Imagine sailing with a well-known executive chef from a famous restaurant or an inspiring culinary television personality. Holland America Line’s Culinary Arts Center program makes these dreams a reality by inviting chefs from kitchens and restaurants all around the country and making them part of the guest enrichment program. While on board, the guest chefs and experts offer culinary demonstrations, tastings and hands-on cooking classes to guests, in addition to participating in question and answer sessions.
In partnership with “Food and Wine” magazine, Holland America Line has scheduled approximately 60 celebrated chefs and wine experts to sail in 2009. On cruises that do not have a guest chef on board, classes and demonstrations in the show kitchen are scheduled with Holland America’s own expert chefs.
The line partners with “Food & Wine” magazine to provide guests on select cruises the opportunity to experience demonstrations and seminars conducted by a wide range of culinary experts.
This season Holland America Line will welcome well-known personalities such as Captain Keith Colburn from Discovery Channel’s “Deadliest Catch” sailing on ms Westerdam June 7 — 14 in Alaska; George Duran of “Ham on the Street” on the Food Network sailing aboard ms Amsterdam Aug. 29 — Sept. 5 in Alaska; “Top Chef” contestant Richard Blaise sailing on ms Maasdam Oct. 23 — Nov. 6 in the Caribbean; and Christina Pirello of “Christina Cooks” on PBS sailing aboard ms Zuiderdam Aug. 8 — 15 in Alaska. In addition to world-famous chefs, the Culinary Arts Program includes cookbook authors as well as chocolatiers and tablescape experts.
A selection of participating chefs and experts in the continuing 2009 season include:
• Oliver Reschreiter, executive chef at the JW Marriott Desert Springs Resort in Palm Desert, Calif., sailing on ms Ryndam June 19 — 26, Alaska. • Lee Hilson, executive chef at the Royal Palms Resort in Phoenix, Ariz., sailing on ms Oosterdam June 24 — July 6, Mediterranean. • Randy Lewis, executive chef of La Provence in Lacombe, La., sailing on ms Noordam June 28 — July 8, Mediterranean. • Bruce Weinstein and Mark Scarbrough, authors of the “Ultimate” cookbook series sailing on ms Prinsendam July 3 — 17, British Isles. • Stewart Woodman, executive chef at Heidi’s in Minneapolis, Minn., sailing on ms Maasdam July 18 — 25, Canada/New England. • Scott Tycer, executive chef at Gravitas in Houston, Texas, sailing on ms Rotterdam Aug. 11 — 23, Baltic. • Olga Krasnoff, designer of tabletop landscapes, sailing on ms Eurodam Aug. 27 —Sept. 6, Canada/New England. • David McMillan, corporate executive chef of Consilient Restaurants sailing on ms Prinsendam Sept. 6 — 20, Western Europe. • Ryan Hardy, executive chef of Little Nell in Aspen, Colo., sailing on ms Rotterdam Oct. 3 — 17, Mediterranean. • Jacques Torres, master pastry chef and chocolatier, sailing on ms Oosterdam Oct. 17 — Nov. 2, Transatlantic. • Maria Hines, executive chef of Tilth in Seattle, Wash., sailing on ms Zuiderdam Oct. 24 — Nov. 3, Panama Canal.
The program began in 2005 when the line installed state-of-the-art Culinary Arts Centers aboard each of its premium ships. A first-class “show kitchen at sea,” the Culinary Arts Centers resemble the elaborate show kitchens used by celebrity chefs on television cooking programs. Each facility features a theater-style venue, with two large plasma video screens and a large cooking display counter where guests can learn from the masters.
Holland America Line also offers a youth Culinary Arts Center activity program to teach kids and teens how to cook. The program incorporates dishes from breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks in complimentary 45-minute-long classes. Kids under eight years old learn to make theme cookies, fruit roll-ups, ice cream sandwiches, salad people art and scones. Kids eight and over make soft pretzels, granola bars, pita chips and hummus, and saltwater taffy. Teens also can attend adult culinary demonstrations.
