A Letter From the South of France: Returning to Oceania Cruises, My Culinary Roots & Raison d’être

As I sit with a glass of chilled rosé on my terrace considering what I might pick from my garden to prepare for dinner on this balmy summer evening, I find myself in a moment of reflection. Soon I will be joining one of our ships in the Mediterranean to oversee and collaborate with some of the most talented culinary professionals in the industry. There have been so many adventures and epochs between now and then, but I find myself thinking back to my childhood in France and how it was so full of cooking experiences that have stayed with me.

My Culinary Roots
From a very young age, I spent many vacations at the kitchen stove with my grandmother preparing feasts for our family. Stirring the pots, chopping, adding fresh herbs. We made simple chicken terrine, fresh pastas, chocolate mousse. The recipes did not matter as much as the technique and cooking simply with good ingredients. Always close by was my Italian grandfather watching over us – and making sure we sampled the pasta as we cooked. I will confess it was more simply to enjoy a taste than to check the flavors, but this always fondly comes to mind whenever I prepare pasta. Looking back, these early scenes with my family seemed to set the stage for everything that has unfolded.

A Happy Return to Oceania Cruises
With my recent return to Oceania Cruises as Director of Culinary Programs & Development, I am so happy to be back and reconnecting with many of the talented chefs on the culinary team – truly among the best in our field. Having been an Executive Chef at Oceania Cruises for more than a decade, many of the chefs and culinary leadership team are like family, so this feels more like a homecoming to me. It is an exciting time professionally to be re-joining the culinary team as we have more exciting plans and innovations on the horizon. I am looking forward to continuing to develop new recipes for our beautiful new ship, Vista – we have many exciting developments that we are working on for the new restaurants, Ember and Aquamar Kitchen, as well as some fresh and different concepts for our signature restaurants, Red Ginger, Polo Grill and Toscana. With our recent OceaniaNEXT enhancements, we’ve unveiled so many new dishes and culinary experiences, and we plan to continue introducing new globally inspired food and wine experiences to surprise and delight you.

My Culinary Philosophy: Cuisine du Marché
While my culinary aspirations came later when I began working at Michelin-starred restaurants in France and later London, the early emphasis my grandmother placed on simplicity, combined with fresh, seasonal ingredients and a true respect for the ingredients being used, has never left me. My principle culinary philosophy centers on what we call a true “Cuisine du Marché,” which is a respect for nature and the changing of the seasons to ensure the freshest and most flavorful ingredients are sourced and respectfully prepared. It is this that guides our passions and inspirations for new developments as we begin dreaming up the next best ways to evolve The Finest Cuisine at Sea. As an example, whenever possible, we procure fresh fish in the ports we are visiting – we receive it on board in the morning and prepare it that same evening to serve to guests. The same is true with our Chef ’s Market Dinners in Terrace Café – the Executive Chef heads to the market in the morning to select the freshest fruits and vegetables to create a menu that not only reflects the local fare but also calls upon delicious ingredients that are in season and at peak freshness.

Global Influences: Catalonia, Hong Kong & Beyond
I live in a town in the South of France by the name of Perpignan, very close to the Spanish border, and here seasons have always governed what’s prepared and served. In this part of France, there is an interesting intersection of influences and flavors, and I have been finding inspiration here for the new dishes and concepts we are working on. You have the aromatic scrubland herbs, olive oil, lush fruits and seafood from the South of France and an infusion of flavors from Spain and Catalonia. You will see Catalonia’s classic crème catalane and tapas on the menu here.

I find I am also drawing on my travel experiences, with one of the most influential being my time in Hong Kong. I had the unique opportunity to spend more than a year in Hong Kong while working, and looking back, it was an invaluable opportunity to discover Chinese culture and food. I developed an entirely newfound appreciation for the cuisine. Now dishes like dim sum, Peking duck, stir-fried noodles and the intersection of Eastern and Western flavors bring back amazing memories of my time there.

Closer to home, Parma is another location that has always left me with wonderful culinary experiences – the ham, Parmesan, wines, pastas and how everyone gathers together to enjoy…it’s a wonderful place. As I prepare to join our culinary team at sea, I am eager to discover the next horizons ahead and new destinations that will inspire continued evolutions in The Finest Cuisine at Sea.

In France, we have a saying, “bien manger,” which translates as “eat well.” It’s what we say instead of “live well.” For us, the two are inextricably linked, and I believe that this concept infuses everything we do at Oceania Cruises – live well, eat well, travel well. With that, I will leave you until we have the chance to welcome you back on board one of our beautiful ships and have the distinct pleasure of wishing you bon appétit as you sit down to a memorable culinary experience.