Many cruise line’s boast that they have the best cuisine, but Oceania Cruises is the only cruise line that has been inducted into the Maître Cuisiniers de France, led by the menus of Jacques Pepin, Dean of Special Programs at the French Culinary Institute and holder of the Legion d’honneur. Pepin’s new menus will be introduced in May and December, and each new cycle typically includes 350-400 new items.
Twenty-five percent of the staff on each Oceania ship is galley staff, and the company says it has twice as many chefs as other lines. Oceania’s onboard chefs have previously showcased their talents at prestigious culinary destinations.
In addition, many of Oceania’s suppliers provide products tailored to the line’s specifications. The company has its own exclusive producer of foie gras in France; lobsters are raised exclusively for Oceania at its farm in Marin; and Viron flour from the Beauce region of France is exclusively produced for its ships, allowing Oceania to claim the only authentic French baguettes at sea. The baguettes are only one facet of the line’s special bread program, which was developed by Star Boulanger and Executive Corporate chef Frank Garanger. Each dining room has its own distinctive breadbasket – to fill them all, the staff bakes more than 60 varieties.
Another very carefully crafted aspect of the dining experience is the regional cuisine offered on board, much more than a tip of the hat to the countries to which Oceania cruises. To ensure you are getting an authentic representation of each country, Oceania works with distinguished chefs from London to Mumbai.
Here is a sample of the menu at the Grand Dining Room onboard Oceania.
If you have sailed on Oceania, we’d love to hear your feed back on the cuisine.
