BANGKOK, 2 July 2019 - AirAsia and Santan have teamed up with (RED) to create a special inflight meal, the INSPI(RED) Burger, in support of the fight to end AIDS.

Created by New York-based (RED) Chef Ambassador Hong Thaimee, the burger draws on her Northern Thai roots to deliver a truly East-meets-West experience. It features a chicken patty infused with fish sauce, kaffir lime leaves and lemongrass, topped with zesty nam prik noom mayo (green chilli mayonnaise), shredded purple cabbage and tomato on a red beetroot bun.

For every INSPI(RED) Burger sold, 10% of sales will go to the Global Fund to support HIV/AIDS testing, counselling, treatment and prevention programmes in the Asean region.

(RED) Chef Ambassador Hong Thaimee said, “As a Thai chef based in New York, I wanted to combine the best of both worlds - Thai flavours and the classic all-American burger - to make a meal that would be easy for the airline passengers to enjoy. Since I started my culinary journey, it’s been my mission and passion to bring Thai food to a wider audience, and it’s exciting to think that I can introduce the flavours of my hometown of Chiang Mai to the 8 million guests who fly with AirAsia monthly.”

(RED) Chief Operating Officer Jennifer Lotito said, “In support of our culinary campaign, EAT (RED) SAVE LIVES, we’re extremely proud to see AirAsia team-up with Chef Hong Thaimee to take (RED) to the skies with the INSPI(RED) Burger. It’s not only a delicious option for passengers; it brings real awareness to the AIDS fight and helps raise critical funds to finance HIV/AIDS programmes in Asean.”

AirAsia Group Head of Brand Rudy Khaw said, “We are excited to introduce our latest Santan meal, the INSPI(RED) Burger, created by celebrity chef and (RED) Ambassador Hong Thaimee for our guests. Having started her culinary career later in life, Chef Hong was a latecomer to the field, but with hard work and sheer determination she carved out her own space and made a name for herself, much like AirAsia has. With our common ‘dare to dream’ mindset and shared heritage, working with Chef Hong felt like an ideal marriage of two Asean personalities in support of the region.”

Guests are encouraged to pre-book the INSPI(RED) Burger with a complimentary drink at a promotional price of only SGD4 on AirAsia flights across all AirAsia destinations.* 

Santan meals are available for pre-booking via My Bookings on airasia.com. Pre-booking provides guests with cheaper-than-airport prices, a wider variety of meals and priority meal delivery on board.

AirAsia has also created a special line of co-branded (AirAsia)RED inflight merchandise to spread the (RED) message, including a remix of the iconic AirAsia cap, an aircraft model for collectors and others, with USD2.00 from the sale of each item to be donated to the Global Fund.

* INSPI(RED) Burger is available for pre-book on all flights except those operated by AirAsia India (carrier code I5) and AirAsia Japan (DJ). Prices are subject to daily currency exchange rates.

About Chef Hong Thaimee

Originally from Chiangmai, Thailand, Chef Hong Thaimee is one of the most visible faces of Thai food in the US and has been bringing her True Thai flavors to an appreciative New York audience for almost a decade. One of the country's foremost female chef/restaurateurs, she is also a humanitarian activist, inspirational speaker and global ambassador for Thailand's culinary culture. 

Chef Hong put aside a successful career as a model and business executive in Bangkok to come to New York. Armed with drive, a master’s degree in business, but little kitchen experience, she talked her way into cooking jobs at Jean-Georges’ Spice Market and Perry Street restaurants, where she mastered the classic technique for five years. She left Jean-Georges in 2012 to open Ngam in the East Village and focus on the Thai flavors of her childhood. The place quickly caught on and was ranked as the Best Thai Food in NYC by The Village Voice in 2013. 

With her own restaurants as a base, Chef Hong developed substantial catering and education businesses, all driven by her desire and values: to love and serve people and spread the word about real Thai cuisine. “True Thai,” her 2015 cookbook with Rizzoli (amzn.to/2ILIRHU), showcases Hong's irresistible personality, talent, and passion for the unique flavors of Thailand.

About (RED)

(RED) was founded in 2006 to engage businesses and people in the fight against AIDS. (RED) partners with the world’s most iconic brands that contribute proceeds from (RED)-branded goods and services to the Global Fund. (RED) Proud Partners include: Amazon, Apple, AirAsia, Bank of America, Beats by Dr. Dre, Belvedere, Claro, Durex, MCM, Salesforce, SAP, Starbucks and Telcel. (RED) Special Edition partners include: Alessi, Andaz, Calm, eos, Fatboy USA, Girl Skateboards, Montblanc, Mophie, quip, Vespa, Vilebrequin and Wanderlust. 

To date, (RED) has generated more than $600 million for the Global Fund to fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, to support HIV/AIDS grants in Ghana, Kenya, Lesotho, Rwanda, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania and Zambia. 100 percent of that money goes to work on the ground – no overhead is taken. Global Fund grants that (RED) supports have impacted over 140 million people with prevention, treatment, counseling, HIV testing and care services.