New for 2024 - Windstar Announce Guest Chefs on Selected Dates
WINDSTAR CRUISES ANNOUNCES 2024 JAMES BEARD FOUNDATION GUEST CHEFS & SAILING DATES
Small ship cruise line Windstar Cruises has announced its line-up of James Beard Foundation®-affiliated guest chefs for its series of three themed culinary cruises in 2024.
The trio of acclaimed visiting chefs – Omar Anani, Tanya Holland and Loryn Nalic – each bring their regional culinary expertise on board which purposefully matches the sailing destination.
Windstar is the Official Cruise Line of the James Beard Foundation (JBF). The non-profit organisation’s mission is to celebrate, support and elevate the people behind America’s food culture and champion a standard of good food anchored in talent, equity and sustainability. The Foundation firmly aligns with Windstar’s commitment to fresh and local epicurean experiences around the world, as well as efforts to reduce food waste.
“I’m always blown away by the epicurean superstars – all selected by the esteemed James Beard Foundation – that make up our yearly roster of culinary themed cruises,” says Windstar Cruises President Christopher Prelog. “2024 is no different, including a first-ever Middle Eastern James Beard Foundation culinary cruise with Palestinian-Egyptian American restaurateur Chef Omar Anani. These cruises are not just about the food and wine, but also about getting to know the chefs on a personal level and seeing the destination through their eyes. It’s this difference that makes our culinary themed cruises so unique and, as we say at Windstar, 180 degrees from ordinary.”
All three themed cruises in 2024, detailed at the links below, include two on-board cooking demonstrations, as well as four dishes by the visiting chef at a hosted dinner with wine pairings. Each chef will also lead a market tour, gathering fresh and local ingredients for dishes served on board. In addition, all three chefs will provide multiple recipes to be featured on Windstar’s menus across all cruises—adding to a growing number of special menu items from James Beard Foundation-affiliated chefs served across the fleet on every sailing.
1st February 2024: 10-day Sparkling Sands & Cities of the Persian Gulf aboard the 312-passenger Star Legend with Chef Omar Anani – from £1,899 per person
Chef Omar Anani is a Palestinian-Egyptian American restaurateur. His Saffron de Twah restaurant is an award-winning modern Moroccan bistro on the east side of Detroit, while his food truck, The Twisted Mitten, was the first halal food truck in Michigan and has been recognised as one of the best food trucks in the country by USA Today and the Food Network.
In 2020 Anani launched the Saffron Community Kitchen initiative to provide meal relief to Detroiters in need, and in 2022 he became a member of the Chef Corps at World Central Kitchen. The Chef Corps is a global network of prominent culinary leaders who champion World Central Kitchen’s work providing fresh meals following crises.
This sailing marks the first-ever themed culinary cruise for Windstar in the Middle East (a region Windstar begins exploring in November 2023). Guests on all of Windstar’s sailings in the Middle East will enjoy local flavours and spirits (such as Arak) on Windstar’s regionally inspired menus. However, those seeking further immersion will enjoy joining Anani as he guides them through the region’s best flavours with his personal favourites.
28th May 2024: 10-day Cuisines & Cultures of Spain, Portugal and France aboard the 312-passenger Star Legend with Chef Tanya Holland – from £3,745 per person
Chef Tanya Holland has an extensive background in French cuisine and is the executive chef/owner of the internationally renowned Brown Sugar Kitchen restaurant located in Oakland, California. Author of The Brown Sugar Kitchen Cookbook and New Soul Cooking, she competed on the 15th season of Top Chef on Bravo and was the host and soul food expert on Food Network’s Melting Pot. Holland leads a critically-acclaimed podcast, Tanya’s Table, interviewing many celebrity guests such as Questlove, Alice Waters, Danny Meyer and Carla Hall.
She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Russian Language and Literature from the University of Virginia, as well as a Grande Diplôme from La Varenne Ecole de Cuisine in Burgundy, France. In addition, Holland was appointed as a Culinary Diplomat by the United States' Foreign Service Department and has taught classes in France for gastronomic travellers, making her an excellent teacher and seasoned guide for Windstar guests.
28th August 2024: 8-day Adriatic Archipelagos & Greek Goddesses aboard the 342-passenger Wind Surf with Chef Loryn Nalic – from £2,885 per person
Chef Loryn Nalic (along with her husband Edo - a Bosnian refugee) are the owners of Balkan Treat Box where they serve Balkan-inspired cuisine straight from the heart of St. Louis, Missouri. The restaurant, which began as a food truck, has earned accolades such as Food & Wine’s “Best Bites of the Year” and was named one of Bon Appetit “Top 50 Restaurants”.
To recreate the classic Balkan recipes on offer, Chef Nalic travelled around the region learning age-old culinary traditions from locals. While traveling through each city centre, she was also inspired by the varying forms of food sold on the streets, which later became the concept for their restaurant. This itinerary includes ample time in Croatia and Montenegro – a perfect fit for Nalic’s regional expertise and first-hand knowledge.
Find out more about JBF theme cruises with Windstar. For more details on Windstar Cruises call 0808 178 2233 or visit www.windstarcruises.com