Experience The Ultimate Foodie Foray With Celebrity Cruises' Chef's Market Discoveries.

 Flavours can evoke the soul of a destination, like Limoncello in Sorrento, caviar in St Petersburg and fragrant lemongrass in Thailand; and there’s no better way to truly discover the heart of a destination than alongside an expert master chef with Celebrity Cruises’ Chef’s Market Discoveries.

Celebrity Cruises, the modern luxury cruise line renowned for its award-winning onboard dining, has created a unique culinary shore excursion concept in its ‘Chef’s Market Discoveries’; offering exclusive on-shore adventures designed with food-lovers and budding chefs in mind. 

Guests are led on an exclusive hands-on tasting tour by a Celebrity Cruises’ chef, who teaches the secrets of sourcing and cooking fresh ingredients from the region. After a day of discovery, the journey continues back onboard the ship with a galley tour – a private glimpse at Celebrity Cruises’ talented chefs at work – followed by an intimate, specially prepared dinner using the local flavours discovered that very day.

“We know that fine food and wine is an incredibly important part of any premium holiday experience, and that’s what our team has in mind when they create these bespoke experiences. Our Chef’s Market Discoveries are the ultimate experience for foodies seeking an authentic culinary adventure,” says Adam Armstrong, managing director, Royal Caribbean Australia and New Zealand.

“Celebrity Cruises’ chefs are constantly travelling to new ports and discovering new flavours which they use to inspire their dishes, so they’re perfectly placed to provide unique insights into the tastes of destinations like Thailand, Italy, Greece, Spain and Russia as well as Australia’s own culinary capital – Melbourne,” Armstrong concluded.

Celebrity Cruises’ renowned food and beverage program is overseen by Associate Vice President of Food and Beverage Operations, Cornelius Gallagher – an internationally-acclaimed Michelin star chef himself. Under his guidance, expert chefs from all over the world serve up dynamic menus onboard, not only as part of the Chef’s Market Discoveries, but also in restaurants like Qsine, offering unexpected twists on familiar favourites; Murano, serving classic French fare; and Tuscan Grille, an Italian steakhouse with flair.

Chef’s Market Discoveries are available on nine Celebrity ships, including Celebrity Millennium, sailing Asia itineraries throughout summer, and Australia’s highest-rated cruise ship, Celebrity Solstice, sailing New Zealand and South Pacific itineraries from October to April.

2017 Chef’s Market Discoveries are priced from USD$199 per person and include locations throughout the world:

Melbourne - Queen Victoria Market and Private Dinner

Discover Melbourne’s local culture and fresh flavours on this Celebrity Chef-led adventure to the famous Queen Victoria Market. Learn about the market’s fascinating history while exploring with the chef, who’ll take you to stalls overflowing with sweetbreads, snake beans, buffalo milk mozzarella, fresh-shucked Coffin Bay Oysters, grilled peppered kangaroo and pickled octopus. This unique hunter and gatherer experience will immerse you in the lively culture of Melbourne. Back onboard, embark on a galley tour followed by an intimate chef-hosted dinner featuring the flavours of Melbourne.

Port: Melbourne, Australia Cruise:14-night New Zealand Cruise on Celebrity Solstice departing Sydney, 11 November 2017. Fares start from AU$2149/NZ$2359 for an Interior Stateroom, twin share.

Bangkok - Thai Culinary Arts School and Private Dinner

Accompanied by our Celebrity Chef, you’ll source and learn about Thai ingredients during a stroll through a local Thai fresh market, before travelling to the Nah Pah Thai Culinary Arts School. There, you’ll meet an award-winning local chef who will prepare four different Thai dishes and show how to master the art of Thai cuisine. Following a visit to Pattaya’s Big Buddha Temple, your journey continues on board with a galley tour and chef-hosted dinner, where you’ll taste the Modern Luxury version of the day’s culinary adventure.

Port: Bangkok/Laem Chabang, Thailand Cruise: 14 Southeast Asia Immersion Cruise on Celebrity Millennium departing Singapore, 10 December 2017.  Fares start from AUD$2,029/ NZ$2,219 per person for an Interior Stateroom, twin share. 

Naples - Sorrento Gastronomy Discovery and Private Dinner

Learn how Limoncello, olive oil and mozzarella cheese are made, while travelling from Naples to the Amalfi Coast and Sorrento, Italy. Stroll through a local market in Sorrento where Celebrity’s Chef will introduce guests to greengrocers and learn about the legendary “Femminello” lemon and the production of Limoncello. Visit a family farm producing mozzarella cheese and olive oil and discover an antique wine cantina before indulging in a delicious lunch featuring the region’s own pasta, fresh tomato, mozzarella, caciotta cheese, and caciocavallo. Explore Positano’s bougainvillea-laced streets and finish the day back on the ship with an intimate chef-hosted dinner of Italian fare.

Port: Naples, Italy

Cruise: 10 Nights Italy & Greek Isles Cruise on Celebrity Reflection departing Rome, September 29 2017. Fares from AU$2,629/NZ$2,749 per person for an Interior stateroom, twin share.

Crete - Culinary Secrets of Chania and Private Dinner

Escape to the Botanical Park of Askordalos in Chania, Crete - a plant lover’s paradise - and learn about medicinal plants, herbs, and fruit trees from around the world. Guests will stroll through Chania’s Agora market to source fresh fish, meat, and local products and be shown how to cook a traditional Cretan dish, and sample Boureki (a local pie) and Gemista (Greek stuffed vegetables). Back on board, a tour of the ship’s galley will conclude with a special meal inspired by the day’s flavours.

Port: Chania (Souda), Crete, Greece

Cruise: 12 night Israel & Mediterranean Cruise on Celebrity Constellation departing Athens, 31 October 2017. Fares start from AU$1959/NZ$2139 per person for an Interior stateroom.

About Cornelius Gallagher

Fortunate enough to have discovered his passion at age 12, and after more than two decades in New York City’s cutting-edge and highly respected culinary arena, Cornelius Gallagher now oversees modern luxury cruise brand Celebrity Cruises’ food and beverage operations. As Associate Vice President, Chef Gallagher leads more than 7,000 food and beverage professionals, and is responsible for all menu development and implementation as well as all aspects of culinary, service and beverage operations across the line’s 12 ships. 

Prior to his time in the cruise industry, Gallagher was Corporate Chef for the Bohlsen Group, where he oversaw six of the most well-known dining establishments on Long Island, NY. He also notably served as Executive Chef for Michelin-starred restaurant “Oceana” in Midtown Manhattan, where he earned a number of awards and accolades, including being named one of Food & Wine Magazine’s “Best New Chefs” and “Best Chef” by New York Magazine in 2003. 

For further information or to make a booking, visit www.celebritycruises.com.au or phone 1800 754 500.

Information supplied by: Celebrity Cruises.

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Photos supplied by: Celebrity Cruises.