Airplane travel can test the most dedicated healthy eater. With limited dining options, baggage restrictions, an early morning schedule and that I-need-carbs jet lag effect, the odds of eating clean and lean are slim.
For the stars of this week’s Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships, who spend much of their time travelling between tournaments across the globe, it’s even more challenging, as they strive to eat the kind of food that will ensure peak performance.
One airport lounge is trying to rectify the imbalance with a new water bar by fancy-schmancy Norwegian company Voss. The Emirates Health Hub with Voss, located in the business class lounge in Dubai International Airport’s Concourse B. It opened just a month ago, and was road-tested on Sunday by double Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova, ahead of her participation in the tournament.
Open to business-class passengers and those with Silver, Gold and Platinum Skywards accounts, it’s a small but bright spot away from the delicious temptations of bubbly, bar nuts and biriyani at the main restaurant in the lounge.
On offer are sugar-free, fruit-infused waters — think watermelon with rosemary; pineapple and mint; and orange, lemon and lime, alongside platters of fruit, sandwiches and a salad bar. And it was only a matter of time before those celebrity favourite juices popped up at the airport — there’s a spinach, apple and celery mix for you green juicers, for example. (Our suggestion: Add some filling, non-dairy smoothies!)
“As an airline, we are seeing a bigger focus on and expectation of healthier options from our customers,” says Don Surrendra, the Product Development Manager for Emirates Airport Services. “We have of course extended this to our lounges to ensure our customers’ needs are met every step of the way, before they even board the aircraft.” The Voss hub opened after recent renovations at the lounge.
“The ‘Health Hub’ is one of many Emirates concepts we have included on the lounge refurbishment programme for Dubai. We have also rolled out a barista experience and there are additional new concepts being rolled out over the next few months. As always we partner with premium brands that would resonate with our customers.”
How are the dishes and recipes created for this area?
The Lounge Chefs conducted numerous workshops to design, trial and finalise new menu concepts. Yes, the offering is new.
The passengers nibbling on the dishes of sunflower seeds, cocoa nibs and kale-corn chips (a personal favourite) whipped out their phones with glee when Kvitova quietly arrived for her photo and video shoot in the lounge, part of the annual tournament’s efforts to promote Dubai as a tourist destination.
“It makes a big difference. When you are travelling you just see sandwiches and not really healthy stuff, this kind of thing you have in the lounge is amazing for us. I am always looking for good and healthy food and I find it a lot here,” says Kvitova.
On her menu: “I love some fresh juices, fruits and vegetables, and pasta or rice. I don’t like sandwiches — I like a hot meal.”
After getting her drink of choice (the watermelon water), the wellness experience continued for Kvitova, who was offered a quick back massage at the Timeless Spa inside the lounge, one of a range of super-quick treatments available (at a charge) for lounge passengers. While a back or foot massage is a much-needed treat for the weary passenger (those are the two most popular treatments at the spa), for Kvitova, it’s all in a day’s work: the world number 8 gets sports massage on a daily basis.
“But I like to come for a pedicure and manicure — that’s what I like because we are on our feet every minute of the day.”
Petra Kvitova — fast facts
Born: March 8, 1990, in Bilovec, Czech Republic
Plays: Left-handed (two-handed backhand) and turned pro in 2006
Grand Slam titles: Wimbledon (grass) in 2011 (beating Maria Sharapova) and 2014 (beating Eugenie Bouchard).
Dubai Tennis Championships Women’s Singles titles: 2013 (beating Sara Errani).
Watch her play in Dubai: Kvitova’s first match will be on February 16. Check here for order of play.
