When someone mentions the words “fine dining”, a cruise ship is probably not the first thing that springs to mind, but that could all be about to change.

Once the realm of all-you-can-eat buffets, cruise ships are now broadening their food offerings to cater for the discerning and diverse tastes of their distinguished guests. In fact, Oceania Cruises is one company that’s leading the way when it comes to foodie-inspired holidays. The culinary- and destination-focused cruise line has unveiled a new relaxed-yet-refined approach that makes the onboard dining experience almost as exciting and diverse as the destinations themselves.

Appealing to all tastes

Boasting a smorgasbord of restaurants and different types of cuisine, guests are spoilt for choice when it comes to choosing what and where to eat on board each day. Signature dining venues, that range from a classic American steakhouse and continental restaurant to pan-Asian and inspired Italian offerings, allow diners to bask in the flavours and cooking techniques from countries around the globe.

“Our dishes are absolutely inspired by the destinations around the world that I visit and the many seas I have sailed,” says executive culinary director of Oceania Cruises Alex Quaretti, a Master Chef of France who has been working on cruise ships for 20 years. 

“Whether it be traditional Italian dishes served at Toscana (the authentic Tuscan restaurant), juicy meat at Polo Grill, continental cuisine in the opulent Grand Dining Room or French classics at Jacques’, the award-winning fleet’s dining concepts have all been designed to serve our guests with the finest cuisine at sea.”

So much so that the company tagline is “The Finest Cuisine at Sea”. But Quaretti says it’s much more than that – it’s the mantra the business has been built around.

“For our guests who are looking for something more exclusive, Oceania Cruises offers private fine dining experiences like Privée and La Reserve, which thoughtfully curate pairings for our onboard food connoisseurs,” he says.

Team of experts

When it comes to producing exceptional food, the proof is in the pudding, with the ultra-premium line featuring the highest percentage of culinary personnel of any cruise company across its eight ships.

“To ensure the impeccable quality of each dish we have one chef to every 10 guests,” Quaretti says. “In fact, half of our crew on board is dedicated to the cooking or serving of food.”

That ranges from senior executive chefs and restaurant managers, to pastry chefs, sous chefs, and wait staff. Among them are chefs from various regions worldwide who are employed to ensure the food dished up in each restaurant on board is as authentic to its cultural heritage as possible.

With Quaretti and fellow Master Chef of France Eric Barale at the helm of the luxurious ships’ kitchens, the care and consideration that goes into each dish is evident. 

“Every dish on every menu on every ship in the Oceania Cruises fleet has been designed, made and tested by myself and the expert culinary team,” Quaretti says. 

“As the company’s recipe development manager, my job is to spot trends and adapt them to suit guests from all corners of the world, to suit every palate. Together with my team, we create over 300 new recipes every year to join or replace other dishes on menus in all of our onboard restaurants. Across all the restaurants, there are an astonishing 4000 recipes.”

Made to order

To ensure each recipe is truly exceptional, every dish is prepared with high-quality produce.

“As with any great restaurant, all dishes are prepared à la minute, using only the freshest ingredients. The attention to detail is what makes our food stand out above others,” Quaretti explains.

But unlike a restaurant on land, the higher number of diners on a cruise ship means vast quantities of provisions are required. For example, the restaurants on Oceania Cruises’ newest ship, Vista, can go through approximately 635kg of lobster; 20,000 fresh eggs; 2950kg of beef; 2270kg of flour, and 27kg of caviar each week. 

“As the only true foodie ships in the world, we have more galley space and more fresh food storage than any other cruise line,” he says.

A unique opportunity

For those looking for a more hands-on foodie experience, Oceania Cruises’ larger ships even offer expert cooking lessons at sea in the state-of-the-art Culinary Center, along with destination-immersive itineraries to over 600 ports of call worldwide. The innovative onboard cooking school, which can cater to up to 24 guests at a time, gives adventurous foodies the opportunity to expand their culinary skills through a range of classes that cover techniques specific to the regions they are visiting. 

It’s this combination of culture, travel and food that has driven Quaretti’s decision to spend the rest of his career at sea.

“Travel feeds into my culinary vision as tastes and trends are ever-changing and evolving – you don’t get these kinds of experiences working in a restaurant on land.

“My projects on board Oceania Cruises enable me to share my beliefs as a chef to produce dishes that take everyone on a journey, without exception. Whether it be fine dining or classics, I always want to captivate our guests with dishes bursting with heart and soul.”

For additional information on Oceania Cruises’ small-ship luxury product, The Finest Cuisine at SeaⓇ, and expertly curated travel experiences, visit OceaniaCruises.com, call Oceania Cruises on 1300 355 200, or speak with a professional travel advisor.