Always a cruise line noted for its fine cuisine, Oceania is set to expand its mouth-watering culinary palette with the introduction of 20 new classes in its Culinary Centre including a special two-day program focused on the influence of the line’s culinary director, master chef Jaques Pepin.

The new programs will debut on in April 2015 on Marina and Riviera and were developed by Chef Kathryn Kelly, Oceania’s Director of Culinary Enrichment. Their aim is to showcase cooking styles from different destinations that the ships visit and as well as the special Jaques Pepin program, there are a host of other additions to Oceania’s Gourmet Explorer series.

What’s on the menu?

The Culinary Center Immersion Program consists of four sessions over two days is offered on specific itineraries and is designed to help you improve your culinary skills in the kitchen back home, teaching essentials like good sauce-making and vegetable preparation. The program culminates in a competition between teams of guests, judged by members of the ship-board culinary team.

Another highlight marks the 80^th birthday of the line’s Culinary Director, when guests are invited to ‘Celebrate Jacques Pepin’ with the creation of an exclusive class in which guests will learn how to prepare dishes from two the chef’s most celebrated cookbooks – his benchmark classic La Technique and Essential Pepin – a volume which compiles over 700 dishes from the master chef’s six decades in the trade. There will also be a series of new regional classes, showcasing local cuisine from such far-off regions as Peru and Morocco.

How do I join in?

No matter what your skill level in the kitchen and what your preferred tastes are, the Culinary Centre’s curriculum appeals to a wide range of tastes and abilities, guaranteed a truly memorable culinary experience.

If all this talk of cooking, international cuisine and culinary classes has whetted your appetite for both tasty dishes and luxurious cruising, you’ll be pleased to know we have an excellent selection of Oceania cruises available. Take a look at what’s on offer and when you’ve found the perfect itinerary, just call our dedicated Cruise Concierge on 0808 202 6105 to book.