| Not just content with TV appearances and | | | | down to the size of the spoons". |
| receiving rave reviews in the media, celebrity | | | | Not all cruise lines boast menus created by |
| chefs have been taking to the waves creating | | | | celebrity chefs, but you could still sample their |
| menus for restaurants on cruise ships or even | | | | food as some appear as guest lecturers onboard. |
| turning up on the ships themselves. | | | | Travel on Seven Seas Navigator on 7th June |
| Take a trip on either of Ocean Village's ships and | | | | 2008 and see former White House chef Walter |
| you could be rubbing shoulders with James Martin, | | | | Scheib who served under Bill Clinton and George |
| him of 'Ready, Steady, Cook' and 'UK Food' fame, | | | | Bush, whilst UK Michel Star chef Billy Reid from |
| who started life on the ocean waves back in | | | | the Belvedere in London shared some of his |
| 2003 when he launched The Bistro on Ocean | | | | secrets on Holland America's Maasdam Reid in |
| Village. | | | | November. |
| As well as developing the menus for the Bistro | | | | What's the reasoning behind using celebrity chefs? |
| and training the chefs, James also makes the odd | | | | Following the recent announcement by P&O |
| appearance in the galley onboard so if you're | | | | Cruises, that not only is Marco Pierre White |
| cruising in the Caribbean in January, or in the Med | | | | creating dining experiences on the new superliner |
| in April, June or September next year, you might | | | | Ventura, but also on Aurora and Oceana, we |
| be lucky enough to have your meal cooked by | | | | decided to ask the company a couple of |
| the man himself. Now that's something to impress | | | | questions. |
| your friends with. | | | | What made P&O Cruises decide to use |
| Italian food-lovers, you'll be spoilt for choice in the | | | | celebrity chefs to create restaurant menus, e.g. to |
| brand new Aldo Zilli restaurant on Thomson | | | | attract potential passengers? |
| Celebration. Aldo is the man behind several | | | | The standard of dining on the P&O Cruises |
| gourmet West End eateries that have been pulling | | | | ships has always been very high but as passenger |
| in A-list celebs and discerning theatre-goers for | | | | demographics change, it is necessary to offer |
| years and you may also have seen him appearing | | | | more choice and flexibility. Also, tastes have |
| on the ITV programme Celebrity Fit Club, | | | | evolved with the popularity of food programmes |
| although don't they say you should never trust a | | | | on television and the rise of celebrity chefs. |
| slim chef?! Thomson has said the Aldo will be | | | | Everyone is more aware of the provenance of |
| onboard Celebration every now and then to keep | | | | food and thus more demanding. A carefully |
| an eye his floating restaurant, although no dates | | | | chosen meal made from the finest ingredients can |
| have been released yet so keep an eye out. | | | | be a very memorable experience. |
| Unsurprisingly, Cunard teamed up with one of | | | | When Gary Rhodes opened Arcadian Rhodes it |
| America's leading chefs, Todd English, for one of | | | | was instantly popular and therefore we wanted to |
| its dining alternatives on Queen Mary 2 and it | | | | extend these select dining experiences across the |
| proved to be so popular that Todd also has a | | | | fleet with chefs which typify the high standards |
| restaurant on the newly launched Queen Victoria. | | | | of P&O Cruises and fit the atmosphere of |
| Having worked in Italy, his menu has a distinctive | | | | the ship. |
| Mediterranean flavour. Not only is Todd a | | | | What made P&O Cruises decide on Marco |
| renowned chef, he also owns a number of | | | | Pierre White and Gary Rhodes? |
| restaurants throughout the US and has his own | | | | Marco and Gary are amongst the top chefs in the |
| TV series. | | | | UK and probably in the world. Both Michelin starred |
| If you fancy something a bit different, try Crystal | | | | chefs are the embodiment of the finest British |
| Cruises. Dishes from world-class master chef | | | | cooking. Marco is known as the "godfather of |
| Nobuyuki "Nobu" Matsuhisa already feature on | | | | British cooking" and Gary prides himself on using |
| Crystal Serenity but it has recently been | | | | the finest ingredients to be found in the UK. Gary |
| announced that Nobu is partnering with Crystal for | | | | has had many successful television series and |
| two new restaurants, Silk Road and The Sushi | | | | books and has built up a dedicated and loyal |
| Bar, aboard Crystal Symphony. Don't expect | | | | following. His style of cuisine has received rave |
| classic Japanese dishes though as he's | | | | reviews worldwide and it was fitting, therefore, |
| internationally renowned for blending Japanese | | | | that he had a restaurant on Arcadia, Britain's |
| food with Peruvian and European flavours. | | | | most contemporary superliner when she was |
| Although the dishes onboard will be prepared by | | | | launched in April 2005. Arcadian Rhodes was so |
| Nobu-trained chefs, the great man himself will be | | | | successful that last year Gary opened Oriana |
| on Crystal Symphony during her trans-pacific | | | | Rhodes on Oriana, again a fine British-led menu. |
| voyage in March next year to oversee the launch | | | | How do your onboard chefs work with Marco and |
| so you might get some tips. | | | | Gary, e.g. do they go to their restaurants to be |
| For something a little more traditional, The Prego | | | | trained? |
| restaurants on Crystal's ships have authentic | | | | Yes, Marco and Gary have a team of chefs |
| regional Italian cuisine, with signature creations by | | | | onboard who only work in their restaurants. |
| Piero Selvaggio, owner of the renowned Valentino | | | | These chefs spend a great deal of time in London |
| restaurants in Los Angeles and Las Vegas. | | | | cooking with Marco and Gary and learning the |
| You might think that there's nothing to these | | | | essential skills of cooking and presentation to their |
| celebrity chefs creating dishes and menus to | | | | exacting standards. In addition, Marco and Gary |
| tempt passengers, after all that's their trade, but | | | | both spend a great deal of time onboard, |
| did you know that some of them also design the | | | | generally five or six cruises a year in which they |
| restaurants onboard too? Yes, not only do they | | | | monitor the chefs, change the menus and present |
| create dishes for you to enjoy, they want you to | | | | demonstrations for passengers. |
| experience the full monty as it were. As James | | | | With cruise lines snapping up some of the top |
| Martin puts it: "...when I put my name to | | | | chefs, what better excuse do you need to go on |
| something I need to know that it really is mine | | | | a cruise? |
| and that I have had input on everything right | | | | |