America’s Test Kitchen Sets Sail On Holland America
by Cheryl Rosen /Ashford in New York on Tuesday.
New York -- Holland America Line president Orlando Ashford took a turn in a Manhattan kitchen yesterday to announce a new partnership with long-running public television show America’s Test Kitchen.
Holland America ships will feature cooking demonstrations and hands-on workshops on topics ranging from shaping Asian dumplings to making the perfect pie crust, and shipboard Culinary Arts Centers will be redesigned to replicate the set on the popular PBS show.
The program will launch on ms Westerdam “in a couple of weeks,” on ms Nieuw Amsterdam in November, and on all ships by June, Ashford said at a press conference at the Culinary Arts Center.
One of 10 Carnival brands, Holland America has invested $300 million in its fleet. The new tag line “Savor the Journey” will highlight its focus on food and wine, and underscore its commitment to offer “the most complete and immersive culinary experience at sea.”
The program will include 45-minute courses featuring a mix of video content, live instruction, taste tests and recipe samples on subjects like Asian Dumplings, Salad for Two, We Love Chocolate and Flavors of the Mediterranean, as well as 90-minute workshops that teach a specific skill set, such as Perfect Pies or Handmade Pasta.
Jack Burton noted that the point is to “educate and entertain” guests with a curriculum designed to “mimic the TV experience” of PBS’s top cooking show. The program “will offer a little food science and a hands-on experience designed for a dozen students.” Instructors already have been chosen from among Holland America staff, and the first two classes have graduated a five-day cooking boot camp.