Chef, cookbook author and TV personality Sara Moulton and Chef Kathryn Kelly, Oceania Cruises' Director of Culinary Enrichment, join its esteemed ranks
MIAMI
, Sept. 18, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Oceania Cruises®, the world's leading culinary- and destination-focused cruise line, is delighted to announce the first two members of its Culinary Advisory Board: chef, cookbook author and television personality Sara Moulton, and Kathryn Kelly, Oceania Cruises Executive Chef and Director of Culinary Enrichment. They will serve alongside the Board's co-chairs -Master Chef Jacques Pépin, chef and television personality Giada De Laurentiis, and the line's two Master Chefs of France and Executive Culinary Directors, Alex Quaretti and Eric Barale.
Both Chefs Kelly and Moulton are integral parts of the Oceania Cruises talented culinary team and possess an inherent passion for food, for learning, and for sharing their incredible knowledge and skills in inclusive, lively, and informative ways.
Chef Kelly is the founder and driving force behind The Culinary Center, the first ever hands-on cooking school at sea which debuted in 2011 when Oceania Cruises'Marina™ was launched. She oversees Oceania Cruises' faculty of dedicated Chef Instructors and is the chief architect of more than 100 unique culinary classes. Thanks to Chef Kelly and her talented team, Oceania Cruises guests can choose to spend a sea day discovering the secrets of fish cookery or perfecting their knife technique at The Culinary Center.
Chef Kelly was instrumental in the development and launching of the line's signature Culinary Discovery Tours™, immersive chef-led excursions which are now offered in more than 40 destinations worldwide. On these specialty tours, Oceania Cruises connects guests with the culture and history of destinations through food, including learning how to cook local dishes back on board after a morning of shopping in local markets. Chef Kelly pivoted from a career in healthcare in the fifth decade of her life and is passionate about adult learning.
Oceania Cruises has been a sponsor of Moulton's PBS television show, "Sara's Weeknight Meals," since 2018. Moulton has filmed two seasons of the show on board Oceania Cruises' ships and hosted numerous specialty cruises, which spotlight her passion for sharing her culinary talents through cooking demonstrations, sharing recipes for some of her favorite dishes to be served on board, and joining food-focused shore excursions as a special guest.
Moulton counts legendary television chef Julia Child and Oceania Cruises' first-ever executive culinary director Jacques Pépin as her mentors and lifelong friends; she learned from the best and is paying it forward with her dedication to culinary enrichment.
Together, Chefs Kelly and Moulton will work to further enhance and deepen Oceania Cruises' culinary enrichment program by aligning with the work across all culinary venues on all ships being undertaken by Chefs Alex Quaretti and Eric Barale in preparation for the addition of Vista's sister ship, Allura™, in 2025, and again in 2027 and 2028 with the addition of its two brand new Quattro class ships.
"I am truly delighted to welcome these two members of the Oceania Cruises family as the very first members of the Culinary Advisory Board. Both are passionate about food and about sharing their amazing skills and knowledge with as many people as possible, in the most dynamic and inclusive way. They both inspire people to find new skills and explore the world through the lens of gastronomy – always while having an absolutely great time," said Frank A. Del Rio, President of Oceania Cruises.
Chef Alex Quaretti, Executive Culinary Director, added: "We are a cruise line built by foodies, run by foodies, for foodies; but this is not just about serving wonderful dishes in the gourmet restaurants across our fleet. We want our guests to expand their horizons, learn new skills, see and taste different cultures; food is the ultimate way of bringing people together, and Chefs Kelly and Sara bring this philosophy to life beautifully. I am so excited these inspirational chefs are joining the Culinary Advisory Board."
Chef Alex and the three other founding members will be inviting other acclaimed chefs and artisans from around the world to join the Culinary Advisory Board to share, create, and delight in the coming months as Oceania Cruises develops the next chapter in its culinary legacy.
ADDITIONAL NOTES
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Oceania Cruises is the only cruise line to boast two Master Chefs of France, Chefs Alex Quaretti and Eric Barale. Chefs Alex and Eric have both been inducted into the prestigious echelons of Maîtres Cuisiniers de France, an exclusive association established in 1951 to support and promote French culinary arts around the world.
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Oceania Cruises is a cruise line built by foodies, run by foodies, for foodies. The Finest Cuisine at Sea® is not just a tagline; it is a mantra which the business has been built around over the past 20-plus years. Food is at the very heart of Oceania Cruises, on board each of its eight small luxurious ships, and globally, in the destinations the ships visit.
