Monthly Archives: May 2019

How Food Drives Cruise Culture

How Food Drives Cruise CultureFood is intrinsic to cruises, a far cry from the days of old when passengers made do with whatever the cruise ship chefs could make. Today, technology helps produce stay fresh longer and allows a wider range to be transported, helping to satiate the growing culinary demands of clients.

Currently, there are cruises that focus solely on the culinary experience, from offering cooking demos to wine tours during port excursions and even an on board cooking school. As a member of staff, cruise ship chefs jobs on such liners will demand good galley experience and extensive skills.

ON BOARD

In March this year, Silversea Cruises announced its latest immersive culinary enrichment programme tailored according to the itinerary in a way that incorporates ship-based and shore-side events. Cruise ship chefs jobs on board will involve taking guests through market trips, winery visits and meals at port eateries, as well as guest hosts, food lectures and demonstrations on board.

In 2015, its L’Ecole des Chefs by Relais & Châteaux offered knife skills workshops, cooking competitions, a market-to-plate tour and a lunch and learn session where the cruise ship chef prepared an entire meal in front of guests.

Celebrity Cruises attempted to give guests a closer look at what goes into their beautiful dishes. It offers a popular Excite the Senses Culinary Theme Cruise with a behind the scenes experience including a private tour of the ship’s galley. In the past, guests have been able to meet upcoming chefs including Jacques von Staden and Junior Merino.

On board cooking demonstrations are popular on many cruise ships around the world, some given by celebrity chefs such as Jacques Pépin on Oceania. The cruise ship company boasts a state-of-the-art galley where chefs host cooking classes and demos on board its vessels Marina and Riviera.

Other vessels demand greater skills from their many cruise ship chefs – Paul Gauguin Cruises, for example, plates a sumptuous variety of Polynesian dishes using local ingredients during its voyages to South Pacific ports in Tahiti, Fiji, Bora Bora and French Polynesia.

Social media is playing an interesting part in cruises too. Le Petit Chef on Celebrity Edge offers a 3D dining experience for Instagram-loving patrons, created in collaboration with TableMation Studios, that screens an animated character beside your plate preparing your dish before it is served.

Holland America Line took food-themed cruising to another level with an itinerary that included special viewings of America’s Test Kitchen, showing the reality show’s live demonstrations up close, encouraging participation in hands-on workshops, getting tips from professional chefs and also on-screen test cooks from the show.

IN PORT

Cruise companies are always on the lookout for something different to offer their guests. Celebrity Cruises hosted a Baked in Alaska specialty cruise that included a food foraging expedition in a remote area of the state and a visit to Ketchikan understand its commercial crabbing industry.

Saga cruises targets the middle-aged crowd and has been offering unique experiences to draw in their guests. Its European cruises offer port excursions to quaint little villages and towns such as Madeira where guests sample local food such as bolo do caco and exotic fruit, and Cádiz where its tapas workshop teaches guests how to make the best local small plates and the appropriate wines to pair them with.

Other cruise ship companies plan a variety of excursions to culinary hotspots such the floating markets of Vietnam or a beer tasting cruise in Germany.

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What To Ask Before Joining a Culinary School

What To Ask Before Joining a Culinary SchoolMost culinary positions, including cruise ship jobs, demand some level of formal instruction. While it is possible to climb the ladder based solely on your passion and motivation to learn on the job, it might be easier to get a foothold in the mainstream industry with some qualifications or experience under your belt.

So here are a few things you should ask yourself and the culinary school before taking the decision to sign up.

Should I get a degree or a diploma?

Many culinary schools offer both options. A degree involves around four years of training, in-depth and schooling in focused skills and management, including personnel and budget management, as well as learning how to cook. Opting for a diploma means a shorter course that is often specific to a type of cooking – pastry and baking, bartending or general entry level instruction.

Based on your preference, time and funds available, you can shop around for the appropriate schools that offer what you’re looking for.

What is the culinary school’s reputation in the industry?

This may not seem important, but in today’s competitive world, fly-by-night operators are more common than ever before. Thanks to the internet, it is far easier to create beautiful websites that can hoodwink unsuspecting students. Ask around about the reputation of various institutions to cross-check their background. You may even call or visit the school  if possible before taking your final decision.

Is it located in a culinary destination?

The school’s location in a place well known for variety in food can help immensely with your exposure to the industry – its inner workings, creative new endeavours and also internships and placements. Goa is a hotbed for tourism and hospitality, making it an ideal place for a reputed culinary institute like the American College of Culinary & Language Arts (ACCLA) to be located.

What specialisations are on offer?

Culinary institutions can have varied programmes. Choose your specialisation – if offered – based on what you’d like your career graph to look like.

Do on-site chef instructors lead the programme?

Having someone well-versed in the workings of the industry can make a big difference to the quality of your instruction. Chef instructors can help teach you short cuts to efficiency, techniques and skills that will otherwise only be learned through years of work.

How much time is spent in the kitchen?

Working as a culinary professional demands in-depth, hands-on skills so a focus on practical sessions over theory is important.

How often are students graded and what is the classroom size?

Having frequent tests and practical quizzes keeps students on their toes and strengthens the understanding of fundamental concepts, which helps immensely in the industry. Additionally, a healthy teacher-student ratio allows for better individual attention.

Are there internship and placement programmes?

Most culinary institutions include an internship programme as part of the curriculum. Internships are valuable experiences which offer students real-world working conditions. Many schools do not offer placements, but for those that do, students can expect jobs quite quickly if they do well.

Can I be a vegetarian in school?

Many students have dietary restrictions for ethical, religious or health reasons. However, they may still have to cook with ‘prohibited’ ingredients. Typically, they find a way around it – they could give up for the duration of the course, or taste the dish until the ‘prohibited’ ingredient is added – getting a fellow student to taste instead, or judge the preparation based on sight, sound and smell.

Is there accommodation and financial assistance?

For degree courses, it can help to be located close to school. Some culinary schools offer hostel accommodation while others may help students locate appropriate lodging. Culinary programmes can also be expensive, so it helps to look for financial assistance if provided – through loans and scholarships.

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