Gone are the days of airplane food that makes you want to jump off the plane in disgust. No longer will a high-altitude breakfast induce a permanent seat change to the lavatory at the back of the plane. As airlines update their fleets to include First Class “suites” with full-length beds and personal 17-inch television screens, so has First Class food become a delight fit, in the case of Cathay Pacific, for a king.

The trans-Pacific airline’s new first class menu features a rich array of pan-cultural cuisine, but the crown jewel is the Balik smoked salmon – salmon prepared in the traditional style of the court of the Russian Tsar. Today, this Atlantic salmon is smoked in the Balik compound in the Swiss Alps, a source of pure groundwater and healthy hardwood and chosen in the 1970s by the old Imperial Court Smoker. We already knew salmon was good, but Cathay Pacific has access to what is often considered the best smoked salmon in the world. The airline’s chefs prefer not to tamper with this near-perfect dish but instead to serve it with caviar and potatoes, a perfect way to start any trip. If you never thought you’d ask for seconds on an airplane, this might just change your mind.

Cathay Pacific flies from Toronto and Vancouver to Hong Kong and other Asian destinations. For more information on Cathay Pacific flights, see cathaypacific.com.