In addition to partnering with “Food & Wine” to secure top experts, Holland America Line showcases its own culinary stars on more than 500 annual cruises with demonstrations, tastings and hands-on cooking classes given by the ships’ executive chefs and culinary staff. The line’s cookbook, “A Taste of Excellence” written by Master Chef Rudi Sodamin, offers guests preparation techniques for some of Holland America’s most delectable dishes and lavish libations as part of the Culinary Arts Center experience. Sodamin’s second Holland America Line cookbook, “A Taste of Elegance,” is due out in March, 2009.
Two sommelier wine options enhance Signature Services onboard Holland America Line. Hosted fleetwide in the Pinnacle Grill on sailings of 10 days or longer, the Sommelier Dinner event combines at least four glasses of wine with a six-course menu for expertly paired wine and cuisine. For extensive wine sampling throughout all cruises, the Sommelier Wine Package features multiple wine tastings, events and selections.
Sommelier Dinner Offered once per sailing, a culinary team of six, including the executive chef and cellar master, collaborate to produce the Sommelier Dinner. The cellar master, or “sommelier,” introduces combinations at course intervals, revealing the background and basis for each blend.
Prior to the premium dinner event, guests meet for champagne or Kir Royal in the Explorer’s Lounge or Pinnacle Grill Wine Bar. Menu items feature an amuse-bouche or hors d’oeuvre, cold appetizer, soup, warm appetizer or sorbet, main course, dessert and coffee with “petit fours” or cakes. Sample menu pairings include smoked salmon with a glass of Napa Valley Caymus Conundrum or assorted cheeses paired with Inniskillen Icewine from the Niagara Peninsula. The Sommelier Dinner is $75 per person.
Sommelier Wine Package A wine tasting experience is available throughout the length of a cruise with the Sommelier Package. Two wine tasting events, a Pinnacle Grill dinner, five vintage bottles, a Holland America Line commemorative bottle and wine gift are included for onboard enjoyment.
Revealing a variety of international samples, a wine tasting is conducted by the cellar master or sommelier. Among the most knowledgeable in the cruise industry, Holland America Line sommeliers undergo extensive training for certification. Guided by sommelier expertise, a second premium wine sampling event is also hosted along with an evening of fine dining in the Pinnacle Grill.
From a varied special selection of wine, five bottles are presented based on the wine navigators’ preference. A Holland America Line Commemorative Cabernet Sauvignon or Chardonnay is delivered to each guest stateroom along with a wine-related gift. The Sommelier Package is available from $251 per person or $308 per couple.
The 2,052-passenger Carnival Sensation has undergone a multi-million-dollar renovation and emerged with a host of new facilities and features, including a sprawling water park, an exclusive adults-only retreat, and redesigned tropical themed main pool. Ninety-eight balconies were also incorporated onto existing ocean view staterooms and a new Circle C facility for 12- to 14-year olds was added, as well.
The extensive renovation, which took place during a 35-day dry dock, is part of Carnival’s “Evolutions of Fun” refurbishment program for the line’s eight Fantasy-class vessels. Carnival Sensation is the fourth “Fun Ship” to receive the upgrades, joining the Carnival Imagination, Carnival Inspiration, and Carnival Fantasy which have already been renovated. The four remaining Fantasy-class ships will be refurbished over the next few years.
Carnival Sensation resumed its year-round three- and four-day Bahamas cruise program from Port Canaveral, Fla., last week. On this route, three-day cruises depart Thursdays and visit Nassau while four-day voyages depart Sundays and call at Freeport and Nassau.
In this episode, we rant about ships rumors; upgrades; Homeporting and much more. We introduce our newest Facebook feature, the Question of the Week.
Look for an outstanding Deal of the Week.
Norwegian Cruise Line became the latest operator to introduce behind-the-scenes tours for passengers. NCL calls them, ‘backstage tours.’
There are two versions. The $55 basic tour takes participants into the provisions area, the galley, backstage in the main theater, to the ship’s laundry and, finally, to the navigational bridge for pictures with the captain.
The $150 full tour adds cocktails, a sushi tasting and a hosted dinner in Cagney’s, the steak and seafood restaurant that is arguably NCL’s most popular alternative dining venue.
« Newer Articles — Older Articles »
