By Michael ColemanÂ
Not content to rest on its culinary laurels, the ultra-luxury Yachts of Seabourn have unveiled a host of new fleet-wide menu items.
Despite providing the best food experience at sea, according to readers of Conde Nast Traveler magazine polled in 2007, Seabourn has gone back to the drawing board.
From Malossol Caviar, Smoked Trout and Potato Parfait and Seared Beef Carpaccio with Sesame Vinaigrette toasted Shiitake Mushrooms to Butter Poached Jumbo Prawn and Red Beet and Goat Cheese Ravioli, Executive Chef Charlie Palmer has created the new dishes to tie in with a trend of adventurous diners seeking exotic twists on familiar, comforting ingredients.
As we know to expect from Chef Palmer and his team, the changes to the menu are cutting edge and will certainly please the discerning palates of our guests, said Seabourn president Pamela Conover.Â
With a very high customer repeat rate coupled with the fact that our guests dine with us each day for several weeks on their cruises, we are thrilled to be updating the menu with 150 new options.Â
With a variety of modern cuisine, classic dishes or lighter fare, guests will be experiencing the new menu update in a variety of venues aboard each of Seabourns three vessels.
Over the course of a typical cruise, guests chose the dining option that is best suited for each meal. From black-tie dinners in the elegant The Restaurant, the Veranda Cafes outdoor seating overlooking the ships wake, to casual al fresco dining beneath the stars in the Sky Grill or 24 hour in-suite dining with a full course menu.
As founder of New Yorks highly acclaimed restaurant Aureole and two-time James Beard Award winner, Palmer raised progressive American cuisine to a world-class level with creations praised for unusual, yet clever combinations. His use of bold flavors and the finest seasonal ingredients combine to produce delectable creations that remain aesthetically pleasing, as exemplified on his Seabourn menus.
He owns 11 restaurants, including four of New Yorks top tier, and founded celebrated dining establishments with a focus on fresh seafood and the highest grade steaks from Las Vegas and Washington D.C. to Californias Sonoma wine region and Dallas.Â
The original relationship between Chef Palmer and the Yachts of Seabourn allowed for hundreds of new signature recipes for cuisine to be served in the exclusive, single-seating restaurants aboard the lines ultra-luxury, yacht-like ships. Seabourn Pride, Spirit and Legend each feature restaurant kitchens, rather than typical cruise ship banquet galleys. The end result, as cited by Gourmet Magazine, is cuisine that is consistently excellent.Â
The menu additions reflect an ultra-luxury taste with a contemporary twist, said Chef Palmer. Seabourn guests are accustomed to the best and it is our job to constantly amaze them. Using the highest-quality and freshest ingredients, we have created a menu to delight each guest over the course of their cruise.Â
Seabourn features worldwide cruise itineraries of seven to 72 days, or longer, exploring landmark ports and lesser-known gems where larger ships do not travel.
The line is also building three new ultra-luxurious, 450-guest vessels for delivery in June 2009 (Seabourn Odyssey), summer 2010 and summer 2011. The latter two vessels have not yet been named.