Virgin Voyages Debuts Inaugural Eat & Drink Month
by Dori Saltzman /Travel advisors with foodie clients, take note: Virgin Voyages is partnering with Michelin-starred and James Beard Award nominated chefs for its inaugural Eat & Drink Month. Throughout November, cruisers onboard Scarlet Lady and Valiant Lady will be treated to an array of culinary events, along with a complimentary $300 Bar Tab to spend onboard.
Chefs participating include Michel star chefs Matt Lambert and Brad Farmerie, along with James Beard Award nominated Silvana Salcido Esparza and Sohui Kim. On the beverage side of the event, Virgin has partnered with Miami’s Unfiltered Hospitality and Charles Joly, the beverage designer for the most recent Emmy Awards.
“We have created an incredible, award-winning product, and our food and drink continues to be a standout part of the experience,” said Virgin Voyages president and chief experience officer, Nirmal Saverimuttu. “Of all the feedback we receive from past guests… two things stand apart above all else: our amazing Crew and the food & drinks. Eat & Drink Month is a way for us to turn up the heat and celebrate Sailors’ favorite part of coming aboard with a recurring event our guests can look forward to for years to come.”
Bookable events, including elevated dinner & wine pairings, cooking demos and more will be priced between $15 and $125 per person.
Some of the events on offer will include:
Let’s Mushroom Around: Interactive demo at The Test Kitchen, where guests will learn the techniques behind two of the brand’s iconic mushroom dishes: Test Kitchen’s Mushroom Mousse and Razzle Dazzle’s Mushroom Tartare. $25/person
Sushi & Poke Demo: Participants will learn how to select sushi-grade fish and use a sushi knife, then construct their own cucumber avocado roll and tuna poke bowl. $25/person
Flavors Uncorked at The Wake: A four-course menu with wine pairing created by Michelin star chef Brad Farmerie. $125/person
Creative Collective: Sohui Kim: Cruisers will learn how to make dumplings with Chef Sohui Kim, known for NYC’s The Good Fork, Insa and Gage & Tollner. Available only on the November 25 sailing of Scarlet Lady. $25/person
Creative Collective: Matt Lambert: On-board cooking demo with the former chef of the NYC Michelin-starred restaurant, The Musket Room. Chef Lambert also created the original menu for Virgin’s The Test Kitchen. Available only on the November 13 sailing of Valiant Lady. $25/person
Creative Collective: Silvana Salcido Esparza: Featured on Food Network’s “Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives,” Chef Salcido Esparza, creator of the menu at Pink Agave, will offer an amuse bouche and interactive guacamole demo on the November 16 sailing of Scarlet Lady and November 19 sailing of Valiant Lady. $25/person
Spill the Beans with Intelligentsia Coffee: Participants will learn about the nuances of hand-selected varieties from around the world and get to taste like a professional. $15/person
What’s the Tea?: A 60-minute session hosted by JoJo Tea that covers the origins of tea and how to analyze and taste the four main varieties. $15/person
Loteria Gigante: A party-style event developed by Unfiltered Hospitality that combines agave cocktail demos with a game of “Millennial Loteria,” a parody of the classic game “Loteria.” Every ticket includes a bottomless margarita and Paloma bar. Only available on Scarlet Lady. $35/person
Filthy Bloody Mary Bar: Cruisers will be able to start their day with three versions of Filthy Food’s All-Natural Bloody Mary (gin, vodka or tequila), offered only during Eat & Drink Month. Prices vary.
Behind the Scenes: A 3.5-hour tour that includes 22 stops including areas reserved for Crew. Available only on Scarlet Lady. $150/person

