Culinary Cruises Float Exciting Flavors

Take a king crab safari in Europe’s northernmost fishing village, sip coffee in a Colombian mountain village, or tour the spice gardens of Zanzibar. As Jean Anthelme Brillat-Savarin apocryphally said, “Tell me what you eat, and I will tell you what you are.” The best memories include great meals, and the best meals immerse travelers deep into the culture of their destination. From Michelin-starred chefs on board to cellar tastings in Porto, live cooking demonstrations to Arctic herb farm tours, Swan Hellenic understands that part of seeing the world is tasting it, too.

The small size of Swan Hellenic’s two 5-star polar PC 5 ice-class expedition cruise ships give the culinary team flexibility to incorporate fresh seafood and produce from local markets into menus, bringing the seasonal flavor of the destination on board.

Swan Hellenic designs cultural expeditions that allow guests to explore the world through active adventures, scientific curiosity, and local traditions. By venturing to unique locations and lesser-known ports, it lives up to its credo, “See what others don’t,” and maybe to an additional one: “Taste what others don’t.”

World-Class Chefs, Around the World

On the fine-dining focused MARIS cruises, Swan Hellenic partners with JRE-Jeunes Restaurateurs to bring a world-class chef on board for the duration of the sailing. Chef Rob Krawczyk from the Michelin-starred Restaurant Chestnut in Ireland cooks on the “In the wake of Celts and Vikings” itinerary; Nikita Sergeev of the Michelin-starred Ristorante L’Arcade in Porto San Giorgio accompanies the “Secrets of Sicily” voyage, and eight other JRE chefs join guests on adventures to the Arctic, Antarctic, Europe, and the Mediterranean.

Each night of the MARIS experiences, the guest chef designs a special dish for the menu, and one night they cook a gala dinner. Throughout the journey, they offer cooking demonstrations and escort guests on unique shore excursions that could include lunch in a JRE restaurant, wine tasting at a personal favorite estate, or a shopping trip to procure the local, seasonal fruits and vegetables.

Culinary Expeditions

Step off the boat and into a chocolate factory in Belgium, sip Calvados in Normandy, and slurp Tsarskaya oysters on the Brittany Coast. Wander through the Old Town and Grand Socco of Tangier, passing through the fish and spice markets, then learn how to use regional specialties in a cooking class. Watch a Berber chef in Algeria demonstrate couscous making, or dive in and make your own harissa in Tunisia. Taste new-to-you local foods like reindeer, at a lunch with Sami people in Alta, Norway, or in new-to-you ways, such as drinking Marsala on an ancient wine-farm in Sicily.

Swan Hellenic’s mission to bring guests on cultural expeditions means that a culinary curiosity is woven into the fabric of the company, allowing guests the opportunity to learn about each destination in exciting, delicious ways.

Saving Room for Second Helpings

No food is worth being the last person on earth to eat it. Swan Hellenic aims to explore sustainably and respectfully, and that applies to every aspect of the journey, including the culinary programs. The kitchens use only sustainable fish and serve locally sourced food and beverages as much as possible. Not only does that cut down on the costs and environmental toll of importing, it enhances the experience by ensuring the flavor of the destination infuses into every meal. Even on Antarctica sailings, up to half the produce served on board comes from local areas.

From the Sponsor:

Swan Hellenic is an established, well-respected, owner-operated heritage brand with more than seven decades of expertise in undiscovered destinations. Our brand-new fleet of expedition ships are cutting edge, but the core values that underpinned the brand and served its guests so well from its inception remain in place. Swan Hellenic prides itself on immersing guests in their surroundings and taking them to see what others do not, visiting small and lesser-known ports of special cultural, geographical, or wildlife interest, as well as bucket list famous cities. Above all, our guests visit many uniquely remote places beyond these ports of call, boarding Zodiac boats and exploring at sea level to come ashore in rich unspoiled areas of our planet that often cannot be accessed in any other way. Swan Hellenic ships are designed to give you extraordinary, panoramic views, no matter where you are on board.

For more information about Swan Hellenic’s latest promotions, visit https://www.swanhellenic.com/promotions. Our Facebook Travel Advisor Page is: https://www.facebook.com/groups/793940561748667.