2018 marks the 15-year anniversary of Oceania Cruises, known for outstanding culinary offerings and destination-rich itineraries that span the globe.  Ask a luxury traveler which cruise line has the best food. Foodie-focused Oceania is sure to be near or at the top of a very short list.  How does that happen?  What enables the Oceania culinary focus?  Why Oceania and not some other cruise line?  A quick look at two rather recent announcements from Oceania Cruises answer all those questions and more.

Early last month, Oceania announced 16 new cooking classes in the line’s state-of-the-art Culinary Center where guests cook under the instruction of experienced chefs and restaurateurs.

“We continue to add new classes to keep things fresh for our repeat guests and this year we’re thrilled to present our most diverse array of classes, including the first-ever knife-skills-only class to be offered at sea.” – Oceania Director of Culinary Enrichment, Chef Kathryn Kelly

 

Oceania Culinary
New Cooking Classes

Cooking classes on cruise ships are not exactly a new feature on any cruise line.  The subtle Oceania difference can be seen in three new classes, being rolled out right now.  Each offer skills to be learned at sea that can surely be taken home with us:

Slice: Mastering Chef Knife Skills
In partnership with the world-renowned Zwilling Company, makers of the chef-favorite J.A. Henckels knives, Oceania Cruises has developed one of our top guest-requested classes – a comprehensive knife skills class. Participants will get a chef’s look at a complete pantry of knives and enjoy the chance to try out a few chef knives to discover the best option for you. They’ll also learn how to sharpen and maintain this essential kitchen tool, practice various knife cuts and discover how to safely use the mandolin slicer – Chef Jacques Pépin’s favorite kitchen tool. At the conclusion of the class, all participants will receive a special Knife Skills certificate along with a savings voucher for their favorite Zwilling Company knives.

Rethink the Crêpe
While most people may think of the crêpe as French cuisine, this little envelope of love is popular everywhere and enjoyed in many variations the world over. From authentic buckwheat galettes to sweet crêpes Suzette, the recipes in this class will reveal or renew your passion for crêpes and their luscious fillings and toppings. Sweet, savory and everything in between – prepare to be amazed by the world of crêpes.

The Nordic Kitchen
Participants will delight in the delectable cuisine of Scandinavia and Northern Europe as they take a culinary voyage around the Baltic, discovering the secrets of delicacies from both land and sea. Savor regional specialties such as Estonian fish soup, Nordic salmon rillettes, gravlax cured in the traditional Scandinavian spirit and hearty meatballs with a Swedish flair.

“As the only foodie-focused cruise line, we strive to provide out guests with one-of-a-kind, hands-on culinary experiences that immerse them in the culinary cultures of the world,” – Bob Binder, President and CEO of Oceania Cruises.

 

Oceania Culinary
Choice, Flexibility, and Customization

Each evening in the Grand Dining Room, guests will be treated to more than two dozen dishes to choose from – six appetizers, three soups, four salads, nine main courses, and nine side dishes. Every menu incorporates our acclaimed and imaginative vegetarian dishes along with our Canyon Ranch Balanced Selections that follow their mantra for indulgent, yet healthy living. All in all, the menus comprise more than 800 dishes.

Not only are there more choices, the new menus offer guests the ultimate in flexibility and customization. They may choose as many, or few courses as they wish along with their side dishes and all accompaniments which are ordered a la carte. Diners may just as easily comprise a meal of appetizers and side dishes as they may run the menu or order one of our paired tasting menus.

 

Oceania Culinary
New Dishes Did Not Replace Time-Honored Favorites

Luxury cruise travelers like the diversity of selections with fresh and bold flavors, in addition to classic dishes that have been favorites ashore and at sea, for years or decades.

“The new Grand Dining Room dinner menus are truly the most creative and varied that you will find at sea. I’m so tremendously proud of our entire culinary team as every member had a hand in the crafting of these amazing creations,”-Franck Garanger, Corporate Executive Chef for Oceania Cruises.

Scintillating new additions such as herb-crusted cornish hen Diavolo, Palermo-style grilled swordfish, smoked ricotta risotto, and Paul Bocuse’s Alaskan halibut Viennoise, accompany time-honored favorites such as Jacques Pepin’s quartet of beef bourguignon, salmon supreme, steak frittes, and herb-crusted rotisserie chicken. Other classics being reprised include involtini di melanzane alla parmigiana, traditional coq au vin, golden-friend wiener schnitzel, and Dover sole meuniere.

 

Oceania Culinary
Executive Chef’s Food & Wine Pairing

Guests looking for a more adventurous dining experience, to create a special evening, or just something with a healthy bend, will want to experience one of our three new tasting menus. Reflecting Oceania Cruises’ globe-trotting adventures, the new menus feature a Global Cuisine tasting every evening that focuses on a particular region, specific country, or particular cooking style  – Asia, France, Cuba, India, United States, Spain, Thailand, Morocco, Polynesian, Greek, South America, and Japan. For those seeking a healthy-giving choice, Balanced Selection offers up four courses of mouth-watering lighter offerings. The Food & Wine Pairing menu offers up four courses selected by our master chefs which are expertly paired with four different wines selected by our head sommelier to present a perfectly-paired gourmet tasting menu each evening.

These new menus are currently available onboard Riviera and will be introduced aboard Sirena in May, Insignia in June, Nautica and Marina in July, and Regatta in August.

Oceania Culinary
New Dinner Menus

Also rolled out recently, foodie-focused Oceania Cruises introduced new dinner menus said to be the most expansive and diverse at sea. The menus feature an incredible spectrum of world flavors as well as an all-new Executive Chef’s Food & Wine Pairing, available every evening and featuring the chef’s selection of exquisite dishes specifically curated for their complementary and contrasting flavors. Another stand-out attraction of the menus are the new “Global Cuisine” dishes each evening – these are bolder and more adventurous ethnic dishes – for the traveler with a spirit for spice.

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Oceania Culinary
Roster Of Cooking Classes

• Pucker Up – Celebrating the diversity and splendor of lemons in Mediterranean cooking
• Ancient Cuisines – showcasing the magical dishes of Morocco and Turkey
• All Things Roman – Celebrating the greatest dishes of the ancient Roman Empire
• Brunch Comforts – Classic brunch dishes and entertaining tips
• Cooking Fresh – Healthy, fresh, and flavorful dishes including Canyon Ranch Spa Cuisine favorites
• Essential Pasta – The fundamentals of pasta preparation, cookery, and sauces
• Greek Tonight – Our faculty’s favorite recipes from Santorini, Rhodes, Crete, Corfu, and Athens
• Grill School – Grilling is more than technique, it’s an art form
• If it Swims – Mastering the basics of fish cookery: searing, baking, shallow-poaching, deep-poaching, and curing
• In the Kitchen with Jacques – Celebrating the glorious career of our Executive Culinary Director and world-renowned Master Chef through knife skills, the secrets of emulsion, and a selection of Jacques’ favorite dishes from his sixty-year career
• Most Requested Red Ginger – Mastering the skills and most popular recipes from our acclaimed Asian restaurant
• The Sicilian Kitchen – A celebration of pasta, fish, and rice dishes from the home kitchens of our faculty and crew
• Viva Espana – Spanish cuisine has helped transform the culinary world and this class showcases traditional tapax and pintxos along with new and modern favorites

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Oceania Culinary
New Dinner Menus

 

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