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.