- The line's ships Marina and Riviera™ offered the first-ever hands-on cooking schools at sea, an element evolved even further with newest ship Vista™, launched to global acclaim in 2023, and her sister, Allura, which debuts in July 2025.
- All Oceania Cruises ships are primed with a selection of gourmet specialty restaurants, always available at no extra cost, as well as the fine dining offerings at the line's main restaurant, The Grand Dining Room.
- For guests looking for a more exclusive experience, Oceania Cruises offers private fine dining experiences like Privée and La Reserve, which thoughtfully curate food and wine pairings.
- As the only true foodie ships in the world, Oceania Cruises ships have more galley space and more fresh food storage than any other cruise line.
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Oceania Cruises has the highest percentage of culinary personnel devoted to the dining experience than any other cruise line, with one chef for every 10 guests and half of the onboard crew dedicated to the preparation or serving of food.
- As with any great restaurant, all dishes are prepared à la minute, using only the freshest ingredients, in state-of-the-art expansive galleys.
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The Culinary Advisory Board was formed in Spring 2024 to guide and develop Oceania Cruises' philosophy of The Finest Cuisine at Sea. It is chaired by Oceania Cruises' two Executive Culinary Directors and Master Chefs of France, Chefs Alex Quaretti and Eric Barale; alongside celebrated Italian-American chef, author, restaurateur, and Emmy Award-winning food personality Giada De Laurentiis, the line's Brand and Culinary Ambassador; and renowned chef Jacques Pépin, a founding member of Oceania Cruises' culinary team.
BIOGRAPHIES
SARA MOULTON, AUTHOR, CHEF AND TV PERSONALITY
Sara, a protégé of Julia Child, graduated from the Culinary Institute of America in 1977 and worked in restaurants for seven years in Boston and New York. She joined Gourmet Magazine, first in the test kitchen, and then as the chef of the executive dining room for a total of 25 years. Concurrently she served as the executive chef behind the scenes at ABC-TV's "Good Morning America," prepping and styling all the food for the chefs and cookbook authors that appeared on the show, followed by a 10 year on-air stint as food editor.
Sara also hosted 1,500 episodes of several well-loved shows, including, "Cooking Live," a live call-in show on the Food Network during that channel's first decade. She is the author of four cookbooks, including most recently, "Home Cooking 101."
Currently, Sara hosts "Sara's Weeknight Meals," a public TV show, heading into its 13th season this fall. She also co-hosts a weekly segment on "Milk Street Radio," with Chris Kimball, answering questions from listeners.
KATHRYN KELLY, EXECUTIVE CHEF AND DIRECTOR OF CULINARY ENRICHMENT
Chef Kathryn Kelly is the founder and driving force behind The Culinary Center, overseeing Oceania Cruises' faculty of dedicated Chef Instructors. She is the chief architect of more than 100 unique culinary classes as well as Oceania Cruises' signature range of Culinary Discovery Tours™, immersive chef-led excursions offered in more than 40 destinations worldwide.
Chef Kelly completed her doctoral studies in Epidemiology at the Johns Hopkins School of Public Health and holds two master's degrees in Community Medicine and Biostatistics. After a fulfilling career in health care, she pursued her lifelong dream of becoming a chef, graduating with honors from The Culinary Institute of America in the fifth decade of her life.
Chef Kelly resides on Amelia Island, Florida, and in Austin, Texas. She is an avid golfer and the proud grandmother of her three "little sous chefs" Kate, Luke and Jack.
About Oceania Cruises
Oceania Cruises® is the world's leading culinary- and destination-focused cruise line. The line's eight small, luxurious ships carry a maximum of 1,250 guests and feature The Finest Cuisine at Sea® and destination-rich itineraries that span the globe. Expertly curated travel experiences are available aboard the designer-inspired, small ships, which call on more than 600 marquee and boutique ports in more than 100 countries on seven continents, on voyages that range from seven to more than 200 days. Oceania Cruises® has two additional ships on order scheduled for delivery in 2027 and 2028 or 2029[1]. Oceania Cruises® is a wholly owned subsidiary of Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. (NYSE: NCLH). To learn more, visit www.nclhltd.com.
[1] Delivery for the second Oceania Cruises ship is contractually scheduled for the fourth quarter of 2028, but may be delayed to 2029.
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