurant, MoSuke, earned a Michelin star after opening in 2020. The press release also cited a later collaboration with Louis Vuitton in Saint-Tropez as part of his international profile.

Joris Holtus, Air France–KLM regional General Manager for East and Southern Africa, Nigeria and Ghana, said the partnership is intended to reflect both French culinary positioning and local influences across the airline’s African network.

“Our partnership with the global gastronomy icon Chef Sacko reinforces Air France’s long-standing ambition to champion French culinary excellence at altitude while embracing the richness of local cultures in its global network. We are delighted to introduce his unique menu to our loyal customers across Africa,” Holtus said.

Air France said the Nairobi introduction will be followed by a phased rollout across other sub-Saharan African destinations during 2026–2027, naming Cotonou, Dakar, Libreville and Lagos as markets where the menus will be introduced progressively.

For Kenya’s aviation and hospitality landscape, airline product upgrades on international routes can influence passenger choice, particularly among premium travellers and corporate accounts that prioritise service consistency on long-haul travel. Nairobi is a regional gateway for East Africa, and enhancements by foreign carriers can add pressure on airlines operating out of the city to keep pace on onboard experience, lounge offerings and loyalty incentives.

In its background notes, Air France said it is part of the Air France-KLM Group alongside KLM Royal Dutch Airlines and Transavia, with hubs at Paris-Charles de Gaulle and Amsterdam-Schiphol. The group “connect[ing] more than 300 destinations worldwide with a fleet of over 500 aircraft,” according to the statement. Air France also said the Flying Blue loyalty programme has more than 30 million members, and that Air France and KLM are members of the SkyTeam alliance, which includes 19 airlines.

Looking ahead, the immediate milestone for travellers on the Nairobi–Paris service is the gradual introduction of the full set of 12 dishes in Business Class, while the wider regional indicator will be the pace at which Air France extends the Sacko menus to additional African routes during the 2026–2027 period, as outlined in the press release.