Holland America invites chefs from all around the country making them part of the guest enrichment program. While onboard, guest chefs and experts offer cooking demonstrations, tasting and hands-on cooking classes to guests. In partnership with Food & Wine Magazine, Holland America schedule over 60 celebrated chefs and wine experts to sail in 2009. On cruises that do not have a guest chef onboard, classes and demonstration in the show kitchen are held by Holland America chefs.
A state-of-the-art “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 video screens to display overhead and close-up video views of food preparation, and a large cooking display counter where guests can learn from the masters. Culinary demonstrations also are filmed and aired on in-stateroom televisions. Holland America Line invested more than $13 million to create and install the Culinary Arts Center facilities on each of its ships as part of a $225 million Signature of Excellence initiative.
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 on the Alaskan Explorer; 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, Glacier Inside Passage cruise.
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, 12 day Mediterranean Romance.
• Randy Lewis, executive chef of La Provence in Lacombe, LA., sailing on ms Noordam June 28 – July 8, 10 day Mediterranean Enchantment
• 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 Discovery.
• Scott Tycer, executive chef at Gravitas in Houston, Texas, sailing on ms Rotterdam Aug. 11 – 23, Baltic. (12 day Scandinavia & Russia Adventure)
• Olga Krasnoff, Designer/Writer/Lecturer of Tabletop Landscapes, San Diego, sailing on ms Eurodam Aug. 27 -Sept. 6, 10 day Colors of Canada & New England.
• David McMillan, corporate executive chef of Consilient Restaurants, Dallas, sailing on ms Prinsendam Sept. 6 – 20, Western Europe. (14 day European Tapestry)
• 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, Owner of Jacque Torres Hudson Street, sailing on ms Oosterdam Oct. 17 – Nov. 2, Transatlantic. (16 day European Serenade)
• Maria Hines, Executive Chef of Tilth in Seattle, Wash., sailing on ms Zuiderdam Oct. 24 – Nov. 3, Panama Canal Sunfarer
Bruce Weinstein & Mark Scarbrough, Authors of “Ultimate” cookbook series, sailing on ms Veendam – Nov 19, South America Explorer.
